Current Scholars

2024-2025 ARCS Foundation Phoenix Scholars

2024-2025 ARCS FOUNDATION PHOENIX SCHOLARS

ARCS® Foundation Phoenix is honored to present our 2024-2025 Scholar Awards to these outstanding PhD candidates from Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and The University of Arizona. The ARCS Foundation Scholar Award is $8,500 per year. All scholars must apply for ARCS Scholar Awards with their university departments on an annual basis.

Arizona State University
Amanda Acuna

Spetzler Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Neuroscience
  • BS in Neuroscience and Psychology from Arizona State University
  • Amanda’s work investigates the role of methamphetamine (METH)-induced neuroinflammation on adaptive decision making. METH use results in increased neuroinflammatory signals and immune cell activation, which continue to be observed in abstinence. Her work explores the impact this persistent inflammation has on behavioral flexibility and cue responsivity, two important factors that influence relapse. An additional aim of this work is to determine the potential benefit of an anti-inflammatory medication on these behaviors, with the overarching goal being to uncover novel targets for pharmacotherapies to restore behavioral control.
Allison Bayro

Wilhoit Foundation Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering
  • BS in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago
  • Allison is researching how to improve training and selection for Navy pilots using virtual reality. She studies how physiological signals—such as changes in heart rate and stress response—reveal differences in abilities during flight simulation. By analyzing how pilots navigate and react to anomalous events, her work helps identify individual strengths and training improvements. She collaborates with the Naval Research Laboratory to apply this research in real-world settings, with prior support from the National Science Foundation at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida.

 

Jessica Chee-Williams

Wilhoit Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Environmental Life Sciences
  • MS in Communication Disorders and BS in Speech and Hearing Science from Arizona State University
  • Orofacial clefting is among the most common congenital anomalies globally, often leading to challenges in feeding, speech, hearing, dental health, and psychosocial well-being. Jessica’s research aims to translate clinical and imaging advances into improved treatment pathways for children with cleft conditions. Her research includes leveraging advanced imaging technology such as magnetic resonance imaging, identifying social determinants of health that impact care, and educating community partners on cleft treatment. By bridging the gap between research and clinical care, her work will improve the quality of life for children with cleft lip and palate.
Claire Cropper

Papadopoulos Scholar
 

  • PhD Candidate in Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering
  • BS in Mathematics from ASU
  • Claire’s current research centers on two key topics: 1) Water security in rural US communities and 2) Environmental impact of menstrual waste. Her water security research focuses on identifying and understanding the complex social fabric of water-insecure communities in Arizona as part of the Arizona Water for All initiative. Identifying patterns in water-insecure communities will help to determine the most effective ways to allocate funding and infrastructure projects. Her second research topic focuses on how soil adsorbs and transports hormones in menstrual waste, with a goal to inform improved wastewater treatment and minimize aquatic risks.

 

Jenna Diefenderfer

Alison Hunter Johnston Memorial Endowment Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Microbiology
  • BS in Biochemistry and Chemical Biotechnology from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
  • Jenna earned her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and Chemical Biotechnology from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. As a third-year Microbiology PhD student at Arizona State University, her research leverages untargeted volatile metabolomics for the development of biomarkers and diagnostics for fungal infections in humans and companion animals.
Margaret Dugoni

Spetzler Scholar
 

  • PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering
  • BS in Chemical Engineering from Villanova University
  • Margaret's research efforts are on improving bone repair through the use of immune mediating metabolites to promote bone growth and inhibit bone loss. Her work focuses on hydrogel delivery systems for microparticle drug formulations at the site of a bone defect. This work allows for sustained, tunable delivery of bone growth factors and metabolites to promote bone healing and can further be used in many regenerative medicine applications.
Stephen Gallegos

Theresa F. Jennings Memorial Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Speech and Hearing Science
  • BS in Interdisciplinary Studies from Arizona State University
  • Stephen's research develops tailored support programs for autistic adults which enhance social skills, independence, and clinician training. Early findings show improved satisfaction and effectiveness. Additional research explores sex-based differences, cognitive aging, and verbal fluency challenges in autism, contributing to precision medicine. By shifting interventions from deficit-based to strength-focused approaches, this work aims to improve quality of life, communication, and long-term support for autistic individuals across their lifespans.
Joshua Gilman

