Colorado 2025-2026 ARCS Scholars
Elnore and Ronald Grow Scholar
3rd year ARCS Scholar
Major: BS, Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering
Career Objective: To obtain a master’s degree and work in research and development for the biomedical technology industry.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a human bacterial pathogen, is labeled by the Center for Disease Control as a serious threat. Tocombat the continuous threat of antibiotic resistance, new antibiotic targets must be identied for successful antibiotic treatments. It has been shown that S. aureus survival is dependent on Fe-S cluster biosynthesis via the SUF-like pathway, demonstrating its potential as a target for antibacterial therapeutics. My research in the Holz lab focuses on identifying and quantifying inhibition of an essential enzyme in the SUF-like pathway.
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I lead a weekly Bible study, am involved in a local church, and am a member of the Society of Women Engineers. I also love baking, reading, running, and coffee with friends.
Amy Davis Endowment Scholar
2nd year ARCS Scholar
Major: BS, Biochemistry
Career Objective: I hope to earn a PhD in Chemistry and to work in research and development of polymeric drug delivery systems.
Currently, I am working on synthesizing diblock polyethylene glycol (PEG)-polycations through first synthesizing a new monomer that contains a PEG macro chain-transfer agent (CTA) and an activated ester monomer pentafluorophenyl acrylate. Following this, post-polymerization modifications will be performedconcurrently through aminolysis and thiol-Michael addition. This will result in our final diblock PEG-cationic copolymers which I will characterize using size exclusion chromatography with multi-angle light scattering (SEC-MALS), and fluorine and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
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Outside of school and research, I spend my time reading, skiing, and hiking. I’m involved with my sorority’s leadership where I currently serve as Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Patten Davis Foundation Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: BS, Chemistry
Career Objective: My career goal is to pursue a PhD in Chemistry, conduct research on energy storage technologies and teach at a research university.
I am working to understand ion transport and solvation structures of lithium-ion battery electrolytes, which play a vital role in improving battery performance and minimizing degradation. Lithium fluoride (LiF) is an electrolyte of interest because it is a common degradation product found in lithium-ion batteries and is a significant component of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) that forms on battery electrodes. I hope to use solution-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, diffusion NMR, and electrophoretic NMR (eNMR) to better understand the local chemical environments, ion transport, and conductivity present in LiF dissolved in carbonate solvents. This will improve electrolyte performance, with longer lasting energy storage devices.
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I like to listen to music and do outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and running.
Harry L. Willett Foundation Scholar
2nd year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD, Physics
Career Objective: My goal is to work at a national lab or university conducting research in low-background, high-sensitivity experiments.
I am helping to lead the efforts to develop the Colorado Underground Research Institute (CURIE), located in the Edgar Experimental Mine. This involves precise simulation of the expected background radiation and the experimental validation of simulation results. I am also assisting in the structural developmentof the facility and commissioning of the first low-background, cryogenic research space. The goal for the physics program at CURIE is to house a broad range of experiments in radioassay, low-temperature quantum device development, astroparticle physics, and benchmark studies for rare-event searches.
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I like mountain biking, hiking with my dogs, and watching anime.
Patten Davis Foundation Scholar
2nd year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD, Materials Science
Career Objective: I hope to return to industry as a ceramic additive manufacturing development engineer.
I research ceramic vat photopolymerization (VPP) additive manufacturing (AM), a process that uses light to solidify resin layer by layer into three-dimensional parts which are subsequently thermally processed to remove organic components, yielding dense ceramic structures. I quantify the influence of ceramic particleson cure depth and the extent of curing in each printed layer, considering factors such as particle sedimentation, morphology, and light absorption. I also collaborate with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to examine how resin curing behavior differs between particle-filled and unfilled systems.
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I enjoy competitive powerlifting, reading, baking, and teaching my cats tricks.
Susan Howard Scholar
3rd year ARCS Scholar
Major: BS, Chemical Engineering
Career Objective: I hope to obtain my PhD in chemical engineering and continue research in electrochemistry for renewable energy and energy storage purposes.
I study electricity interacting with and being affected by chemical reactions (electrochemistry). In my lab we develop polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gas, producing electricity from hydrogen fuels, and reducing carbon dioxide into more favorable products. Development of durable and efficient PEMs from simple hydrocarbon polymers, and utilization of alkaline rather than acidic chemistries, produces inexpensive and long-lasting PEMs which can be operated in milder conditions, and reduces cost by replacing such materials as platinum-group metals. This should contribute to the worldwide transition to renewable energy, allow efficient, long-term energy storage in the form of hydrogen, and reduce greenhouse gases.
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I am an avid chess player, I love to fish and cook new dishes. I like bouldering, and playing musical instruments.
