SigmaWest 2026: Counselors

Hey everyone! I’m excited to be joining SigmaCamp again. I am studying Biology at Stony Brook University. This summer, I am interning at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and researching how to determine the genetic and epigenetic drivers of thymocyte development and differentiation. Outside of school, I enjoy playing most racket sports, attending concerts, and spending time outdoors. I am looking forward to meeting you all and creating some great memories together!

Hello everyone! :D My name is Keila. I am 30 years old and, at the moment, I am finishing my PhD in chemistry. I study at the University of São Paulo (USP), and I am currently majoring in food science and analytical chemistry. In my free time, I usually love going for runs and playing sports, and I also love puzzles and board games!

Hello world :) I’m Gabriela, and this is my second time at Sigma US (although I’ve been to all the Sigma Brazil camps so far!). I was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro and I've recently graduated university, with a major in Science and Technology (it's an interdisciplinary degree). My current academic interests are at the intersection of fields, especially biophysics and molecular biology. Outside academics, I love hiking, spending time in nature (especially at the beach), hanging out with animals, and watching movies. I’m usually really approachable and love chatting about anything—and I’m also really proud of my Duolingo streak, so let’s connect there too!

Hi everyone! I'm Alex Khankin and I'm an incoming freshman at the University of Chicago. I've attended SigmaCamp since 2020, and I am interested in biology. Outside of STEM, I enjoy playing piano and skiing.

Hey everybody! I'm so excited to be a counselor at the inaugural SigmaWest after a few years at both SigmaCamp and SigmaNext. In my spare time, I like reading books and finding new TV shows to get into and overanalyze with my friends. At camp, you'll find me throwing a ball around or playing basketball, and enjoying whatever else our new location at Pine Summit has to offer.

Hello! I was a camper at SigmaCamp and SigmaCamp Next for two years, and I am excited to be back a counselor! My main interests are chemistry and engineering, although I'm interested in physics and biology as well. Outside of school, I love making of all kinds (woodworking, blacksmithing, etc.), as well as philosophy and music. I'm excited to meet you all this summer!

Hello everyone! I'm super excited to be coming back to Sigma as a counselor. I'm from NYC and will be an incoming student at Caltech this fall. I'm mainly interested in math and machine learning, but I also like chemistry and physics. I enjoy solving problems and coding. In my free time, I like reading and analyzing books, and I love going on hikes. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone this summer!

Hi I'm Tarika! I work in finance making pricing and predictive models. I have a master's in CS and bachelor's in mathematics from the University of Chicago and I like games + puzzles!

I have been camper/counselor/faculty at Sigma Camp since its inaugural year in 2013 and hopefully for years to come. During my time at Sigma, I have graduated high school, attended Cornell for my undergraduate degrees and received my PhD at Stony Brook University in Computer Science. I teach robotics and reinforcement learning semilabs and set up sporting events like Chessball. I look forward to meeting you all and don't hesitate to come talk to me about any of your scientific or sporting interests.

I am a Physics graduate student at UofT. I spend much of my free time studying piano, reading about the history of science and organizing outreach events at UofT.

Daniel is an undergraduate studying Math and Physics. He spends his time trying to learn things and then teach them to other people, and he tells himself he'll find an interesting research project soon. Lately, he has also been thinking about psychology-backed teaching practices and how to mathematically derive morality. He has been at Sigma forever, and can be found reorganizing board games, locking other people into rooms full of puzzles, and playing the saxophone (poorly) at the chamber concert. Daniel wants to hear your thoughts on life and/or give you fun math problems/puzzles, so you should come say hello :)

I have been coming to Sigma as a camper since 2019 and as a counselor since 2022. I will be starting my fourth year at McGill University in the fall. Before coming to Montreal, I lived near Boston and before that, in State College, Pennsylvania. I love physics and math, and my favorite part of math is whatever I happen to have last learned. I enjoy learning languages, whether human or programming, and am always up to learn something new. If you come find me during one of the breaks, I'll teach you how to knit or crochet.

Hello! After 5 years as a camper, I'm excited to come back for my first year as a counselor. I'm studying math and theoretical computer science, and I love algebra and graph theory. Beyond academics, I love ping-pong, ultimate frisbee, and board games, both playing and designing. Please stop me to talk about any new math or board game ideas you have!

Hello, I'm Nestor and I'm very excited to return to as a counselor! My primary work is as a professional ChatGPT impersonator, but on the side I'm a founder of a food robotics startup called Rito. I also love philosophy, iced lattes, and hot takes.

I am personally very interested in physics, technology, and entrepreneurship. I do everything from building burrito-making robots and creating levitating vehicles to shocking people to make them dance.

I love meeting new people and enjoy understanding how others think, and always appreciate interesting discussions on any topic, from questions of morality to cultural trends, so feel free to talk to me about anything!

Hi everyone! I’m really excited to be back at Sigma as a junior counselor after being a camper three times. This fall I’ll be starting at Rice, where I plan to major in pure math. I love math olympiads and also enjoy programming competitions. If you want to nerd out, I’m always happy to chat about solving geometry problems with complex numbers or cool Diophantine equation tricks. Besides academics, I love movies and twisty puzzles like the Rubik’s Cube, and I’m learning German (my level is about the same as a toddler's right now).

Hi! I work in ASIC Digital Design. I have a Masters/Bachelors in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. I enjoy reading, playing Stardew Valley, and tinkering with electronics. I also dabble in ceramics and flame-working. Excited to meet everyone!

Former camper (2016-2018) excited to give back to the community that motivated me to learn new things!