Vandenburgh Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Environmental Life Sciences
  • BS in Microbiology from Brigham Young University
  • Josh researches the impacts of climate change, urban development, and water policy on the sustainability of dryland regions like Phoenix, Arizona. His work integrates ecology, geography, and social sciences to examine how land and water management decisions affect ecosystem services—the benefits nature provides to people. By understanding these connections, his research helps to assess and improve the sustainability of desert cities.
Samantha Harker

Marie McSpadden Sands Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Neuroscience
  • BA in Medical Humanities; MS in Neuroscience from Arizona State University
  • Sammie's research addresses the genetic contributors to aging and sex differences on cognition and brain structure in a longitudinal cohort of middle-aged and older (MA+) autistic adults 40-75 years of age. She evaluates the effects of autism risk genes on memory decline and temporal lobe/hippocampal aging in MA+ autistic adults. Results will significantly impact the biological understanding of cognitive, brain aging, and sex differences in autism by incorporating both molecular and systems-level approaches. The dissemination of findings to the broader autism community will be empowered by Sammie's unique perspective as an openly autistic adult.
Lillian Hensleigh

The Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Biochemistry
  • BS in Biology and in Chemistry from the University of Redlands
  • Lillian’s research efforts probe the fundamental yet use-inspired molecular science of carbon dioxide capture and conversion into non-fossil-based fuels and other value-added chemical products. She is developing materials inspired by biological enzymes, where three-dimensional polymeric microenvironments play a key role in guiding efficient chemical transformations. Through her research, she is also advancing understandings of structure-function relationships in chemistry and contributing to a more sustainable energy future.
Razine Hossain

Dalke/ARCS Scholar
 

  • PhD Candidate in Electrical Engineering
  • BS in Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
  • Razine is developing next-generation solar technologies to make them more efficient, accessible, and sustainable. His work focuses on cadmium telluride (CdTe) and cadmium selenium telluride (CdSeTe), materials that offer cost-effective, eco-friendly alternatives to traditional silicon solar cells. Using advanced semiconductor growth techniques, he has helped create and study micron-thin, pure monocrystalline solar devices with improved performance over thicker silicon cells. He also works on semiconductor physics modeling, bridging design and fabrication to accelerate device innovation.
Allison McMinn

Burton Family Foundation Scholar
 

  • PhD Candidate in Electrical Engineering
  • BS in Electrical Engineering from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
  • Allison’s research is in Physical Electronics and Photonics focusing on the growth and characterization of superlattice structures for infrared photodetector applications using Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE). By continuing to make advancements in infrared (IR) photodetector technology she hopes to push the limits of innovation in fields such as non-invasive glucose monitoring, thermal sensing, gas monitoring, autonomous automobiles, and space-based telescopes.
Briana Ondatje

Helen Jacobsen Pierson Scholar
 

  • PhD Candidate in Neuroscience
  • BS in Cell and Developmental Biology from UC Santa Barbara
  • Briana is currently investigating the role of neuroinflammation in Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Her research aims to answer how the immune cells of the brain communicate with one another and how this becomes dysfunctional in ALS/FTD and contributes to disease pathology. She uses induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from patient blood to model these disease cell types. Understanding crosstalk between the cells of the brain can reveal novel targets for therapeutics for ALS/FTD.
Rachel Eder

Crouch/ARCS Scholar
 

  • PhD Candidate in Molecular and Cellular Biology
  • BS in Biological Sciences; Neuroscience; Psychology and MS in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Arizona State University
  • Rachel uses a single-cell approach to provide new insights into how cells
    respond to stress, which can help to understand how cells regulate their transcriptomes in response to environmental change; identify the selective pressures that shape cell evolution; and build better predictive models of individual cell behavior and disease states. 
Taylor Pennington

The Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering
  • BS and MS in Biomedical Engineering from Arizona State University
  • Taylor studies how different cells in the brain utilize nutrients to maintain energy balance and physiological function. She is studying how metabolism is tied to cell health and identifying pathways vulnerable to neurological disease. Her research leverages 3D organoids derived from human stem cells to understand how metabolic traits are established in different cells throughout development and aging. The overall goal is to understand how metabolism influences cortical health and degeneration to improve treatment strategies for sporadic disease.
Dominic Saiz

Sonntag Family Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Molecular Biology
  • BS in Biological Sciences and Anthrolopology from ASU
  • Dominic is studying how diet influences intestinal stem cells at the chromatin level. His research investigates how a high-fat diet alters chromatin accessibility, impacting gene regulation and increasing the risk of diseases like colorectal cancer. By using genomic and computational approaches, he investigates the role of key transcription factors in these changes. His work provides insights into how diet-driven molecular changes affect intestinal health.