Harry L. Willett Foundation Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD, Materials Science
Career Objective: My goal is to lead a research team creating cutting edge battery electrodes and to continue educating the younger generation about Materials Science.
Existing battery cathodes can no longer meet the increasing energy demand of the energy grid. Conversion electrodes exhibit higher energy density for grid-level storage. However, conversion electrodes have a high energy barrier associated with reversibility. I am using various methods to fabricate conversion cathodes to lower these energy barriers. I’m particularly focused on doping to change morphology and crystal structure. Particle size
studies have demonstrated the impact of smaller sizes on increased reactivity. I have developed a method that enables two-sided characterization after cycling, giving a better understanding of battery performance.
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I play many instruments, compete in synchronized swimming and I love running and snowboarding.
Harry L. Willett Foundation Scholar
2nd year ARCS Scholar
Major: BS, Engineering Physics
Career Objective: I plan to pursue a Master’s in Quantum Engineering and work in the quantum sensing industry.
I conduct research in the Edgar Experimental Mine, located under ~200m of rock overburden, providing a ~700-fold reduction in cosmogenic muon flux and attenuation of the primary cosmogenic hadronic and electromagnetic components. I have designed, simulated and deployed a remotely controlled muontelescope capable of measuring the intensities of muons in a given direction. This will provide critical information on the cosmogenic backgrounds, and demonstrate the calibration and full angular measurements of the underground muon flux.
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My wife and I love to spend time outdoors. I also enjoy board games and 3-D printing.
Donald C. Peterson Memorial Scholar
2nd year ARCS Scholar
Major: BS, Environmental Engineering
Career Objective: I hope to become an expert in the eld of environmental remediation.
I have focused on the destruction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in various media using Hydrothermal Alkaline Treatment (HALT). This technology is used to destroy PFAS in contaminated media using heat, autogenous pressure, and the addition of a base. Previously I have investigated the use of HALT as a remediation strategy for PFAS-contaminated soils and wastewater biosolids, investigating the fate and transport of PFAS during HALT, the effect ofHALT on nutrients, and the optimization of solid phase extraction methods for successful Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis.
I currently focus on the application of HALT at the field scale, including development of integrated treatment strategies for post-HALT waste streams andanalysis of the technology’s ability to treat structurally complex PFAS types.
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I spend all my free time outdoors, backpacking, hiking 14ers, canoe camping, biking, and running with my two dogs. I spend most winter weekends on the ski slopes.
Harry L. Willett Foundation Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: BS, Engineering
Career Objective: My interest is in advancing materials innovation and nding effective engineering solutions.
During summer of 2025, I assisted two graduate students at the Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center. One project involved studying inclusions in steel and the other project investigated how different heat treatments affect the microstructure, hardness, and low-cycle fatigue life. I gained hands-on experience in metallographic preparation, microscopy techniques, mechanical testing, and data analysis. This fall I will start on my own project, will focus oncomparing microalloyed 9254 steel and normal 9254 steel in the application of spring leaf.
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I’m a student athlete. I have been a cheerleader at Mines for 2 years. I also love the outdoors, especially mountains and oceans. I like hiking and snorkeling. I love animals of all sorts.
Harry L. Willett Foundation Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: BS Chemical Engineering
Career Objective: I am interested in reducing environmental harm from degrading persistent environmental pollutants; I am also interested in methods of carbon dioxide reduction.
I work to develop computational methods to study the degradation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), highly persistent and toxic environmental pollutants. Breakdown processes of PFAS are believed to involve fluoroalkyl radical intermediates, which are difficult to observe directly. To address this, density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been used to model kinetics and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) parameters of radical adducts formed with spin traps—molecules that stabilize radicals for detection. Calculated EPR parameters have been benchmarked against published data for studied adducts.
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I sing barbershop and in a church choir. I direct the Mines acapella group Miner Dissonance.
Sarah and Brent Gebhart Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: Environmental Engineering
Career Objective: I plan to pursue a career in research and academia, working on water quality and infectious disease.
I study Algal Turf Scrubber™ (ATS) systems, a sustainable method to improve water quality and reduce nutrient pollution. By cultivating algae on ow-ways, ATS removes excess nitrogen and phosphorus from water while producing biomass that can be converted into renewable fuels. My experiments have included testing different standing biomass strategies during harvesting and comparing surface substrates with algae growth. These findings inform design choices that enhance ATS efficiency and long-term sustainability.
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I spend most of my time singing and songwriting. I also enjoy traveling, climbing, hiking and skiing. I also love to read I’ve recently gotten into sewing!
Patten Davis Foundation Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: BS Chemical and Biological Engineering
Career Objective: I hope to obtain a PhD in biomedical engineering with a focus on regenerative medicine and mechanobiology before pursuing a career in industry research.
