Current Goldberg Lab Members

Bob Goldberg, PhD


Bob Goldberg spent his childhood in Cleveland, Ohio, but has called southern California home for nearly 50 years. He received his undergraduate degree from Ohio University, where his mentor, Norm Cohn, introduced him to the science of studying plants. He continued on to the University of Arizona for his master's and PhD. After a brief stint at Wayne State University in Michigan, Bob found his permanent home at UCLA. Under his guidance, Goldberg Lab has been continuously funded since its inception. In his free time, Bob enjoys reading, hiking, and spending time with his wife Michele.



Min Chen


Min is originally from Beijing, China, but moved to Los Angeles in 2007 with her family. She has a bachelor's degree in Microbiology and a master's degree in Computer Science. She has been a member of Goldberg Lab since 2007. Min's primary responsibilities in the lab are lab management, wet lab operations and bioinformatics analyses. She enjoys working on plant genetics because she is interested in exploring the complexities of plant gene regulation. She has two boys and likes to spend her free time doing yoga, cooking and camping.



Lauren Bowman


Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Lauren has called Los Angeles home for 7 years. She, like Bob Goldberg, received her undergraduate degree from Ohio University. She went on to the University of Illinois at Chicago, receiving her master's and PhD in public administration. Lauren administers Bob's classes, coordinates a multi-campus distance learning program, oversees the design and maintenance of the website, and handles all administrative aspect of running the lab. She especially enjoys working with students. When she isn't working, Lauren enjoys baking, working out to offset the baking, and spending time with her boyfriend and dog.


Jiaxin (Shally) Li


Shally is originally from Riverside, California, but moved to Los Angeles in 2018 to attend UCLA as an undergraduate. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental biology, with a minor in Bioinformatics. She has been a member of Goldberg Lab since 2019. Shally's primary responsibility in the lab is assisting in carrying out lab work and data collection. She enjoys working on plant genetics because of its important implications in sustainability and food production, and also just enjoys spending time in a greenhouse. She has two cats and thirteen house plants, and likes to spend her free time painting.


Olivia Bielskis


Olivia Bielskis is a junior from Walnut Creek, California. She is majoring in Political Science & Human Biology and Society with a minor in Brain and Behavioral Health Sciences. She is primarily interested in how science and the law intersect, particularly in the areas of biotechnology and public health. Olivia hopes to attend law school and pursue a career in public interest law that incorporates her science-related interests in health equity, environmental justice, or privacy rights. Outside of school and teaching, Olivia is a student leader and camp counselor for UCLA UniCamp, an Executive Article Editor for the UCLA Undergraduate Law Journal, an intern with the JusticeCorps Los Angeles legal self help department, and a tour guide for UCLA Cub Tours. In her free time, she loves to run, go to the beach with friends, read, and go to concerts.



Gwyneth Schoenbaum


Gwyneth is a third-year from Monrovia, CA. She is a double-major in Anthropology and Cognitive Science and is deeply interested in the intersection of the two fields. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, creating digital art, and teaching workshops in outdoor recreation. After completing her degree at UCLA, she hopes to pursue a career in genetic counseling.