Sunshine Alvarez de Silva
Any pronouns
History
I just completed an MA in Classics at UVM, studying Roman imperialism, specifically Virgil’s portrayal of empire, and am now continuing on to a second Master’s in History. Over the last two years of study here at UVM I’ve become increasingly committed to making sure that grad student workers have more than our current “livable” working conditions. As a member of the History department and the humanities, I am keenly aware of how the university has priorities that often are at odds with the healthy lives we deserve as members of this community.
At first I simply hoped that we would not have to confront the school to receive what we deserve. But now I’m committed to making advances towards better working conditions. I joined the union to help fight for better protections against overloaded work, a livable wage, and the proper channels of advocacy for graduate student workers.
Sam Troast
She/They
Rubenstein School of Natural Resources
I am a PhD student in the Wildlife Ecology Research Lab at the University of Vermont. Our
work centers on conservation decision-making and disease ecology. My previous research has involved modeling herpetofauna populations and my current work aims to learn more about temperature sensitive disease dynamics in amphibian populations. We typically do some combination of field study and computer modeling to measure current and predict future ecological scenarios. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, doing
crossword/sudoku puzzles, hiking & camping, and taking people out “herping” (looking for
reptiles & amphibians).
I was inspired to join UVM’s GSU bargaining committee because I saw it as the most direct and meaningful way to support my community. I’m committed to ensuring that those I care deeply about—my fellow graduate workers—receive fair wages, safe working conditions, and a real voice in shaping our workplace. I want to help craft a contract that truly reflects the needs and priorities of all our members. Education is my highest priority, and it’s deeply troubling to see dedicated graduate students—people advancing knowledge through exceptional teaching and research—struggling to afford basic necessities like groceries, rent, and healthcare. That’s unacceptable, and I’m committed to fighting for the changes we need.
Rain Younger
She/Her
Neuroscience Graduate Program
Coming from the PhD Neuroscience Graduate program, I study learning and memory at the electrophysiological level. My research focuses on understanding how changes in neural morphology arising from genetic mutations alters the entorhinal-hippocampal circuit. We perform use high-density laminar probe recordings and spatial accuracy behavioral tasks in mice to answer our questions. Outside the lab, I enjoy reading, playing all sorts of games, spending time with my cats, and engaging in activism with a focus on trans and queer rights.
It was my desire to further engage in this activism that led me to working with the union.
I joined the bargaining committee to ensure strong rights and protections, especially around nondiscrimination and harassment, for graduate workers, knowing UVM was not going to take sufficient action to protect us during the current attacks against higher education. Through our collective power, I believe we will be able to make working at UVM safer and more financially manageable for graduate workers.
Rei Jia
She/Her
Plant Biology
I am a PhD student in the Plant Biology department, where I use genomic tools to study genetic and microbial diversity in alpine plant species in the face of climate change. I also mentor several undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing fieldwork and scientific research. In my spare time, I play board games with my friends and family, go on long walks with my dog, and listen to music.
I support a union for graduate students because student workers deserve fair wages, improved insurance/health coverage, and better support from the university at large. With the new R1 status that the university was granted in February 2025, I know that the backbone of this new designation relies on the research and work done by post-doctoral and graduate researchers who, unfortunately, are not properly compensated for their efforts. As a member of the bargaining committee, I strive to make UVM a place where graduate students are respected.
Rubaina Anjum
She/They
Sustainable Development, Policy, and Governance (CDAE)
I am a PhD student in the Community Development and Applied Economics Department. My research delves is on political economy, specifically focusing on production within planetary boundaries under economic growth versus degrowth and various institutional arrangements. To me, it is imperative that all people should be able to live in dignity including graduate students. This view drives my research at the intersection of environment, development, and inequality and further motivates me to strive towards ensuring dignified working conditions for UVM graduate student workers.
Neil Traft
He/Him
Complex Systems and Data Science
I am a PhD student and research assistant at the Vermont Complex Systems Center. My focus is on artificial intelligence—specifically better algorithms for training deep neural networks—but I’m more broadly interested in complexity science and how this relates to the emergence of life and intelligence. When not “programming” (yelling at) computers, I like to run long distances, cook overly elaborate meals, and go hiking, camping, and backpacking.
I strongly believe it is possible to achieve a 40+% increase in minimum pay, based directly on Vermont livable wage statistics. As an aspiring parent, I’m deeply personally invested in our goals toward better healthcare and parental benefits. I believe all the goals listed on the GSU website are very reasonable and can be delivered in good-faith bargaining.
I don’t believe the university is fundamentally opposed to our goals, but without a union it has been too easy and too tempting to ignore our situation or make unacceptably slow progress on improving it. Now that we have a seat at the bargaining table I hold out hope that, in time, we can develop a relationship of mutual trust and respect with those on the other side of the table.