I investigate the role of substrate stiffness in fractional killing, the phenomenon where a small fraction of cancer cells consistently survive chemotherapeutic intervention. I hope to nd the mechanism that governs this change. Using a variety of imaging techniques I am analyzing how apoptosis (programmed celldeath) dynamics change due to differences in stiffness, which may inuence cytoskeleton formation and contraction as well as cell cycle progression.
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I enjoy spending time outside doing a variety of activities including running, hiking, and snowboarding. I also like to play card games with friends and explore new restaurants
Susan Howard Scholar 3nd year ARCS Scholar
Major: DVM, PhD Pathology
Career Objective: I hope to pursue a career as a board-certifed veterinary anatomic pathologist, combining my interests in veterinary medicine, infectious disease, and pathology.
I study molecular mechanisms of trafficking (transport of essential molecules within cells), as well as the vertical transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease, a100% fatal, neurodegenerative brain disease that affects cervids (deer, elk, moose, reindeer). I investigate mechanisms of disease by evaluating nanoparticles, known as extracellular vesicles, which have been shown to facilitate intercellular communication in the host, contributing to other pathologies. I work with veterinary anatomic pathologists to evaluate the micro-anatomy of reproductive tissue from infected deer, including the placenta and uterine glands.
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Surfng is defnitely my favorite hobby, difficult to do in a land-locked state! Now, I fnd myself on the water fly fshing, paddle boarding, or in my belly - boatfishing at high alpine lakes.
Harry L. Willett Foundation Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: BS Chemical and Biological Engineering
Career Objective: I hope to pursue a career as a renewable energy engineer.
I worked at the Renewable Energy and Conversion Laboratory at the Energy Institute, using electrochemistry to reduce nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, to ammonia, which is essential for agriculture and other processes. This work potentially establishes a connection between industry and agriculture, helping to create a circular economy.
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I really enjoy reading sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and books that focus on the black experience. I also enjoy creative writing.
Richard and Sonnie Talley Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: BS Biochemistry, minors Bioinformatics, Chemistry
Career Objective: Because of my interest in psychopharmacology, I hope to research the use of psychedelics in novel mental health treatments.
I work at three labs at CSU. First, I work on algorithm development for a novel medical imaging technology called Electrical Impedance Tomography. Our focus is on imaging the heart and lungs. Second, I am investigating how alcohol, cannabis, and co-use affect decision making and mood. Finally, I work with theAdvancing Research on Change Lab, where we administer a variety of surveys related to substance use and harm reduction.
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I enjoy outdoor activities like backpacking and kayaking. I also play video games and do crochet and needlepoint. I have a cat named Sapphire whom I’m currently attempting to harness train, since she really likes going on outdoor adventures.
Sarah and Brent Gebhart Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: BS Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Career Objective: I would like to be a dermatologist.
I focus on the development of genetically modfied yeast and human cell lines for more efficient and accurate research into S-phase DNA replication checkpoints and their relation to cancer development. Specifically, I create cells tagged to prevent DNA replication. This process is reversible and eliminates oxidative stress caused by traditional S-phase arrest drugs commonly used in research. Ultimately, studies of replicative damage that lead to the mis-regulation of cell replication yield data that are more accurate and representative, due to the absence of the large oxidative stress caused by traditional S-phase arrest drugs.
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I have a corgi named Rosie! I like chess, volleyball, and travel.
Patten Davis Foundation Scholar
2nd year ARCS Scholar
Major: DVM
Career Objective: After a radiology residency I hope to teach residents and mentor pre-veterinary students while conducting clinical research.
I am investigating the pharmacokinetics (the movement of a drug through the body) of tranexamic acid in dogs. This drug has been used in human medicine and has been proven to decrease mortality associated with traumatic hemorrhage. By studying the pharmacokinetics of tranexamic acid when administered intramuscularly we can potentially revolutionize frontline stabilization of veterinary trauma patients and allow lay people to administer life-saving care to dogs when they are unable to reach a veterinary hospital.
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I love video games, live music, short lm making, traveling, and getting brunch with friends!
Patten Davis Foundation Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: BS Biomedical, Chemical/Biological Engineering
Career Objective: I plan to work in computational chemistry researchafter graduation, with a focus on transgender healthcare and medicine.
I work in the High Energy Physics Lab at CSU on the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). My role, like that of the other undergraduates, is to build, test, and ship materials to be used in a facility that is being built in South Dakota to detect neutrinos. We collaborate with labs across the world on this project, working toward long-termhigh geographical impact studies.
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I like to study chess and compete in tournaments. I also play a lot of fighting games, have recently rediscovered my passion for climbing, and have taken up photography.
Harry L. Willett Foundation Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: BS Physics
Career Objective: I would like to earn my PhD and lead projects in industry working on innovative materials solutions for cutting-edge electronic devices.