 

Nora Shapiro

Lauber Endowment Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering 
  • BS in Aerospace Engineering, Earth and Environmental Sciences from the University of Michigan 
  • Nora researches Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light delivery methods, using Side Emitting Optical Fibers (SEOF) paired with UV-C Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) for water treatment applications. UV-C light is biocidal in nature, and it can also be used to activate chemical reactions with photocatalysts within water for things like pollution degradation or hydrogen peroxide generation. UV light dissipates quickly in water systems, so SEOFs allow for direct light distribution over larger areas than low-power, mercury-free LEDs can achieve on their own. Nora uses the LED-SEOF system to research how water treatment systems can have less chemical waste and higher energy efficiency.
Amberlyn Simmons

ARCS Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering
  • BS in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Florida
  • Amberlyn’s current research project seeks to better understand differences between males and females in the immune response after traumatic brain injury. This work will have a positive impact by aiding in the development of treatments of traumatic brain injury, fundamentally advancing the field of nanomedicine and drug delivery to the injured central nervous system.
Nathan Stromberg

Horejsi Charitable Foundation Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering
  • MS in Electrical Engineering from ASU; BS Mathematics and Computer Science from University of Kentucky
  • Nathan’s work focuses on efficiently adapting existing machine learning models to ensure equitable predictions for underrepresented groups, even with unreliable or unavailable data annotations. His recent directions include fair image generation and theoretical foundations for fair machine learning in extremely deep neural networks.

 

Maya Suzuki

Theresa F. Jennings Memorial Scholar

  • PhD candidate in Civil, Environmental, and Sustainable Engineering
  • BS in Environmental Science from Duke University
  • Maya is developing cost-effective, innovative ways to remediate watersheds impacted by abandoned mines. She is using novel membrane biofilm reactor technology to remove and capture heavy metals from mining-impacted waters. After graduating, Maya is interested in translating this technology into the field by scaling up the membrane biofilm reactor. In the past year, she was also involved in policies on abandoned mines, having worked on a project compiling sites that could qualify for “Good Samaritan” cleanups under the new Good Samaritan Act for Abandoned Hardrock Mine Remediation.
Savannah Tallino

Ivy Foundation Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Neuroscience
  • BS in Natural Sciences and MS in Biological Sciences from the University of Alaska Anchorage
  • Savannah’s research explores the cellular mechanisms that contribute to neurodegeneration. She is interested in understanding how basal forebrain cholinergic neurons – which are crucial for learning and memory, attention, and other cognitive functions – degenerate early in Down Syndrome and Alzheimer’s Disease. Her work focuses on understanding the role of the protein Intersectin 1 within neurons and what happens when it is elevated in Down Syndrome and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Kelvin Tran

LaFollette Endowment and Libby Endowment Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Speech and Hearing Science
  • BS in Health Sciences and MS in Science of Health Care Delivery from Arizona State University
  • Kelvin’s research aims to enhance how we understand and identify dysarthria, a speech disorder caused by damage to the nervous system. His goal is to identify distinct profiles for each of the various dysarthria subtypes. These findings help to enhance diagnostic accuracy, refine current approaches to speech therapies, and aid in the development of a data-driven framework for dysarthria classification.
Christopher_Vito
Chris Vito

Marley Foundation Scholar in Memory of Bud Webb

  • PhD Candidate in Environmental Life Sciences
  • BS in Geoscience from Drexel University
  • Chris is studying how climate change will affect the below-ground components of dryland ecosystems. To investigate how plant roots grow and respond to changes in rainfall, he applies machine learning and remote sensing technologies to long-term ecological experiments. This research will provide critical information about changes in the functioning of dryland ecosystems, which cover over 40% of the Earth’s land surface and house nearly a fifth of the world’s human population. 
Northern Arizona University
Anna Baker

