Meet the Students 2026

The Duke in Silicon Valley students represent a variety of majors and have unique talents and entrepreneurial interests – an outstanding group of Duke undergraduates! Read below to learn more about this year’s cohort!

Noa Bremen

Noa is a rising junior from Chicago, IL, who is studying Neuroscience and Economics. On campus, she is involved with Duke Impact Investing Group, a neuroscience Bass Connections team, and the nonprofit Challah for Hunger. For Noa, Duke in Silicon Valley is an opportunity to explore the intersection of science and entrepreneurship. She is excited to tap into Silicon Valley’s energy and passion, especially given her interest in bringing new neuroscience technology to the public through startups. In her free time, Noa enjoys baking, spending time outdoors, and trying new restaurants with friends.

Anoushka Chaudhury

Anoushka is a rising sophomore from Bangalore, India, who is pursuing Statistics and Computer Science and possibly a minor in neuroscience. On campus, I am involved in Duke Impact Investing Group, Duke Applied Machine Learning, Duke Technology Program, and Duke Rhydhun. For Anoushka, Duke in Silicon Valley is a learning opportunity to better understand the tech industry and how innovation takes shape. She is excited to build relationships, make connections, and gain a new perspective on innovation and building. She spends a lot of her free time playing basketball and tennis, sketching, and listening to music.

Mikhi Dacus

Mikhi Dacus is a rising junior from Anderson, SC studying Mechanical Engineering with a secondary major in Computer Science at Duke University. On campus, he is involved in Taekwondo and enjoys staying active through a variety of sports.

Mikhi is participating in Duke in Silicon Valley to expand his network, learn about the inner workings of leading companies, and experience the industry environment firsthand. He hopes to gain insight into the paths professionals have taken to reach their positions, as well as advice and perspectives that can help guide his own career.

In his free time, Mikhi enjoys playing pickleball and spikeball, hiking, and spending time outdoors engaging in physical activities.

Sarah Dicker

Sarah is a rising sophomore from Gaithersburg, Maryland pursuing a major in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Economics and a certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. On campus, she is a member of Duke Women’s Club Soccer, Society of Women Engineers, Business-Oriented Women, and will serve as an Orientation Leader. For Sarah, participating in the Duke in Silicon Valley program is an opportunity to explore the startup ecosystem and combine her engineering and economics interests in her future career. Sarah hopes to learn skills for how to translate ideas into successful products, learn from industry leaders, and form meaningful connections with peers. In her free time, she enjoys going on walks, spending time with friends, baking, and trying new foods.

Chidalu Emy-Munonye

Chidalu is a Robertson Scholar and rising junior from Maryland, where she is double majoring in Computer Science and Public Policy. On campus, she founded The Collective, Duke’s student-led modeling and fashion organization, which grew to 30+ members and hosted multiple fashion shows in its first year. She also serves as Publicity Chair for StreetMed, Duke’s hip hop dance team, and as a Duke Presidential Ambassador. A 2024 Ron Brown Scholar, she has also participated in Bain Consulting Kickstart, SEO Career, and MLT Career Prep programs. For Chidalu, Duke in Silicon Valley is an opportunity to explore the intersections of technology, policy, and creative entrepreneurship, and to gain the tools to bridge the gap between engineers and policymakers. Hobby-wise, she loves fashion, travel, poetry, and building community through creative projects. She has even taught herself Pure Data for audio programming experiments!

Lila Feuerstein is a rising junior from Los Angeles, CA, studying Neuroscience and pursuing the Innovation and Entrepreneurship certificate. On campus, she is involved in Duke’s Business Behind Health (started by two students on the Duke In Silicon Valley program!), Jewish Life, and works as a campus tour guide. Lila is participating in Duke in Silicon Valley, hoping to learn more about the entrepreneurial process, particularly how to turn an idea into a tangible product and sell it most efficiently. She is excited to immerse herself in the human side of entrepreneurship by forming lasting connections and speaking to as many successful innovators and founders as possible. Finally, she hopes to form relationships with fellow ambitious and creative Duke students. In her free time, Lila loves exploring new coffee shops and restaurants, hot yoga and pilates, and baking/testing out new recipes.

Ryan Hahm

Ryan is a rising sophomore from the Central Valley in California who plans to study Economics and Psychology with a certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship. On campus, he is in Duke Impact Investing Group and Duke Consulting Club. He is also a member on the Club Men’s Volleyball Team and working to help found Duke Asia Strategy Group for the 2026-27 school year. For Ryan, Duke in Silicon Valley is a gate to explore his interests in entrepreneurship and catalysts for his startup ideas. Ryan is excited to gain insight on founders and gain valuable experience to help the small business industry grow in the future. Ryan’s hobbies include watching movies (in theatres of course), playing basketball, making cinematic vlogs, and traveling and trying new restaurants.