My research is focused on the development of nanodevices for probing novel quantum systems and exotic material phases using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). I am working on creating new methods of cleaving single crystals, such as the topological insulator Bi(1-x) Sb(x), or otherwise difficult-to-cleave crystals whose atomic-level structure is of great interest for applications in quantum computing and next-generation electronic devices.
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I love to spend my time cycling, performing improvisational comedy, and playing volleyball.
Sarah and Brent Gebhart Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: DVM
Career Objective: After veterinary school, I hope to pursue a specialty that aids in the health and understanding of free-ranging wildlife and captive zoo species.
I will be analyzing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in wildlife, focusing on three vertebrate classes: avian, amphibian, and mammalian species. AMR will be assessed using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion tests on bacterial cultures isolated from free-ranging animals. The purpose of this project is to contribute to environmental antimicrobial surveillance and the project is relevant to guiding clinical antibiotic choices in both human and veterinary medicine.
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I spend as much time outdoors as possible, mostly hiking and backpacking, and I enjoy playing guitar and piano.
Wayne Shank Endowment Scholar
3rd year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD, Mathematics
Career Objective: My goal is to enter a career in academia, sharing my passion for mathematics with others.
I research algebraic graph theory and spectral graph theory. Recently, I have become interested in coding theory. These concepts are useful for applications such as ranking websites by level of importance in search engines and reliably transmitting information. I also work with Laplace transform, a mathematical process that transforms a differential equation into an algebraic one, simplifying it for easier analysis and solution.
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I enjoy running, weight lifting, art, nutrition, and spending time with my husband and dog
Ann and Gordon Brown Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: MD
Career Objective: I am interested in pursuing a career in either otolaryngology or anesthesiology.
I am currently involved in multiple otolaryngology-related research projects. One major project examines national and institutional trends in temporal artery biopsies, with a focus on identifying which medical specialties most commonly perform this procedure and evaluating the evolving role of otolaryngology in this diagnostic pathway. I am also participating in a study on jet ventilation techniques during airway surgery with the goal of better understanding current practice patterns among otolaryngologists and anesthesiologists, assessng the safety and efficacy of different ventilation strategies, and contributing to the development of best-practice guidelines for managing challenging airways.
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I enjoy hiking, skiing, rock climbing, and spending time with family and friends.
Sarah and Brent Gebhart Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD Cell Biology, Stem Cells, and Development
Career Objective: I hope to be an independent researcher in translationally relevant developmental and reproductive biology.
I am working to elucidate the role of a poorly characterized structure in the female reproductive system, the rete ovarii. The role of the rete ovarii, an epithelial appendage of the ovary, is still unknown. With new advances in tissue clearing and 3D imaging, we can now investigate the rete ovarii. I have discovered that the smooth muscle layer of the extraovarian portion of the rete ovarii expresses progesterone receptors. I am currently exploring the role of progesterone signaling in the rete ovarii and how this influences ovarian homeostasis. We may discover the function of the rete ovarii in female health and improve treatments for infertility and other ovarian diseases.
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I enjoy going to concerts, spending time outside, reading, and hanging out with my pets, a ball python named Thunder and a leopard gecko named Gilly.
Amy Davis Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD Epidemiology
Career Objective: I hope to advance infectious disease prevention by integrating clinical and research expertise to inform sustainable, community-driven public health strategies.
I investigate the changing epidemiology of Shigella, a traditionally foodborne pathogen increasingly associated with sexual transmission and antimicrobial resistance. I am using surveillance data to characterize emerging trends and identify populations disproportionately affected by these infections. In Colorado I am examining the co-occurrence of Shigella and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). I am developing and validating a predictive algorithm to identify individuals with Shigella who may be at elevated risk for undiagnosed STIs to support real-time public health decision-making, disease and STI prevention, and address critical gaps in surveillance and strengthen public health response strategies.
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I recently adopted a rescued German Shepherd named Waffles and have loved training and exploring with him. I also mentor undergraduates, and enjoy running, skiing, and rafting.
Jo and Richard Byyny Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: MD
Career Objective: I hope to become an orthopedic hand surgeon, contributing my own technique, device, or concept to orthopedic surgery.
I am currently conducting research largely in two domains. The first is work that investigates, characterizes, and evaluates bio-mechanical properties of novel fixation and/or reconstruction techniques to address current unmet needs in the field of hand surgery. The second includes a larger scale focus, conducting studies that investigate trends and/or risk factors of orthopedic hand pathologies to elucidate incidence and to inform possible strategies for prevention.
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I love the outdoors, skiing, y shing, soccer, basketball, and biking, I also play guitar and I enjoy playing pool and chess.
