Meet The Team

Ana Marija Sokovic is a Computational Scientist interested in stimulating innovation in communities through the power of a growth mindset by partnering across campus and beyond to advance areas including research support, cloud enablement, data as an enabler, and equitable access to technology for marginalized populations. Throughout her career Ana has gained valuable expertise in developing computational pipelines, algorithms, and data analysis for research projects. For Ana, empowering women and minorities in high-performance computing is crucial because it fosters diversity and inclusion, bringing valuable perspectives and talent to the field. Providing support and opportunities for underrepresented groups can lead to innovation, address biases, and drive positive change in the high-performance computing community, as highlighted by the expertise and experiences of leaders like Ana and the other women of WHPC.

In her free time, Ana enjoys supporting South Shore community's cultural events, various environmental initiatives and programming for youth. Ana is passionate about finding bridges between cultures, reading and swimming in the lake :)

Smita Darmora is currently a computational scientist at the Advanced Cyberinfrastructure for Education and Research (ACER) at the University of Illinois Chicago. She holds a PhD in experimental high-energy physics and has nearly a decade of experience with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Her work has focused on large-scale ATLAS data analysis, including searches for new particles and potential signs of new physics, using high-throughput workflows on distributed computing resources such as the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid. She worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Argonne National Laboratory, continuing her ATLAS research and data-analysis work. In recent years, she has also expanded her work into high-performance computing (HPC), focusing on improving the performance and reliability of scientific workflows and data-analysis pipelines on large computing systems. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her cats.

Radhika is the Director of Software Development and Delivery at UIC’s Technology Solutions. She is responsible for positioning the Development and Delivery teams to modernize UIC’s IT tech stack, architect high-quality platforms, promote innovation, advocate data-informed decisions, build relationships with the broader UIC community through collaboration, and foster a developer community by providing technical mentorship. She holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from DePaul University and over 20 years of software engineering experience within various industries.  Radhika has special interest in teaching CS topics to a diversity of students from different ages and backgrounds. During her free time, she enjoys traveling the world, volunteering, and learning new skills to keep her mentally and physically challenged.

Fidha Nazreen Kunnath Muhammedkutty is a Computational Biophysicist and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), specializing in molecular dynamics simulations of intrinsically disordered proteins, with a focus on Alzheimer’s disease. Her research spans the intersection of computational physics, structural biology, and machine learning, aiming to uncover the molecular mechanisms of protein aggregation and membrane interactions. With a robust background in simulation tools such as AMBER, NAMD, and GROMACS, and programming in Python, Tcl, C, and MATLAB, Fidha is passionate about using computation to solve complex biological problems. Throughout her academic journey, Fidha has collaborated with interdisciplinary teams, including clinicians and experimentalists, contributing to high-impact publications and conferences. She is deeply committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in computational science and actively works to support women and underrepresented minorities in STEM through her role in WHPC and as an organizer of biophysics initiatives at UIC. In her spare time, Fidha enjoys singing, dancing, and exploring food, embracing both the arts and culinary adventures. She also loves engaging in science outreach initiatives and nurturing community through academic and cultural programs.

With extensive experience in IT operations and system administration, Stuti brings a strong technical foundation and a hands-on approach to managing complex computing environments. Currently serving as a Linux System Administrator at UIC’s Advanced Cyberinfrastructure for Education and Research (ACER), she specializes in operating systems and enjoys solving real-world challenges in high-performance computing. She is passionate about promoting technology among women and fostering a supportive community where diverse voices can thrive. She believes that empowering women and underrepresented minorities in computational science is essential—not only for greater equity, but also for driving innovation and broadening the perspectives that shape the field. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her two energetic young boys, who keep her grounded and inspired.