EKARUS is a New York based organization that prepares students of all ages to become future scientists. We offer exciting hands on tutoring programs, workshops, and research opportunities. The vision of Ekarus is to substantially increase the number of underrepresented individuals in the STEM and medical discipline.
Our Team of Scientists and Doctors
Dr. Françoise Sidime
Françoise is a PhD neuroscientist, educator and the founder and CEO of Ekarus Global Science, a program dedicated to providing tutoring, mentorship and research opportunities to underrepresented students. She is also a professor at Helene Fuld College of Nursing in Manhattan, and lectures at Wagner College on Staten Island. Dr. Sidime’s vision is to change the medical and scientific world, one student at a time.
Dr. Christine Bishara
Dr. Bishara has more than 20 years experience in the field of Internal Medicine. She has worked as a medical provider and has conducted student residencies in both inpatient and outpatient clinical settings. She has also performed medical consultations for injured combat veterans. Dr. Bishara is certified in Comprehensive Weight Loss, and has a particular interest in alternative medicine, nutrition, and behavioral health.​
Dr. Leigh McKenzie
Dr McKenzie has degrees in Biomedical Science and Medicine. Her work in Clinical Medicine has been both in large city hospitals and in the Australian outback. Leigh has worked as an assessor for Medicine and Psychology courses, and has recently been working with veterans as part of a CoVID-19 response team. She has a special interest in helping students grasp difficult concepts and edit their work.
Dr. Kelly Levano
Dr. Levano obtained her PhD in Biochemistry from CUNY, and has been on the frontier of cancer research in both the United States and Peru. She has developed research projects on genome editing in the areas of cancer and tuberculosis, and the dynamics of Peruvian human genomics spanning the Incan Empire. Dr. Kelly is a professor at Helene Fuld College of Nursing in Manhattan, and lectures at Wagner College on Staten Island.
Dr. Jonathan Blaize
Dr. Jonathan Blaize is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Wagner College and Co-Director of their Pre-Professional Health Program. He completed his doctorate in molecular neuroscience at CUNY. Dr. Blaize is recognized for defining curricula that focus granular biological concepts through the lens of emerging therapies. Jonathan has worked with students throughout his career while developing and promoting accessible educational programs, a passion that continues to thrive.
Dr. Janto Tachjadi
Dr. Tachjadi was certified as a medical doctor at Padjadjaran University in Indonesia, and has a doctorate degree in cell biology from CUNY. Janto is a professor at Helene Fuld College of Nursing in New York, with courses ranging from the basics of science and anatomy to advanced studies such as Pharmacology, Neuroanatomy and Pathophysiology. He has also been teaching at CUNY and Wagner College with stellar reviews from his colleagues and students.
Dr. Pierre Bouzi
Dr. Bouzi is a Development Scientist at Corning Incorporated, working in the field of Optics. He completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington D.C., with a background in computer science and electrical engineering. His passion for optics has landed him at Princeton, working on Quantum Cascade Lasers. Pierre imparts upon his students a simple code: You don’t need to be smart to succeed, you just need to make smart decisions.​
Dr. Julie Delacruz
Julie has received two PhDs: one in psychology from CUNY, and the second a neuroscience degree from Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Her research focuses on the effects of dopamine on learning and memory. She currently works as a Medical Science Liaison in Medical Dermatology at Eli Lilly. She was previously at Allergan as a Medical Communications Manager in medical aesthetics, including Medical Dermatology.
Board of Advisors
Brian Barton
Educator
Former professional baseball player, author, and public speaker, Brian Barton spends much of his time empowering people to aim for new heights. He attended the University of Miami where he pursued Aerospace Engineering. Brian is working with the Ekarus science team to educate young minds on the design and construction of aerospace crafts. He encourages people “to leave a trail of great, so that others can find the path to greatness.”
Jody Scaravella
Creative
Jody Scaravella is an internationally renowned restaurateur, operating a unique concept driven eatery in Staten Island called Enoteca Maria. The restaurant features an all star chef roster of grandmothers from around the world cooking their customary cuisines. Jody studied Art and Design at Kingsborough College in Brooklyn, NY, where he was born and raised. Among his interests, gustatory and otherwise, functional design remains at the forefront.
Benita Alexander
Public Relations
Benita Alexander is an accomplished, Emmy award-winning producer and director of film and television. She is currently Senior Vice President of True Crime Programming for Efran Films, based in New York and Toronto. Benita often acts as a narrator and correspondent in her involvement with a wide variety of emotionally charged productions, and has a celebrated career in network television, including regular appearances on Dr. Oz.