James H. Shore Memorial Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD Cell Biology, Stem Cells, Developmental Biology
Career Objective: My goal is to become a research professor, doing research that leads to better treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.
I investigate a coding sequence known as Olduvai, which exhibits human-specific copies (with some copies conserved across species). Olduvai is expressed during brain development and is believed to be crucial to human cerebral cortex expansion. It originally caught my attention because the number of copies of Olduvai within an organism (whether too many or too few) has been linked to various neurological disorders.
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When I’m not in the laboratory, I enjoy performing standup comedy, doing karaoke, rollerblading and stargazing. I also enjoy visiting family all over the country.
Harry L. Willett Foundation Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: Doctor of Dental Surgery
Career Objective: I hope to become an orthodontist, advancing patient care, promoting oral health, and contributing to research and innovation.
I investigate the use of saturated citric acid to reduce staining caused by silver diamine fluoride (SDF) therapy, a highly effective treatment for arresting dental caries, particularly in pediatric and medically complex patients. The primary drawback is the permanent dark staining left on treated teeth. If citric acid can minimize this aesthetic concern, SDF will be a more appealing option for patients, parents, and clinicians. I hope to contribute to evidence-based strategies that improve both the functional and cosmetic outcomes of preventive and restorative dental care.
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I love traveling and exploring new places, staying active with Pilates and strength training, and spending time with my husband and our dog, Bondi!
Helen and Joseph McConaty Memorial Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: MD
Career Objective: I aspire to be an academic dermatologist with a special interest in skin of color patients.
My research is focused on the impact of the tumor microbiome on responses to immunotherapy in a rare subtype of melanoma, mucosal variant, which more frequently affects skin of color patients. We have found that there are distinct differences in the bacteria, viruses, and fungi present in mucosal tumors compared to cutaneous melanoma tumors, which may contribute to the lower response rate in this population to the preferred treatment: immunotherapy.
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I love to travel. Exploring new places and creating art through dance helps keep me grounded and inspired. I also enjoy expressing myself through my personal style.
Amy Davis Endowment Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD Neuroscience
Career Objective: I aspire to become a principal investigator and establish my own lab, focusing on glia-targeted therapeutic strategies for neurological diseases.
I explore the mechanisms of calcium signaling during learning-associated myelin remodeling by imaging calcium events in myelin sheaths of awake mice. In parallel, I am investigating the potential sources of calcium in myelin sheaths that appear to drive cellular processes such as sheath retraction. I hope to defi nethe role of calcium signaling in myelin remodeling and establish the critical role of myelin remodeling in motor learning. I hope to advance our understanding of the cellular mechanisms underlying learning-related oligodendrocyte plasticity and how they influence behavior.
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My hobbies include reading, running, and spending time with friends and family, and exploring new restaurants, breweries, and cities. I absolutely love to travel and have been to 28 countries outside the US.
John Reilly, Jr. and Lise Woodard Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: MD
Career Objective: I strive to innovate eye care through research and green health and inspire future ophthalmologists.
My research spans ophthalmology, climate health, and medical equity. I study visual outcomes in retinoblastoma based on TNM staging (a system for describing the spread of cancer) and treatment approaches. I am also involved in environmental sustainability in healthcare; I lead a systematic review of plastic waste in operating rooms. I also co-lead curriculum-based research integrating climate-health into medical education. Additional work includes National Institutes of Health (NIH) dermatology funding equity, mindfulness in children, and visual close ties to my family in France.
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I hold national ranking as a flutist and a black belt in martial arts, and compete as an Ironman triathlete. I enjoy hiking, biking, kickboxing, and game nights.
Patten Davis Foundation Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: MD
Career Objective: I hope to leverage my background in mathematics, computer science and AI as a physician-scientist, to develop innovative therapies in autoimmune disease.
I apply my background in applied mathematics and biotechnology to solve challenges in clinical medicine. I have leveraged new AI tools, particularly protein language models and deep learning, to functionally characterize and discover novel microbial enzymes implicated in various disease states. I hope to develop robust machine learning models that can identify novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers for inflammatory and immune mediated conditions, including rheumatological diseases (IgG4-RD and Scleroderma), and GI diseases (Crohn’s).
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As a Denver native, I love skiing, hiking, and traveling to new places with my wife. I also enjoy woodworking and getting lost in a good book or podcast.
Steve and Kathy McConahey Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD Microbiology
Career Objective: I aim to be a leader in a government virology laboratory focused on laboratory and field response to domestic or international emergency outbreak responses.
My PhD research is centered on gammaherpesviruses (gHV), a family of DNA tumor viruses that infect cells of the immune system and can lead to cancer in immunocompromised patients. The focus of my research is to investigate the restriction of gHV infection within macrophages, which may ultimately lead to development of a vaccine.
