Team
The “Palmer Group” are students, fellows and staff that work with Dr. Palmer in a variety of capacities on collaborative research projects and programs. We also have a growing community of group alumni.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Dan Greene (he/him)
Dan is a computational social scientist and a Fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University, where he works with Dr. Megan Palmer and Prof. David Relman. He studies the factors driving life scientists' motivation to engage with the risks of their work, using a combination of interviews, surveys, and statistical analysis of historical data provided by the iGEM Foundation. Dan received his PhD in Education from Stanford, where he worked with Prof. Carol Dweck to develop metrics of mindsets that motivate unemployed and underemployed adults to seek out job-skill training. In his spare time, he enjoys meditation and slacklining.
Research and Programs Staff
Connor Hoffmann (he/him)
Connor assists with research and programs led by Dr. Palmer’s group. His interests include how technology development shapes social and political orders, norms and governance practices with a particular focus in the life sciences. Connor received an Honors Baccalaureate and Bachelors in Chemical Engineering, Biological Engineering, and Interdisciplinary Studies (BS) with foci in biological engineering, economics and political science from Montana State University. His thesis work studied the application of nuclear nonproliferation norms to dual-use biotechnology. He also conducted research on the biochemistry and structural biology of CRISPR-Cas systems under the direction of Dr. Blake Wiedenheft during his undergraduate studies. Connor was named a Truman Scholar, the premier graduate fellowship in the United States for those pursuing careers as public service leaders. Before joining Stanford, he worked with the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy [ACEEE] to develop a connected and autonomous vehicle policy toolkit. An avid outdoorsman, he can be found after hours exploring the backcountry with his mountain bike, touring skis, climbing gear, or backpack.
Research Assistant
Stanford CISAC
Gwyn Uttmark (they/them)
Gwyn is a senior Chemistry Student at Stanford University. They work with Dr. Palmer to study factors driving motivation and choice making around risk in the life sciences using historical data provided by the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Foundation. In their day-to-day, they help bridge the gap between real world data and research questions and provide guidence on developing analysis pipelines. In their spare time, Gwyn loves to cook and is currently working on a short cookbook titled “A Vampires Guide to Anemia.”
Graduate Student Affiliates
Peter Dykstra (he/him)
Peter is a PhD candidate in Bioengineering at Stanford University. His thesis research with Prof. Christina Smolke focuses on the intersection of synthetic biology and regenerative medicine where he is developing a novel RNA-based platform for control of mammalian cell fate decisions. He works with Dr. Palmer on biosecurity and biopolicy projects, including the design of programs that educate government stakeholders on biosecurity threats. Peter is originally from La Mesa, CA and holds an MS in Bioengineering from Stanford University and a BS in Bioengineering from the University of California, San Diego. He is supported by a Graduate Research Fellowship award from the National Science Foundation. When he takes a break from science, Peter loves outdoor adventures, cheap international flights, and mixing live music.
Program in Science, Technology, and Society
Michelle Howard (she/her)
Michelle is a senior bioengineering student from Tucson, AZ pursuing minors in Religious Studies, and is pursing a coterminal Masters in Management Science and Engineering. She wrote her Senior Honors Thesis in STS on the ethics of commercializing medical technologies in Silicon Valley. She was a Teaching Assistant for BIOE122: Biosecurity & Bioterrorism Response, which features Dr. Palmer as a guest speaker and class advisor. Michelle began biosecurity research at CISAC in her sophomore year studying biosecurity-related H.R. bills, policies on reviving extinct species, and survey design for assessing self-governance among life scientists.
Palmer Group Alumni
Medical Science Training Program | Virology
Jaspreet Pannu (she/her)
Jassi is a M.D. student at Stanford interested in biosecurity and pandemic preparedness. She works on the science and policy of medical countermeasures for infectious diseases/biosecurity risks. Jassi received her Bachelors in Biology (B.Sc) from McGill University. In her free time she enjoys hiking, traveling, and discovering new podcasts.
Shelby Perkins (she/her)
Shelby graduated from the Masters student in International Policy, Cyber Security and Policy Program within the Freeman Spogli Institute at Stanford University. She worked with Dr. Palmer on bio-leadership programming and identifying individuals to participate in engaged leadership programming for the future of the life sciences. Shelby received her Bachelors in Political Science (BA) and Spanish Language and Cultures (BA) with a minor in Democracy Studies from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She also studied with the Center for South Asian Studies at Pondicherry University.
Adam Elliott (he/him)
Adam received his undergraduate degree in bioengineering at Stanford and graduated from the CISAC Honors Thesis program. His thesis examined the contrasting approaches toward the funding of dual-use research of concern undertaken by the NIH and DARPA; specifically, whether these differences are driven by differences in doctrine between agencies, differences in organizational politics, or differences in agency history and culture. The thesis aimed to inform policies to be more responsive to emerging threats in biology. He began work with the Palmer group by studying U.S. policy design and decision-making in response to biological research projects that enabled airborne transmission of H5N1 influenza (avian flu) between mammals. Adam has previously worked for the Nuclear Threat Initiative on their Global Biological Policies & Programs team.
Eva Frankel (she/her)
Eva received her undergraduate degree in bioengineering at Stanford and graduated from the CISAC Honors Thesis program. Her thesis investigated the threat posed by lone insiders in biological laboratories, including analysis of both the motivations and the capabilities of lone insiders to develop weaponized pathogens. After founding Stanford’s iGEM team, she began work in the Palmer group pursuing her interest in the use of the competition’s Human Practices program as a testbed for studying biosecurity and bioethics. She has previously investigated the implications of dual-use research of concern for the Biological Weapons Convention as an intern at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF/HSFK).
Other Palmer Group alums include:
Christine Yang, Smeet Patel, Jessica Santana, Marco Stanchi, Amy Weissenbach, Bruce Tiu, Beenish Pervaiz, Rachel Olney, Dillon Leet, Blair Andy Stewart, James Bai, Chloe Rickards, Aaron Zellinger, Marta Milan and Ann Breckencamp