Officers

Laurie Salustri

Computer Science, Class of 2027

I was diagnosed with autism at age 6, and my experiences have shaped my passion for advocacy. My special interests include dogs, classic rock, and computers. I have two wonderful dogs, Lucy and Ruby, and I enjoy listening to Billy Joel and Queen. As president, I’m committed to building an inclusive community where neurodivergent students feel accepted, supported, and empowered. I believe in fostering a community that emphasizes inclusion and understanding, and I’m committed to advocating for our voices to be heard.

Alexandra Angell

Chemistry, Class of 2027

I was recently diagnosed with autism and ADHD, but I've been surrounded by neurodivergence my whole life. My special interests include chemistry, biology, crafting, and dogs. My go-to fun fact for icebreakers is that I have four dogs: two big German shepherds and two little mini mutts. I listen to a lot of different music, but I especially enjoy indie rock, punk, and grunge. I'm excited to be part of the NDSA executive board and help foster a community for neurodivergent students at WPI.

Vaughn Carroll

Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2029

Within academics, I especially like the fields of biomaterials, genetics, and statistics; when I am not in the classroom, I like to watch New England sports teams on TV, go to the beach, and play video games such as Mario Kart with friends. My neurodiversity lies in the fact that I have some strange behaviors that are unusual for a college student, including rubbing my hands against my nose to relieve stress, biting my fingernails, and occasionally having severe overreactions. I look forward to being the secretary for the Neurodivergent Student Association.

Devin Engelbrecht

Aerospace Engineering & Physics, Class of 2029

As far back as elementary school, I have been a huge space nerd and more generally interested in math and physics. I was also diagnosed with dyslexia in elementary school. My passion for learning has often come into conflict with the academic challenges I face daily. To counteract this, I have long looked for and tried to build environments where neurodiversity is celebrated and supported. This has included everything from starting a club in high school to advocating for education policy on Capitol Hill. Now, at WPI and as part of NDSA, I hope to support and advocate for the wonderful community of neurodiverse students I have found here.

Emma Boyd

Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2029

I have had difficulties with my mental health for a long time, and only more recently realized that neurodivergence checked all the boxes for explaining what was going on. My interests have always sat at an intersection between creativity and problem-solving, including engineering, 3D modeling, spaceflight, writing, film, and art. I hope to bring my media experience to the role of PR Chair to keep our fantastic community updated in style!

Dr. Stacy Shaw, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Learning Science & Technology, Psychological Science

Stacy Shaw's research focuses on understanding creative thinking in mathematics, how anxiety and other threat experiences affect mathematical cognition and reasoning, as well as how classroom experiences can affect performance and learning in STEM. Recently she has become interested in the role of rest for academic achievement, burnout, and student wellbeing. She graduated with her Ph.D. in psychology from UCLA in 2020, and is an Ambassador for the Center for Open Science, Catalyst for the Berkeley Initiative for Transparency in the Social Sciences, and a part of the Better Book research team for the Coursekata project.