Haga Family Memorial Scholar
 

  • PhD Candidate in Astronomy and Planetary Science
  • BS in Earth and Planetary Sciences from Washington University
  • Understanding aeolian (wind-driven) processes on Mars is essential to understanding Mars’ past and present. However, research on pathways for aeolian transport of sediment is currently limited in knowledge of how the sediment itself might change during transport. Anna is using a novel experimental device to investigate the physical and mineralogical evolution of Mars-analog sands with simulated aeolian transport. These findings will help interpret remote sensing data and trace dune sands back to their sources, filling key gaps in our knowledge of sedimentary materials and local to global sediment cycles on Mars.

 

Beatrice Bock

Windrow Endowment and Templin Endowment Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Biological Sciences
  • BS in Earth and Environmental Sciences at Vanderbilt University
  • Beatrice came to NAU to study the complex relationships between plants and fungi. Together, they form symbioses where the fungi can improve the health of plants. One of her recent experiments shows how a certain fungus improves the growth of sorghum, an important crop. She is interested in pursuing research that reveals how to use fungi to improve agricultural production and forest functioning.
Mairead Brogan

ARCS Scholar
 

  • PhD Candidate in Forest Science
  • BS in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from University of Colorado, Boulder
  • Mairead’s research investigates ecohydrological processes in a managed second-growth coast redwood forest, focusing on water movement, use, and stress under varying canopy cover conditions. Research in young forests is critical to understanding the long-term resilience of vast stretches of the redwood system, especially in the face of a warming and drying climate. Her work contributes to broader knowledge of forest resilience and ecosystem sustainability.
Keven Griffen

Kucera Scholar
 

  • PhD Candidate in Forest Science
  • BS in Geology and Biology from Brown University
  • Keven works with the Dryland and Intermountain Restoration Team (aka the DIRT Lab) to study novel methods for biological soil crust restoration in the Sonoran Desert. She grew up in Flagstaff, AZ, and her curiosity about the natural world led her to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology-Biology from Brown University in 2017. Her research at NAU allows her to combine her passions for native plants, soils, and ecosystem restoration in the iconic landscapes of her home state. Emma Lathrop Horejsi
Emma Lathrop

Horejsi Charitable Foundation Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Biological Sciences
  • BS in Environmental Biology from Montana State University
  • Emma’s research focuses on understanding the impacts of a warmer Arctic on the global carbon cycle. Frozen soils known as permafrost store half of the total pool of soil carbon in just 15% of the land area. As these soils thaw, they have the potential to release this carbon into the atmosphere, which can alter the global carbon cycle. Emma uses soil science, remote sensing, and carbon dating techniques to quantify the magnitude of soil carbon change in gradual and rapidly thawing ecosystems in interior Alaska.
Laura Lee

ARCS Scholar
 

  • PhD Candidate in Astronomy and Planetary Science
  • BS in Astronomy from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • Laura’s research spans instrument design, development, and operations; modelling lunar surface roughness to assess its impacts on hydration signatures; classifying asteroid mission targets using ground-based observations; and testing fungal-enhanced crop growth in lunar and Martian simulated regolith. She aims to lower barriers for planetary instruments, improve water detection on the Moon, expand knowledge of asteroid compositions, and explore extraterrestrial agriculture. Through her work, Laura seeks to enhance future planetary missions and broaden our understanding of space environments.
Nicholas T. Link

ARCS Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Biological Sciences
  • BS in Biology from North Carolina State University
  • Nick is studying ecosystem and disturbance ecology across Alaska and the Yukon. His work on fuel breaks seeks to provide land managers with information on the long-term environmental impacts of fuel break installation, which can inform how these necessary wildfire mitigation approaches are designed. His work is part of a broad movement towards developing nature-based solutions for climate-change-exacerbated natural disasters.

 

Lucas McClure

Lawson Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Astronomy and Planetary Science
  • BS in Forestry from Northern Arizona University
  • Lucas studies small bodies throughout the Solar System using archival, observational, and modeling methods. His research has focused on specific populations of asteroids and trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). For his asteroid work, he characterizes spectral trends within the Polana-Eulalia Complex, a carbon-rich asteroid population that is the potential origin for near-Earth asteroids targeted by sample-return spacecraft missions. To investigate TNOs, Lucas models spectral data from the James Webb Space Telescope to study compositional trends of volatile-rich TNOs, which provide insights about the early Solar System.

