International student and data science and analytics major Janhavi Beley ’27 recently received the 2025 Student Presentation Award from the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) National Diversity in STEM conference. We spoke with her about this honor and studying STEM at Simmons.
“I was over the moon [and on] cloud nine … it was wonderful,” says Janhavi Beley ’27, upon finding out that she received a Student Presentation Award from the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). This past fall, Beley delivered a poster presentation at SACNAS’ National Diversity in STEM conference in Columbus, Ohio.
“As a data science and analytics major, I really want to build really great presentation skills,” she says. “Going to such a big conference, talking about the research that I had done with so many people, and receiving this recognition … has given me confidence. The fear I used to have about doing a presentation is gone now.”
Conducting Biological Research Locally
At the SACNAS conference, Beley’s poster presentation was entitled “Quantitative Biological Data Analysis of the Muddy River.”
As Beley explains, “In the nineteenth century, the Muddy River was quite polluted. They had some drainage and sewage issues, and wanted to address them. So, they made the Emerald Necklace … which reduced the public health issues.”
Now rivers receive a grade regarding levels of bacteria within them. “Over the last decade, the Muddy River grades have fluctuated a lot … So we decided to do our own analysis,” Beley says. With her fellow researchers, Beley collected water samples from the Muddy River as well as Jamaica Pond, which flows into the Muddy River. “We found high levels of contamination in both samples,” she says. “The results were quite surprising, and we quantified them all … And we think the biggest source of contamination is from Jamaica Pond.”
Beley conducted this research with 21 other students, and most closely with MJ Vásquez ’26 and Anna Ng ’26, through Simmons’ Dynamic Research Education Academy for Mentoring Students in STEM (DREAM-STEM) program. Directed by Professor of Chemistry and Physics Arpita Saha, this NASA-funded program is designed to help undergraduates build confidence, formulate STEM identity, and develop successful STEM career pathways. Professor Donna Beers serves as Beley’s mentor.
Approachable Faculty at Simmons
As an international student from Mumbai, Beley heard about Simmons through career counselors at goGENIUS.
“I liked Simmons because it is women-centered. And I like small classrooms, because you can interact with your professors and professors and students get to know each other very well,” she says. “Back in India, professors can be intimidating … But at Simmons, if I am struggling with something, I can get all the help that I need, and I really like that.”
Moreover, Beley, an accomplished pianist who trained at the Kairos School of Music in Mumbai and Trinity College of London, liked the fact that Simmons’ residence halls include multiple pianos for students to play. “That’s when I knew Simmons was the one,” she says.
Beley also appreciates the University’s Boston location, which is nearby many medical institutions, restaurants, and cultural attractions. She has also taken advantage of the Multicultural Center and Colleges of the Fenway special events for international students.
Being a STEM student at Simmons, and particularly one in the DREAM-STEM program, has been impactful for Beley. “To see [from viewing the short videos early on in the program] what jobs women in STEM can have, their struggles, how they cope … is so inspiring,” she says. “The DREAM-STEM program at Simmons has given me a sense of belonging.”
Regarding the STEM curriculum, one of Beley’s favorite classes thus far has been “Introduction to Data Science” (STAT 228), taught by Assistant Professor Lauren Trichtinger. As Beley explains, “there are no exams for this course, but there are projects … We basically learned what to do with a data set — how we should read it, what kinds of questions we should ask, and how we should analyze it … I really liked this because I learned what I, as a future data scientist, could do with this data.”
Professor Trichtinger is also one of Beley’s favorite educators at Simmons. “I really like how she simplifies the course that she teaches … I approached her countless times, and she always welcomed me,” Beley comments. “Professor Trichtinger is a fun, approachable, and wonderful person.”
Career Aspirations in Data Science
When she was contemplating what college to attend, Beley’s high school counselors noticed that she loves puzzles, patterns, and logic. They suggested that she may want to pursue a career in data science. This has since become an intellectual interest of hers, which Simmons has nourished.
“The core structure for data science here at Simmons is very valuable,” she says. Beley plans to pursue a master’s degree in data science after Simmons.
“Data Science is a very unique field. And it can pair well with other fields,” Beley adds. “It plays a pivotal role in solving complex questions … it can be used for public health, social aspects, and many other things. I am really excited about pursuing a career in the field of data science.”