About International Center for Integrative Systems
The International Center for Integrative Systems is dedicated to research, education and outreach programs which help the world understand the power of systems thinking in the area of innovation, communication, and science, based on the power of systems thinking.
Our team of administrators, board members,faculty and researchers are volunteer based, who provide time to the Center, because of their passion and commitment to the Center’s goals.
Administration
Heather Burden
Executive Director
Heather has 30 years of experience supporting learners from a range of backgrounds and ages. Her goal is to ignite resourcefulness within educators and learners alike, and to encourage differentiation and scaffolding for inter-generational hands-on lessons.
Manjula Balaji
Chief of Operations
Manjula is responsible for operations of the Center. Her experience with project management, human resources, and general management are crtical to the day-to-day running of the Center.
Nathanael Pine
Director of Finance and Administration
Nathanael Pine is responsible for the governance and financial compliance of the Center. His thirty-five year career across the fields of finance, accounting, and taxation is of immense value to our Center and its future growth.
Board of Directors
Hauke Kite-Powell
Director
Dr. Hauke Kite-Powell is a Research Specialist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and a Lecturer in the Ocean Engineering Department at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
V.A. Shiva Ayyadurai
Director
Dr. V.A. Shiva Ayyadurai, the inventor of email and polymath, holds four degrees from MIT, is a world-renowned systems scientist, inventor and entrepreneur. ICIS is Shiva’s brainchild, through which he aims to give back to society the fruits of research and education.
Heather Burden
Director
Heather has 30 years of experience supporting learners from a range of backgrounds and ages. Her goal is to ignite resourcefulness within educators and learners alike, and to encourage differentiation and scaffolding for inter-generational hands-on lessons.
Active Volunteer Researchers
Alan Ericson
Research Associate
Alan’s area of research focuses on media and culture. He works with volunteers and the public to keep abreast of new systems and tools influencing media dynamics.
Heather Burden
Executive Director
Heather has 30 years of experience supporting learners from a range of backgrounds and ages. Her goal is to ignite resourcefulness within educators and learners alike, and to encourage differentiation and scaffolding for inter-generational hands-on lessons.
Michael Hansen
Research Associate
Michael Hansen is been an active participant and contributor the Center’s focus of the systems biology of genetically engineered foods (GMOs).
Prabhakar Deonikar
Senior Scientist
Prabhakar serves as a Senior Scientist at the Center. He has tremendous experience and expertise in Biology and Microbiology and is one of the driving forces behind the Center.
V.A. Shiva Ayyadurai
Principal Research Scientist
Dr. V.A. Shiva Ayyadurai, the inventor of email and polymath, holds four degrees from MIT, is a world-renowned systems scientist, inventor and entrepreneur. ICIS is Shiva’s brainchild, through which he aims to give back to society the fruits of research and education.
Alumni Faculty
Special thanks to our alumni faculty and researchers who helped the Center in our research and educational efforts of the past.
Matthew Harper
Co-Faculty
Matt is a clean-tech entrepreneur and product developer. His expertise is in using advanced technologies to develop revolutionary industrial and commercial products; his passion is in helping companies adopt those products to build sustainable, profitable businesses.
Scott Cahaly
Co-Faculty
Scott Cahaly is a contemporary artist living and working in the Boston area. He has an inner world of visual imagery inspired by renaissance and tribal art and fueled by sitting meditation and yoga.
Todd Riley
Co-Faculty
Todd is responsible for the design of Skylight, the world’s leading enterprise wearable software platform. He leads the full design process, from user research and product definition through detailed design, prototyping, and human-computer interaction (HCI) design.
Santhiya Kothandaraman
Research Scientist
Santhiya Kothandaraman has Masters degree in the field of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics from SRM University, Chennai, India. Her areas of interest include Cellular Signal Transduction, Immunology, Genetics, and Computational Biology.