 

Gillian Trimber

Vandenburgh Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Biological Sciences
  • BS in Plant Science and in Viticulture and Ecology from Cornell University
  • Gillian studies how wildfire in pinyon-juniper woodlands influences beneficial relationships between soil fungi and plants, and how these fungi may be used in forest restoration. She also studies the interactions between invasive grasses, native fungi, and tree seedlings in the Southwest. Her dissertation work involves developing replanting techniques that can be used to improve ecosystem recovery after fire.
The University of Arizona
Kayleigh Berthiaume

Anne Spychala Family Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering
  • BS in Microbiology and Physiology from The University of Arizona; MS in Physiology from Boston University
  • Kayleigh’s research uses a biomedical engineering approach to investigate molecular changes following an asthma exacerbation (attack). Asthma is a progressive and potentially fatal disease linked with decreasing levels of CC16, a crucial and abundant protein in the lungs. CC16 is an antioxidant anti-microbial, and modulates respiratory epithelial cell metabolism. We investigate how bronchoconstriction affects CC16 levels and how low levels lead to respiratory epithelial cell metabolic dysfunction. Elucidating the role of CC16 in asthma is critical for developing future drug therapies to prevent deadly exacerbations and modify the chronic progression of this disease.
Madeline Dailey

Krepper Family Trust Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Materials Science and Engineering
  • BS in Chemical Engineering and MS in Materials Science Engineering from The University of Arizona 
  • Madeline’s research interests are in the field of radiation-sensitive glass engineering with applications to satellite technologies. She is working to enhance the radiation response of novel tin-doped silica glass and to create optical devices that function as highly sensitive real-time radiation detectors. Her research involves investigating the change in optical properties induced by ultraviolet and gamma radiation sources and characterizing the underlying structural defects responsible for the magnitude and spectral nature of the radiation response. Madeline’s research interests and efforts will improve understanding of radiation-matter interactions and enable further optimization of materials for terrestrial and space-based environmental sensing.
Keila Espinoza

ARCS Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Physiological Sciences
  • BS in Physiology and MS in Physiological Sciences from The University of Arizona
  • Keila aims to determine the role of lipid metabolism in immune cells in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Her research leverages multiple model systems to investigate the full impact of this work. Also, her work seeks to untangle sex differences in disease progression and therapeutic response. She has unveiled how immunometabolism, specifically sphingolipid metabolism, may be a potential therapeutic target in correcting inflammatory responses. This work may lead to new therapeutic approaches for IBD and colorectal cancer.
Nathan Hadland

The Marley Foundation Scholar in Memory of Milton "Bud" Webb

  • PhD Candidate in Planetary Science
  • BS in Astrobiology from the Florida Institute of Technology; MS in Planetary Science from The University of Arizona
  • Nathan’s research explores microbial life in volcanic environments as a model for potential life on Mars. By combining fieldwork in extreme environments, advanced DNA sequencing, and bioinformatics, his work informs future life-detection missions and biotechnology applications. He earned his MS in Planetary Science from the University of Arizona and a BS in Astrobiology from Florida Tech. Through a Department of Defense graduate fellowship, he is also committed to advancing national security and science through research and outreach in the growing field of astrobiology. In the future, he aims to lead research bridging microbiology and planetary science.
Katie Hoover

Anne Taylor Kunkel Scholar
 

  • PhD Candidate in Cellular and Molecular Medicine
  • BS in Biochemistry from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
  • Katie studies structure-function relationships in the giant myofilament protein titin. Titin is part of the contractile apparatus of cardiac and skeletal muscle and plays roles in muscle structure, elasticity, and signaling. The goal of Katie’s research is to identify how titin’s C-terminal regions contribute to muscle structure and disease, with a particular emphasis on muscle atrophy.
Aaron Larsen

