President:
Viraj Deorukhkar
(Michaelmas through Lent) – Current Open Recruitment
Viraj is a fourth year undergraduate in the Department of Chemistry specialising in organic chemistry and chemical biology. Having also studied pharmacology and the biology of disease during his time in Cambridge, Viraj is passionate about fostering multidisciplinary collaboration and ensuring that cutting-edge research has real-world impact. His academic focus aligns with a deep interest in bridging the gap between scientific research and policymaking, particularly in drug and vaccine development and roll-out. This is Viraj’s second year with CUSPE. During the 2024-25 academic year, Viraj served as Chief Editor of the journal working to create a platform where early-career researchers can contribute to policy discussions where scientific innovation informs decisions that shape public health and global well-being. He also served as Interim Treasurer.
Vice President &
Interim President (Easter, until filled)
Shannon Bohle
Shannon is an alumna of the University of Cambridge and is a member of St Edmund’s College where she studied for a PhD in the History and Philosophy of Science as a Cambridge Trusts Scholar. She also holds two master’s degrees: a Master of Library and Information Science degree from Kent State University and a Master of Arts degree in Science Writing from Johns Hopkins University. Her popular science writing has appeared in Nature, Scientific American, National Geographic, Astronomy & Geophysics, etc. She has lectured internationally, with her talks delivered at the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, the University of California-Berkeley, and more. She has done international award-winning work in artificial intelligence and was a 2021 winner of the Library of Congress/ABAA National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest for her collection, “Life through Space and Time: A Personal Journey through Modern Science, Collecting Hand-signed Autographs, Manuscripts, and First Editions.” Shannon is returning for her fourth year on the CUSPE committee. During the 2024-2025 academic year, she served as President and Interim Webmaster. Shannon is also a founder and advisory board member of CUSPE’s AI Science Policy Lab and Centre.
Secretary:
Manasa Venkatesh
Manasa is a second year medical student at Downing College. She is interested in how policy affects healthcare, and how policies can be integrated along with report findings to make healthcare goals a reality. This was strengthened by her experience with a project which explored the quickest and most effective way to implement the 10-year plan and reform the NHS. As Secretary, Manasa hopes to connect the Committee and CUSPE members, helping the Society to run smoothly.
Treasurer:
Rohan Singh
Rohan is a second year medical student at Sidney Sussex. He is particularly interested in how policy shapes healthcare and scientific research. His academic focus has included the interaction between climate change policies and healthcare, and the impact of post-Brexit immigration laws on the NHS. This is his first year on the committee and he hopes to explore these issues more broadly.
Treasurer-Elect and Finance and Interim Fundraising Team Lead:
Maciej Filicha
Maciej is a postgraduate researcher at the University of Cambridge, undertaking an MRes + PhD in Sensor Technologies as part of the EPSRC Sensor CDT. He previously completed an MEng in Medical Engineering at the University of York, graduating with First Class Honours. His policy interests focus on how science and engineering policy can support the responsible translation of medical technologies alongside the development of sustainable technologies and infrastructure. Through his experience working on national-scale electricity transmission projects with National Grid, he has developed a strong interest in how long-term investment, regulation, and governance shape the delivery of sustainable technological systems. As Treasurer-Elect, Maciej is keen to support CUSPE through transparent and effective financial stewardship.
Marketing Co-Lead: Bocheng Xiao
Bocheng is an alumnus currently pursuing his PhD at the University of Oxford after receiving his Biochemistry Integrated Masters from the University of Cambridge. His subject area has furthered his interest in science policy and especially health policy, although he remains passionate about all aspects of science policy from artificial intelligence to agriculture. He is returning for his fifth year on the CUSPE committee and fourth year in Marketing. He looks forward to another successful year promoting the rapidly changing landscape science policy to the truly diverse community in Cambridge. The position of Marketing Lead is currently open due to term expiration. A training period will be provided.
Marketing Co-Lead: Milena Aarts
Milena is a second year Natural Sciences student at Girton College. She is particularly interested in biochemistry and cell biology, and especially their research applications in medicine. A desire to understand how scientific advancements lead to changes in policy led her to select History and Philosophy of Science in her second year. This relates to a more general interest in how science is communicated to both politicians and the wider public, and how policy affects research and funding. This is her first year on the committee and she looks forward to helping bridge the gap between science and policy.
Events Lead (Michaelmas Term):
Li Dixon
Li is a second year medical student at the University of Cambridge. She has a particular interest in health policy, in particular the work that can be done to reduce healthcare inequalities both locally and globally. She is also interested in pandemic detection and prevention, and the intersection of this with issues of food production and climate change. This is her second year as Events Co-Lead on the CUSPE committee.
Events Lead (Lent and Easter Terms):
Xuelong Fu
Xuelong is an MPhil student in Technology Policy at the Cambridge Judge Business School. He has a diverse academic background, having studied artificial intelligence, political science, and business administration. His interests include, among others, AI and quantum for society, science and technology studies, technopolitics, and data-driven policymaking. Besides academics, he brings experience in event organisation, partner acquisition, entrepreneurship, as well as advisory work and AI engineering. This is Xuelong’s first year on the CUSPE committee and, to broaden his commitment to making science more accessible, he also serves as an associate editor for the MIT Science Policy Review.