Claire Kettler

Claire is a rising junior who grew up in London, England. She plans on majoring in Computer Science with a concentration in AI and machine learning and minoring in Economics. On campus, she volunteers with FEMMES and is on the club swim team. Claire was born in San Francisco and since falling in love with technology in High School, she has always wanted to immerse herself in the city’s technological sphere and step into a different realm of the city through Duke in Silicon Valley. Some of her hobbies include running, baking, traveling, trying new restaurants, and going to the beach.

                                                            All Kibria

All Kibria is a rising senior at Duke University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Originally from Virginia and a first-generation college student, he is passionate about the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and creativity. On campus, All is a Student Photographer for Duke Athletics, capturing a wide range of sports, and also runs his own photography business, Luminance Photos. He is actively involved in student organizations including Catalyst, Creator Lab, and Maxwell, where he explores innovation, media, and startup culture. He is participating in Duke in Silicon Valley to deepen his understanding of startups and emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, and to learn from leaders at the forefront of innovation. In his free time, All enjoys photography, working out, playing pickleball, attending concerts, and spending time with friends.

Halo Kwok

Halo is a rising junior from Los Angeles County double majoring in Electrical Engineering and Physics who is interested in getting more involved in I&E. On campus, she serves as Co-President of Duke’s Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers student chapter and is involved in the marching band and saxophone quartet. For Halo, Duke in Silicon Valley is an opportunity to see how ideas evolve from rough concepts into real products and how innovators make decisions in the middle of that process. With a background spanning both engineering and physics, she hopes to close the gap between technical thinking and the realities of building a company. Outside of school, she enjoys going to the gym, playing sports, pushing the upper limits of caffeine intake, and listening to good music.

Michael Lamarque

Michael is a rising sophomore from Chula Vista, California, planning to study mechanical engineering while pursuing the Innovation and Entrepreneurship certificate. On campus, he is involved with the Duke Motorsports team and the Medical Design Club. For Michael, Duke in Silicon Valley is an opportunity to better understand the startup ecosystem and develop his entrepreneurial skills. He is especially looking forward to building meaningful connections with others in the program. In his free time, Michael enjoys going to the gym, exploring new places, and spending time with friends and family.

Gordon Liang

Caroline Martinez

Caroline is a rising senior from Fort Lauderdale, Florida majoring in Economics with a minor in Chemistry, with a strong interest in the intersection of business, retail, and healthcare. Beyond her academic pursuits, she enjoys photography, baking, fashion, and traveling. Through the Silicon Valley experience, Caroline looks forward to deepening her understanding of how successful enterprises are built, gaining exposure to diverse business models and markets, and broadening her perspective by learning alongside driven, like-minded individuals. She is eager to connect with inspiring professionals and gain invaluable insight applicable to her future career aspirations.

Eli Pareskey

Eli is a sophomore from Miami, FL who plans to pursue a Progrm II major with an Innovation and Entrepreneurship certificate and Rachel Carson Scholar distinction. On campus, he is a consultant at TAMID at Duke, where he leads market entry strategy for high-growth startups, and is also building Room Scope, his own AI-powered dorm furnishing platform set to pilot at Duke in 2026. For Eli, Duke in Silicon Valley is an opportunity to deepen his entrepreneurial toolkit and connect with the innovation ecosystem that sits at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and business. He hopes to gain exposure to how leading founders and investors approach product development and scaling, insights he plans to bring back to his own ventures. Eli also looks forward to collaborating with a diverse group of peers in a hands on, team driven environment. Outside the classroom, he enjoys sports photography, free diving, fishing, golf, and hiking.

Mia Paz

Mia is a rising junior from Miami, Florida who is studying Public Policy, Tech Policy, and pursuing the certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Mia is a singer-songwriter and released her debut album Mia’s World in high school. During her freshman year at Duke, she was signed by Duke’s Small Town Records, leading to the release of her sophomore album Back To Life and performances at campus events including Heatwaves and Welcome Back Bash. Beyond her music career, Mia is deeply engaged in campus leadership. She served as President of East Campus Council freshman year and currently holds the position of Quad Traditions Chair on Few Quad Council. This past summer, Mia participated in DukeEngage in Chicago, working at the Chicago Hip Hop Heritage Museum and conducting research at the University of Illinois exploring the powerful intersections between community activism and hip-hop culture.

