Priya Chandrani
Undergraduate Research Ambassador Anthropology and BiologyMajors: Biology and Anthropology
Class Year: 2027
High School: Dripping Springs High School
Advisors: Dr. Allison Hopkins, Dr. Katie Custer Bojakowski and Dr. Keegan Selig
Research Focus: Primatology, Dental Morphology and Development, Smoking Relapse, Social Networks
Other Projects and Publications: The Impact of Dietary Abrasiveness on Dentin Deposition in Sapajus apella and Cebus capucinus (URS Thesis )
Organizations and Programs: Undergraduate Research Scholars Thesis Program, Anthropology Research Collections, TAMU Career Center FACT Peer Mentor, McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship Student Marketplace, Texas A&M Emergency Care Team, Aggie Research Program, University Honors Program, Hullabaloo U Peer Mentor, Fish Camp Counselor
Awards and Distinctions: St. David's Neal Kocurek Scholar, Undergraduate Research Scholar, 2026 URS Outstanding Thesis Award in STEM finalist, Aggie Research Program Scholar, University Honors, Anthropology Departmental Honors, Distinguished Student, Austin Board of Realtors Scholar, Winner of the 16th Annual Vaughn M. Bryant Memorial Anthropology Conference Poster Competition
Experience: Thesis Writing, Poster Competitions, Oral Presentations, Scanning and Cataloging Archives, Data Analysis, International and Domestic Healthcare Shadowing, Building 3D Digital Models of Teeth/Bones, Internships
Years Experience: 2
Other Activities: Shows and Movies, Herbalism, Hairstyling, Crafting
Bio: Priya Chandrani is a pre-med Biology and Anthropology double major. She plans to attend medical school and become a physician, integrating her interdisciplinary background to approach medicine through a lens of scientific advancement, cultural competency, ethics, and patient-centered care.
Priya has gained research experience across multiple disciplines, including work in Dr. Keegan Selig's Dental Morphology and Development Lab, where she studies the impact of dietary abrasiveness on dentin deposition in primate species. In Dr. Allison Hopkins' Smoking Relapse Lab, she contributes to an NIH-funded quantitative baseline study examining the influence of social networks on smoking relapse and assists with data analysis recommendations. She is also involved with Anthropology Research Collections, where she catalogs archival materials and helps communicate research findings to the public through educational resources and outreach.
Through her research experiences, Priya has developed a passion for scientific communication and making knowledge accessible beyond the classroom. As an Undergraduate Research Ambassador, she is excited to help fellow Aggies discover research opportunities, explore their academic interests, and find their own paths in research.