Policy Challenges Coordinator
(Lent-Easter):
Claire Gordon
Claire is the Programme Manager for the Cancer Data-Driven Detection (CD3) and coordinates a large, interdisciplinary research programme that brings together academic, clinical, and policy partners to advance early cancer detection, operating at the intersection of science and public policy. This involves aligning research activities to the national cancer prevention strategy, managing stakeholder engagement, and supporting key governance structures. Before joining the University of Cambridge, she completed an MSc in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). She is particularly motivated by opportunities that connect research with policymaking and will help ensure Cambridge researchers and the Council, working together, have the tools to create innovative responses to local policy.
Finance & Fundraising Lead (Michaelmas Term):
Rowan Crawford
Rowan is pursuing his MPhil in Technology Policy at Judge Business School. His research background lies in systems methods for technology and innovation governance, with a particular focus on emerging technologies such as quantum communication. He is particularly interested in innovation in emerging markets and exploring how emerging economies can best grow and manage their innovation systems through policy interventions. He brings experience in science communication, fundraising strategy, intelligence analysis, as well as policy and IP research.
Social Media Co-Lead:
Maisie O’Connor
Maisie is a second year Biological Natural Sciences student at Clare College. She is particularly interested in the interface of politics and science and how they shape each other. Her interest for science policy grew particularly when she took the History and Philosophy of science module. She enjoys discussing the ethical side of science and how this shapes policy. This is Maisie’s first year on the committee and she looks forward to learning much more over the coming academic year!
Social Media Co-Lead:
Audiovisual Specialist:
CJSP Managing Editor of Volume 6 (Chief Editor of Volume 7):
Susannah J. Salter
Susannah is a part-time PhD student at Clare Hall and a part-time Roving Researcher in the School of Biological Sciences. She has more than 15 years of professional experience in pathogen genomics, previously at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and then in the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge, She is excited to support early career researchers by sharing the policy impact of their work published in CJSP.
CJSP Managing Editor of Volume 7 (Chief Editor of Volume 8):
Eliana Nakhleh
Eliana is a third year Medical Student at the University of Cambridge, intercalating in Physiology, Development and Neuroscience. She has a particular interest in public health and syndemics, and how syndemics offer a crucial framework to understand how social adversities and interconnected health problems could have synergistic impacts on health outcomes including premature mortality and avoidable hospital admissions. This new understanding of health and disease has unique policy and practice implications, including the provision of simultaneous access to integrated care and social prescribing. This is her first year on the committee and she hopes to contribute to the journal as the Managing Editor.
Copy Editor:
Celeste Watson
Celeste is a first-year PhD student at Clare College, developing novel nucleic acid-based therapies for glioblastoma in the Department of Pharmacology. She completed her BSc in Biological Sciences at UCL and previously worked as a research assistant developing combination therapies to treat tuberculosis. Her research background has strengthened her interest in science policy, particularly surrounding the drug development process from initial R&D funding through clinical implementation. She has experience in academic publishing, having worked as a copy editor for two years with the International Pharmaceutical Federation and as Deputy Chief Editor of a biosciences journal at UCL. This is her first year with CUSPE. She looks forward to contributing to the quality and clarity of work published in CJSP.
Webmaster (CUSPE):
Shannon Bohle
Shannon is an alumna of the University of Cambridge and is a member of St Edmund’s College where she studied for a PhD in the History and Philosophy of Science as a Cambridge Trusts Scholar. She also holds two master’s degrees: a Master of Library and Information Science degree from Kent State University and a Master of Arts degree in Science Writing from Johns Hopkins University. Her popular science writing has appeared in Nature, Scientific American, National Geographic, Astronomy & Geophysics, etc. She has lectured internationally, with her talks delivered at the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, the University of California-Berkeley, and more. She has done international award-winning work in artificial intelligence and was a 2021 winner of the Library of Congress/ABAA National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest for her collection, “Life through Space and Time: A Personal Journey through Modern Science, Collecting Hand-signed Autographs, Manuscripts, and First Editions.” Shannon is returning for her fourth year on the CUSPE committee. During the 2024-2025 academic year, she served as President and Interim Webmaster. Shannon is also a founder and advisory board member of CUSPE’s AI Science Policy Lab and Centre.
The position of Webmaster is currently open due to term expiration. A training period will be provided.
Webmaster (CJSP): James Shin
James is pursuing an MPhil in Physics at King’s College. He graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. His work centers on the intersection of space, electronics, and policy. Within the technical realm, James researches the impacts of space radiation on microelectronics and photovoltaics and is currently working with the Space Photovoltaics Group led by Dr. Louise Hirst. His contributions and work have been published and presented at international conferences and journals such as the IEEE Nuclear & Space Radiation Effects Conference and IEEE Transactions in Nuclear Science. Within the space industry, he has interned at SpaceX and Blue Origin. James is also dedicated to advancing international space policy and diplomacy to foster a sustainable, coordinated space domain. He has interned at the Aerospace Industries Association working on space policy and is a member of the Space Generation Advisory Council’s Space Law and Policy Group. He is a recipient of the Marshall Scholarship, Love Family Foundation Scholarship, 2024 Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship, and Stamps President’s Scholarship.