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I love to read fantasy and fiction books with my cat, Theo. I also enjoy weekends at the park or hiking with my dog and fiancé, Matthew.
Nancy and Karl Kellogg Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD Biomedical Engineering
Career Objective: I hope to pursue a career in academia, engineering novel therapeutics or to improve women’s health.
I am focused on creating a new treatment for ovarian cancer. Current drugs like olaparib can help some patients, but they often cause serious side effects and they don’t work well in many women whose tumors lack certain mutations. We have developed “macrophage backpacks,” tiny polymer discs that attach to immune cells called macrophages. Because macrophages naturally travel to sites of cancer and inflammation, the “backpacks” can carry the drug directly to the tumor, releasing olaparib slowly and locally without affecting healthy tissues.
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I am an avid cyclist and hobby gardener. I work as a scientic writing intern at AOA Dx, contributing to research strategy and publications in ovarian cancer diagnostics.
DMNS George Sparks Scholar
2nd year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD Geological Sciences
Career Objective: I would like to go into paleoclimate research and teaching in the geosciences.
I study Southern Ocean paleoclimatology using both marine sediment cores and ice cores. The focus of my doctoral research is to study the migration of the Southern Hemisphere westerly winds over glacial-interglacial timescales using a variety of proxy records for sea surface temperatures, primarily trace metal ratios in calcitic microorganisms called foraminifera and water isotopes in Antarctic ice cores. The goal of my research is to better understand the interactions between the Southern Hemisphere westerly winds, ocean circulation, temperature patterns, and the carbon cycle.
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I sing in choirs and I am a barre instructor. After two years of instruction my family’s cat Fritzy has learned how to go through a cat door! We are very proud of him.
ARCS Members Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD Chemical Engineering
Career Objective: I hope to work in a national lab developing electrochemical reactors for recycling nutrients in wastewater and precious metals from industrial effluents.
I focus on the design and optimization of reactors which use electricity and polymer membranes to 1) separate particles from liquids while 2) simultaneously making acids and bases. This technology is modular, runs at low-temperature, and can be connected to any electricity source, including solarpanels. It can be used for a variety of applications. I am interested in how these modular systems can be used in international, low-income communities.
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I love hiking and long-distance backpacking, exploring national and state parks, and singing in a community choir. I also enjoy oil painting and doing crochet and other yarn projects.
Nancy Seacrest Wright Memorial Scholar
3rd year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD, Environmental Engineering
Career Objective: After earning my PhD, I plan to translate research into effective regulations, engage with municipalities, and promote inclusion through mentorship, advocacy, and outreach.
Disinfection to destroy harmful pathogens is a critical component of drinking water and wastewater treatment. During disinfection, the disinfectant can react with organic matter and form a class of chemicals called disinfection by-products (DBPs), some of which are harmful to human health. I work to understand the behavior of DBPs in the water distribution system and in buildings to inform regulations and protect public health. I study a variety of different water sources. Ultimately, the goal is to provide actionable data to reduce risk from DBPs for consumers at the tap.
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I enjoy spending time with my husband, Ian, my dog, Bon, and my friends and family. I am currently training for a marathon and I also love to bike, hike, rock climb, and swim!
Bruce and Marcy Benson Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD Geological Sciences
Career Objective: I aspire to be a professor at a liberal arts institution with a strong science program balancing teaching with mentoring students interested in research.
The Willow Creek Anticline (WCA) is an Upper Cretaceous site in Montana famous for its dinosaur fossils, which include nests, eggs, embryos, and juveniles. The site also boasts preservation of herbivorous dinosaur coprolites, bee/wasp pupae, snails, and other fossils and trace fossils. The WCA has historically been interpreted as a uvial setting—potentially with shallow lake intervals—in a semi-arid climate during the Late Cretaceous. I work to refine and update reconstructions of ancient paleoenvironments (and transitions between them) at the WCA using a combination of sedimentology and stable isotope geochemistry. I also hope to use clumped isotopes to update paleoclimate reconstructions.
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When I’m not troubleshooting the mass spectrometer, I play ice hockey and ski. I tutor students of all ages. I write, draw, and paint and I love my giant tabby cat, Gilligan.
Nancy Seacrest Wright Memorial Scholar
3rd year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD, Creative Technology and Design
Career Objective: To become a professor and direct a research lab working on computational design and fabrication.
I design computational systems for digital fabrication that deliberately subvert expected design patterns, and study how people use them to support creatively expansive practice. Rather than forcing materials and processes to conform to a predetermined form, I build computational tools for CNC woodworking, digital weaving, and clay 3D printing that open new directions for creative practice. I position computational design not as a path to a single solution, but as a means of finding multiple, open-ended ways of making.
