The AIDS Beacon™

Boris Simkovich is the Chief Executive Officer of Light Knowledge Resources and Publisher of The AIDS Beacon. Boris co-founded LKR in 2005 when the firm started developing its first web service, Zuula. Boris has a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from Penn State and a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard. In his free time, Boris enjoys watching movies and reading.

Courtney McQueen joined the Light Knowledge Resources team as a writer and managing editor in May 2009, and as an associate publisher in May 2010. Courtney has a B.S. in Chemistry from Harvey Mudd College in California and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Princeton University. At LKR, she helps manage and develop the Beacon websites. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, watching Mythbusters, cooking, and spending time with her family.

Maike joined Light Knowledge Resources in May 2009 as an associate publisher. She is responsible for the development of the Beacon Web sites. Before joining LKR, Maike worked in consulting for many years. She holds a linguistics degree and a degree in business from two German schools. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, reading, and practicing and teaching yoga.

Julie joined Light Knowledge Resources in March of 2008 after graduating from Princeton University with her Ph.D. in Chemistry. Her dissertation research involved the development of small molecule chemotherapeutics. She also has a B.S. in Chemistry and Mathematics from Moravian College. At LKR, Julie works on the development of the Beacon Web sites. With several family members who have battled cancer, she aspires to help patients through these sites. Julie's interests include crafts, playing piano, and spending time with her family.

Stephanie is a junior currently double majoring in English and Psychology at Cornell University. At Cornell, she enjoys being an active member of the Greek community. Stephanie plans to attend graduate school for law or journalism upon graduating from Cornell. Her interests include writing, designing, and playing the piano. She joined LKR in June 2009 as an editor for the AIDS Beacon.

Danielle recently graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Advertising. She currently works for Kaplan Test Prep as a teacher and marketer. Danielle joined LKR in June 2010 as an editor for the AIDS Beacon. Her interests include editing, reading, writing, singing showtunes, and meeting new people.

Shruti Kalra is a third year Doctor of Pharmacy student at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. She joined The AIDS Beacon as a writer in May 2009. Some of her interests include reading, singing, listening to music, volunteering, and working out.

Meerat Oza is a second year Doctor of Pharmacy student in the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers University. She is an active member of the Habitat for Humanity Club and has been volunteering with the organization for over four years. Her interests include reading, playing the flute, watching movies, and spending time with her family.

Kieryn is a freshman at Princeton University. She is hoping to major in either Molecular Biology or Sociology with a certificate in Neuroscience and plans on attending medical school after graduating. Her interests include volunteering at her local animal shelter, reading, playing the violin, and spending time with friends and family. She joined the Light KR team in February 2010.

Abby Horstmann joined the LKR team in September 2009. She hails from Poughkeepsie, New York, and is currently a senior at The Pennsylvania State University. She will be graduating this spring with a degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a minor in Spanish and hopes to attend graduate school in Fall 2010. Currently, Abby is carrying out biochemical research for her thesis that hopes to identify a new antibiotic target in Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. In her spare time, Abby enjoys reading, rooting for Penn State Football, snowboarding, going to the gym, volunteering in THON (Penn State's student-run philanthropy), and watching The Office.

Caitlin McHugh is an undergraduate senior majoring in Chemistry and History at Cornell University. She is an officer in a student run dance company on campus and is interested in intellectual property law. She joined the AIDS Beacon as a writer in June 2010. Her interests include dancing, running, reading, and playing the flute.

Mariana joined Light Knowledge Resources as a writer in June of 2010 after graduating from Princeton University with a Ph.D. in Chemistry. Her research at Princeton involved the study of proteins involved in DNA packing. She is currently a postdoctoral scholar at Penn State University's College of Medicine. She also has a B.S. in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the Florida Institute of Technology. Mariana's hobbies include baking, doing zumba and yoga, and hanging out with her husband and her dog.

Salina Yuan is a freshman at Princeton University planning to major in Molecular Biology. She has been an active volunteer in her local hospital’s Emergency Room as well as the Princeton HealthCare System. On campus she also is a member of Deserts Like Eden, a nonprofit organization that raises money for a variety of causes. Salina’s other interests include Russian literature, Greco-Roman poetry, Shakespeare, American and Chinese history, and all things New York City.