Internal Affairs Department
The Graduate and Professional Student Association Internal Affairs (IA) Department administers the GPSA Research and Travel Grant Programs. The IA team creates the applications for both programs every year. We train, manage, and assign peer reviewers every cycle, and award funding to outstanding applications in each program. We work with Graduate College and the Athletics Program to provide the Graduate Research Support Program and the Athletics Grant, respectively.
Megan A. McCaughan
Vice President of Internal Affairs
The Vice President of Internal Affairs is responsible for the distribution of all funding allocated to the GPSA Travel and Research grant programs and is responsible for management of all aspects of both the Travel and Research Programs.
Megan McCaughan is currently a PhD student in Molecular and Cellular Biology in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University. She is passionate about advancing global health through scientific discovery, participating in humanitarian efforts, and scientific outreach/communication. Her current research focuses on elucidating the cell death pathway known as necroptosis, and the interplay of innate immune evasion by viral pathogens.McCaughan can be reached at megan.mccaughan@asu.edu.
Ndey Bassin Jobe
Director of Grant Operations
The Director of Grant Operations is a new position that assists the Director of Research and Director of Travel in the execution of their respective programs. The position monitors the eligibility of grant applications and ensures grant awardees are connected with the resources needed to utilize their awards. This position also performs any tasks needed by the Vice President of Internal Affairs related to the allocation of grants to students so grant programs run smoothly.
Ndey Bassin Jobe is a Biology doctoral candidate in ASU's Center for Evolution and Medicine. She is originally from the Gambia, West Africa. Her research contributes to understanding the biology and behavior of mosquitoes that ultimately determine pathogen transmission dynamics to help assess and improve novel surveillance and vector control biotechnologies.Jobe can be reached at gpsa.grants@gmail.com.
Michael Royer
Director of Research
The Director of Research is responsible for managing and overseeing operations relating to research grants and the training of research grant reviewers.
Michael Royer is an Exercise and Nutritional Sciences doctoral candidate within the College of Health Solutions. His primary research interests range from food insecurity, adverse childhood experiences, and eating behaviors. Michael works as a graduate research associate for the Radical Simplicity Lab and the ASU-Starbucks Center for the Future of People and the Planet. He is also a teaching assistant within the College of Health Solutions.Royer can be reached at gpsa.research@gmail.com.
Nicholet Deschine Parkhurst
Director of Travel
The GPSA Director of Travel manages the travel grant program provided by the Internal Affairs Committee, trains and manages the travel grant reviewers, and answers inquiries sent to the research email.
Nicholet Deschine Parkhurst, Standing Rock Sioux and Diné is a Ph.D. student in the Justice and Social Inquiry program in the School of Social Transformation at Arizona State University. She earned a Master of Public Policy and Master of Social Work from ASU. Her research is at the intersection of Indigenous human rights, social movements, and digital activism. Parkhurst can be reached at gpsa.travel@gmail.com.