Naava Schottenstein, PhD - Director

Dr. Naava Schottenstein earned her B.Sc. in Biological Sciences from Wright State University and her PhD from The Ohio State University. Though her dissertation was focused on dental evolution of primates and their relatives, she has a soft spot in her heart for birds and her many office plants. When she’s not teaching, she can often be found camping, spending time with her family, or quoting The Office a questionable amount.

Drew Spacht, PhD - Site Coordinator

Dr. Drew Spacht earned his B.Sc. in Biological Sciences from Mercyhurst University and his PhD from The Ohio State University. During his doctoral work, he studied stress physiology and physiological ecology of insects and conducted much of his research in Antarctica, where he discovered a passion for photography and Gentoo penguins. Dr. Spacht spends his free time cooking, running, thinking about what his next tattoo will be, and hanging out on the couch with his wife and their dog, Juni.

Sacha Tadros, PharmD - Subject Matter Expert

Dr. Sacha Tadros was accepted directly out of high school into a dual acceptance program at the Chicago College of Pharmacy where she earned her PharmD. She has extensive background in biochemistry and immunology, and post-graduation she participated in an infectious disease residency. Dr. Tadros holds a numerous national certifications, including infection control, drug discovery and development, pharmacy leadership, medication safety, and opioid stewardship. Dr. Tadros is also a certified herb nerd and grows a variety of herbs in her garden. She also likes to explore nature, travel, and spend time with her husband and four children.

Matthew Saelzler, PhD - Subject Matter Expert

Dr. Matthew Saelzler earned his B.A. in Biology from the University of Chicago and his PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Saelzler has extensive experience in Molecular and Cellular Biology, and he studied tumor formation in mouse models during his doctoral work. Outside of the classroom he can be found caring for his many house plants and being #1 cat dad to his two cats. Dr. Saelzler also coaches his nephew’s grade school soccer team, which we think would be a nice story pitch to Apple after the final season of Ted Lasso.

Laura Shady - Site Ambassador

Laura Shady earned her B.S. in Education from The Ohio State University and her M.Ed. from the University of Dayton. Laura has been the STEM Coordinator at CSCC since 2010, and in that time, she has shaped the lives of countless young scientists. When she's not helping folks find their place in STEM, Laura can generally be found in a book - she's in THREE different book clubs! Outside of all that reading, Laura is a certified dog enthusiast, she hikes and glamps with her family, and she participates in an annual 30-mile walk for breast cancer research each October. Also, we were told that if we didn't mention Maruca's Tomato Pies from the Jersey Shore there would be consequences (Laura loves their pizza).