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I’m a native Northern Californian, chocolate chip cookie connoisseur, and proud roommate of two cats
ARCS Light Susan Howard Scholar
3rd year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD Geological Sciences
Career Objective: After a long-awaited break from academia I hope to focus on outdoor industry-related instruction, providing a space for playful, non-judgmental, exploration of our rocky world.
I investigate the roles microbes play in sedimentation of low-lying islands in the tropics. I work with microbial mats, layered communities of microbes that are organized by chemical availability, and found all over the earth in a wide variety of environments. These microbial mats interact with the surface layer of loose sediment, growing on top of newly delivered sediment securing it in place against waves, tides, and storms. This research expands our understanding of naturalcoastline stabilization and the environmental benefits of microbes.
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I live a nomadic lifestyle in a built out 2015 ford transit (yes, it has running water and a toilet). I love ski/bike/hike/climb-ing adventures. I also enjoy craftingjewelry, watercolor painting by the creek, and birding!
Patten Davis Foundation Scholar
3rd year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Career Objective: I hope to continue research in peatland biogeochemistry as a faculty member at an undergraduate institution.
I work to understand carbon cycling in peatlands, a type of wetland that stors almost a third of all terrestrial soil carbon. I study redox-active organic matter reduction, where microbes in the peat use organic matter for energy. When they do so, carbon dioxide is respired and methane production is suppressed. The four chapters of my dissertation discuss the different ways redox-active organic matter responds to environmental changes, from increased temperature to changing water availability.
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I am an avid reader of fantasy, sci-fi, and horror. I try to read 50 books every year! I also am a Zumba instructor at the recreation center on campus.
Patten Davis Foundation Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD Analytical and Environmental Chemistry
Career Objective: I plan to either work in science policy or conduct research in atmospheric chemistry with a positive impact on the environment and/or public health.
I work to understand emissions and chemical processes in the atmosphere that affect the climate and human health through field measurements of trace gases. Using aircraft and mobile laboratory in situ measurements, I have analyzed trends in methane emission sources from the L.A. Basin and will use zero-dimensional box modeling to understand the influence of wildfire smoke on ozone production in Salt Lake City. Future research will involve development of an improved miniaturized cavity enhanced NO2 spectrometer for deployment on a drone to effectively characterize the spatial distribution of NO2 in the lowest level of the atmosphere.
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I love spending time in the mountains, including trail running, skiing, climbing, and camping. I also enjoy doing ceramics!
Harry L. Willett Foundation Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD Computer Science and Cognitive Science
Career Objective: I hope to do postdoctoral research, followed by a professorship.
I investigate the use of Natural Language Processing (NLP) to study childhood language acquisition. I use computational models to: 1) model human language learning processes and better understand how childhood language acquisition occurs, and 2) to improve the effectiveness and equity scalability of current methods of childhood language education. I am particularly interested in AI ethics and how these tools can be used to narrow educational gaps across socioeconomic backgrounds rather than widen them further.
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I enjoy playing the piano, hockey skating, and reading. I currently have two 5-year-old guinea pigs, Hakeem and Ginsburg.
SeiSolo Foundation Scholar
2nd year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD, Mechanical Engineering
Career Objective: My long-term goal is to run my own lab conducting musculoskeletal and aging-related research in women.
I am studying breast cancer-induced bone disease. For the past two years, I have taken a lead role on a collaborative project examining how invasive breast cancer cells respond biologically to the unique mechanical environment in bone. My research goals for the remainder of my PhD are to build on the work I have been doing by understanding how important biomarkers released by breast cancer cells may adversely affect healthy bone biology and mechanics in young vs. aged bone.
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In my free time, I like rock climbing, dancing, and going on herping trips to find reptiles and amphibians on hiking trails!
Barb and Don MacDonald Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD Computer Science
Career Objective: I am pursuing the development of artificial general intelligence.
My research in computational neuroscience focuses on advancing the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI) by studying biologically inspired models of neurons and other nervous system structures. I collaborate with my advisor and peers on experiments that model the behavior of neurons. The goal of this work is to bridge the gap between neuroscience and machine learning by leveraging insights from neural modeling to inform the design of more adaptable, general-purpose intelligent systems.
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I’m a parent to two energetic teenagers who keep me on my toes. In my free time, I enjoy mountain biking, reading, baking, and console gaming. I live on a large property with dogs, goats, and chickens, and I’m also a drone pilot.
Patten Davis Foundation Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: MS Electrical Engineering
Career Objective: I hope to work in either computer architecture or power systems; I am also considering becoming a patent attorney.
I research flow batteries in order to develop a more comprehensive model for use in sizing flow batteries for use in microgrid applications. Further research involves assessing the effects of flow rate and pump losses on these systems and developing a sizing method for these batteries that takes this information into account. I am starting with a linearized model with the potential to make a second nonlinear model at a later date.
