Adult Panel Discussion

Ritchie Patterson is a Cornell professor of Physics who uses particle colliders to study the universe as it was soon after the big bang. Currently, she is doing research at the Large Hadron Collider, where the Higgs boson was discovered, investigating the mystery of the Higgs boson mass: why is it so light compared with some expectations? Ritchie also directs the Cornell lab that develops accelerator and x-ray technology for studying everything from Higgs bosons to cell membranes to aircraft wings. She has two daughters, one of whom is finally old enough for EYH!

Dr. Elizabeth Brandstetter, raised in Connecticut, went to undergrad at NYU and received her D.D.S. from USC in 2009. From 2009-2012 she was a dental corps officer in the US Army. While stationed at West Point, Dr. Brandstetter was recognized as a dedicated leader and received two Army Achievement Medals. Dr. Brandstetter emphasizes oral health improvement as part of whole body wellness. She believes in the benefits of educating her patients about their oral health and dental treatment choices. Dr. Brandstetter loves being outside, enjoying nature, whether it be playing with her dog Montana, horseback riding, hiking, biking, or gardening.

Roxy Johnston is the lab director at the City of Ithaca Water Treatment Plant. She also serves as the Watershed Coordinator for the City of Ithaca.  She has worked there 15 years overseeing the lab, organizing stream and lake monitoring, leading outreach events and working with other local and regional water groups. She has a bachelor's degree in biology and four years of graduate work concentrating on taxonomy, ecology and soil ecosystems. She is also a master gardener and avid food perserver and hunter. For other fun with nature, she enjoys hiking, biking and skiing.

Kaleigh Muller received a B.S. in Industrial Engineering (IE) from the University of Pittsburgh. After graduating, she spent two years optimizing happiness as an IE for Walt Disney World, providing analysis to park support operations. She currently works as Educational Programs Coordinator for the Cornell Center for Materials Research, promoting science and engineering to the next generation of scientists by coordinating outreach events that connect researchers to the community. When she’s not working, she likes to play inner tube water polo and run with (…be run by…) her dog, and dreams of one day running across a pool of oobleck.