Elliot Perelmuter

Elliot is a rising sophomore from Marin, CA, who plans to study economics and public policy while pursuing an Innovation and Entrepreneurship certificate. On campus, he is a co-founder of the Duke AI and Business Club, alongside being a staff writer for the sports section of the Chronicle. Through Duke in Silicon Valley, Elliot hopes to learn vital insights from professors and industry leaders in the epicenter of innovation and entrepreneurship. In his spare time, Elliot enjoys watching the Broncos and spending time with friends and family.

Hannah Qiu

Hannah is a rising junior from China, majoring in Financial Economics and considering pursuing a certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship. She is excited about the Duke in Silicon Valley program as an opportunity to learn how to build and market products from the ground up. She is particularly interested in consumer, healthcare, and technology industries. Outside of academics, she enjoys photography, solo travel to cities like Kyoto and Sydney, shopping, exploring new restaurants, and staying active through sports.

Iniya Saravanan

Iniya is a rising sophomore from Bernardsville, New Jersey, who plans to major in Computer Science with a minor in Visual Arts, while also pursuing an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Certificate. At Duke, she is involved in DTech, the Society of Women Engineers, and Duke Puppy Kindergarten, and will be serving as an Experiential Orientation Leader. Iniya is especially interested in the intersection of computer science, technology, and art, and is passionate about exploring how creative expression can be enhanced through technical innovation. She loves spending time at the Arts Annex on campus, where she often works on pottery projects and paintings. In her free time, Iniya enjoys traveling and discovering new places and perspectives, which continue to inspire both her creative and academic interests.

Suhanaa Setty

Suhanaa is a rising sophomore from New Delhi, India who is thinking about majoring in Computer Science or Economics while pursuing a certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. On campus, she is involved with Scholars of Finance, the European Business Society, and Hoof ’n’ Horn. For Suhanaa, Duke in Silicon Valley is an opportunity to learn more about the startup and tech ecosystem and explore how her interests in technology, business, and entrepreneurship come together. She’s excited to meet new people, learn from founders and industry leaders, and experience Silicon Valley with the rest of the cohort. In her free time, Suhanaa enjoys listening to music (anything from house to classic rock), playing golf, horse riding, traveling, and trying out local coffee shops wherever she goes.

Cheyenne Tan

Cheyenne Tan is a rising junior at Duke University from Singapore, majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Computational Biology and a Certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship. She is particularly drawn to fast-moving innovation at the intersection of AI and biology, and is fascinated by how technical breakthroughs evolve into scalable, venture-backed healthcare startups. On campus, Cheyenne is involved in the Duke Impact Investing Group’s Tech Investment Division, Campus Enterprises, Duke Venture Group, and Girls Into VC at Duke. Through these experiences, she has developed a strong interest in the startup ecosystem and venture capital, especially in evaluating and supporting emerging technologies in computationally powered healthcare. She hopes to build her career at the frontier of technology, biology, and venture creation.

Manahil Tariq

Manahil Tariq is a junior interested in cybersecurity, electrical engineering, and using tech to actually make an impact. She’s built everything from automated systems and robotics teams to a health band for elderly diabetics, and even turned a science fair project into a provisional patent. Growing up between the Bronx and a rural village in Pakistan shaped how she thinks about tech and entrepreneurship, as something that should actually reach everyone. At Duke, she’s the president of IEEE and involved in a mix of tech and community spaces. Manahil is driven by curiosity and a strong sense of purpose, but she doesn’t take herself too seriously. Manahil is the kind of person who says yes to ideas first and figures them out later. She’s curious, a little chaotic in the best way, and always chasing the next thing that feels exciting or meaningful.

Felix Wang

Felix is a rising sophomore from Chicago, Illinois who plans to study Electrical & Computer Engineering and pursue a certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship. On campus, he is a part of Duke Club Swimming and Duke EV. For Felix, Duke in Silicon Valley is an opportunity to learn more about startups and how founders approach bringing their idea to market. He hopes to gain knowledge eventually to lead a startup of his own later in his life. Most importantly, he looks forward to creating strong friendships with his cohort. For fun, Felix loves to hike, do spontaneous side-quests and try out various foods!

Julia Zinkin

Julia is a rising sophomore from Melville, NY who plans to study Computer Science while pursuing a certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. On campus, she is a member of Campus Enterprises, the oldest and most successful student-run business at Duke University. Additionally, she mentors a local Durham student through FEMMES+ Connect and is a member of DTech. For Julia, Duke in Silicon Valley is an opportunity to spend time with like-minded and ambitious peers while learning directly from startup founders and entrepreneurs. In her free time, she enjoys taking long walks with friends, trying new restaurants, traveling to new places, and going to the gym. She is excited to be part of DSV this summer and looks forward to building new friendships while expanding her entrepreneurial skills.