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I enjoy playing golf, reading and playing video games. I am interested in most genres that are thought-provoking in some way involving the story or (in the case ofgames specically) in the strategizing needed.
Harry L. Willett Foundation Scholar
2nd year ARCS Scholar
Major: MS Mechanical Engineering
Career Objective: I’d like to pursue a career in new product development, creating solutions to improve people’s lives.
I work in the Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Lab, where we’re working to standardize how images of human femurs are labeled and segmented. I’m building a contact-free digital image correlation system to study the mechanical behavior of trabecular bone. Our goal is to use these data to improve how we model and assess hip fracture risk.
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I’m an avid fisherman. In the summer you can find me on Pueblo Lake trying to catch trout, walleye and bass. I also enjoy fixing up small engines and my truck. Recently I’ve also been learning to mountain bike and garden.
Bruce Peterson Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: PhD Computer Science
Career Objective: After my PhD, I would like to work as either an AI developer/engineer or as a researcher in industry.
My research area is computational neuroscience with an emphasis on AI and machine learning applications to neuroscience-oriented problems and questions. I have worked on Brain Computer Interfacing, Automated Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis, Large Language Model (LLM) applications in medicine, Eye-Tracking Classification, Custom AI development and deployment, and much more.
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I participate in bodybuilding and lift weights seriously. If I’m not eating, working, lifting, or sleeping, I’m spending quality time with my amazing girlfriend Sonia.
Honoree Dr. Leslie Leinwand Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: MS Bioengineering
Career Objective: After completing an MS in Bioengineering and earning certification in neural engineering, I plan to work in biotech product development.
I contribute to cardiovascular research on calcific aortic valve disease. My work centers on how age and sex differences influence cellular behavior, providing insight into mechanisms that may drive disease progression. I have gained skills in laboratory techniques, data analysis, and critical evaluation of scientific literature. Last summer I participated in a biomedical design program in Guatemala. Using balloons filled with a gelatinous mixture of talcum powder and other materials, we developed a method for training local practitioners to perform abdominal ultrasound. Test trials of our model were successful, with all clinicians being able to accurately identify artifacts (toothpicks, rocks, etc.) embedded within the balloons.
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I’m building a tiny house. It’s been quite the adventure! From framing, to setting up my solar power system, to getting the water running, it has been a constant learning experience.
Valerie Brown Memorial Scholar
2nd year ARCS Scholar
Major: BS Mechanical Engineering
Career Objective: I plan to obtain my MS and Professional Engineer (PE) license and continue to do research in fluid mechanics in a PhD program.
I am investigating the flow-structure interactions of transmission cables. Specifically, I am looking at the effect that icing conditions have on the vibration response of transmission lines to better understand flow interactions and support improved design of power infrastructure.
I enjoy sharing my knowledge with others by tutoring Physics, Calculus, and Statics/Analytical Mechanics classes.
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I like to bike, climb, run, and swim in my free time. I am hoping to complete my first Ironman after graduation and spend more time climbing outdoors. Prior to COVID I was a professional ballet dancer. I’ve found research to be even more exciting (and sustainable) than dance!
Bruce Peterson Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: MS Electrical Engineering
Career Objective: I hope to promote an understanding of electromagnetic principles and to work with fusion power.
I investigate the magnetomechanical behavior of ferromagnetic materials under combined magnetic and mechanical stress. Various instrumentation is used on thin-walled steel pipe to capture induced voltage from magnetization changes and measure the total internal magnetic field along the pipe’s axis. Controlled magnetic fields are created via solenoids or magnetic yokes, and mechanical stress is applied using a hydraulic load frame capable of axial and torsional loading. We collect voltage, stress, strain, and field data to study magnetic hysteresis and magnetostriction. An environmental chamber is used to characterize temperature dependence. We hope to develop and validate accurate multi-physics models that describe ferromagnetic hysteresis under real-world conditions.
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I enjoy paddle boarding, reading sci-fi/fantasy, hiking, good tea with good company, and falling back on my culinary roots to make delicious meals for my friends and family.
Harriet Peterson Memorial Scholar
1st year ARCS Scholar
Major: BS Electrical Engineering
Career Objective: I hope to continue working with ferromagnetic materials, in a career that ultimately has an impact.
The main scope of my research is to classify and model magnetic attributes of different materials. Last summer I investigated magnetic attributes of ferromagnetic 3D printed materials. With this research, I have had the opportunity to learn about the fabrication/manufacturing side of these parts and I am also learning about the equipment and protocols for analyzing magnetic attributes of different materials.
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Outside of research, the two main hobbies I enjoy are cycling and working on automobiles, especially old cars. Recently with the nicer weather, I have been making an effort to commute more by bicycle and work on riding with a consistent effort.