Ponce Scholar
 

  • PhD Candidate in Applied Mathematics
  • BS in Applied and Computational Mathematics from Brigham Young University; MS in Applied Mathematics from The University of Arizona
  • Aaron's research focuses on modeling the thermochemical non-equilibrium behavior of gas particles at hypersonic speeds by simulating the population of each vibrational state to describe the energy transfer. His research works to make molecular collision rate data from different energy surfaces self-consistent to allow for more complete simulations. This increased understanding of the hypersonic gas dynamics will help the modeling of re-entry vehicles into planetary atmospheres as gas interactions with the vehicles' surfaces can be better understood.
Dilara Long

Margaret "Peg" Moseley Scholar
 

  • MD-PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering
  • BA in Physics and Philosophy from Virginia Tech
  • Dilara is an MD-PhD student in Biomedical Engineering and an aspiring physician-scientist in interventional radiology. Under the mentorship of Dr. Jennifer Barton, her work focuses on developing miniature optical endoscopes which enable high-resolution visualization of tissue microstructures, particularly in the fallopian tubes. Her research aims to advance diagnosis and understanding of diseases affecting women, including ovarian cancer, endometriosis, and infertility.
Priscilla Martinez

Horejsi Charitable Foundation Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Geosciences
  • BS in Geology from California State University; MS in Geology from California State University, Northridge
  • Priscilla is interested in the interactions between tectonics, climate, and biological evolution throughout Earth’s history. Her research combines field work and laboratory analyses to study the relationship between ancient Andean volcanism, harmful algal blooms, paleo-tsunamis, and the mass deaths of marine mammals along the coast of northern Chile. She is motivated by the knowledge that the world needs Earth scientists, along with global citizens who understand Earth processes, to tackle the major societal challenges of mitigating natural hazards and managing ecological habitats, including those of humans.
Will McLean

ARCS Scholar
 

  • PhD Candidate in Neuroscience
  • BS in Neuroscience from the University of Alabama at Birmingham
  • Will investigates risk factor contributions to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), focusing on aging, female biological sex, and APOE genotype in novel animal models of late-onset AD risk. He examines cognitive, metabolic, and inflammatory changes in these models, using single-nuclei RNA sequencing to more specifically explore estrogen deficiency’s impact upon brain cells and biological pathways associated with the menopausal transition. By identifying vulnerable cell populations and pathways in this translationally relevant manner, my work aims to bridge preclinical targets with individual risk profiles, ultimately contributing to the urgently needed future of precision medicine for AD.
Maria Mutz

ARCS Scholar

 

  • PhD Candidate Physics
  • BS in Electrical Engineering from Northwestern University; MS in Physics from The University of Arizona
  • Maria uses computer simulations to model the structure, dynamics, and evolution of neutron stars so we can better understand the light and other signals we observe from them. These stars are left over from supernova explosions, and they contain the densest matter and strongest magnetic fields in the entire universe. Studying them can help us understand many mysteries in fundamental physics and the history of the universe as well as help us build novel technologies for deep space navigation and observations.
Anna Roche

Mary Ann White Memorial Scholar

 

  • PhD Candidate in Physics
  • BS in Physics from the University of Washington
  • Anna’s research focuses on nanoscale optical imaging of 2D transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) semiconductors for eventual use in industry and technological applications. Joining the UA scientific community, responsible for such strong, interdisciplinary research, has been an instrumental step towards her goal of remaining in academia and one day leading her own research group.
Anu Sethuraman

Carlson Foundation Scholar in Honor of Founding Member Elizabeth Culley and Peter Culley

  • PhD Candidate in Environmental Science
  • BS in Environmental Systems and BA in Urban Studies and Planning from the University of California San Diego 
  • Anu conducts research with Indigenous and rural communities to better understand and combat environmental justice issues in the Mountain West. Currently, she is leading a project to investigate groundwater quality in a rural Arizona community affected by legacy uranium mining. Through the project, Anu combines isotope hydrology and geochemistry with community-based methodologies. This unique approach strengthens the link between scientific data and community knowledge, action, and interventions, ultimately working to ensure local resilience moving into an uncertain climate and water future.
Kama Svoboda

Crawford Scholar
 

  • PhD Candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • BS and MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from The University of Arizona
  • Kama’s research focuses on creating sustainable, brain-inspired artificial intelligence (AI). She is developing Spiking Neural Networks using cutting-edge hardware called Antiferromagnetic Tunnel Junctions, which offer significant advantages in speed, size, and energy efficiency over conventional AI. By co-designing these systems in collaboration with materials scientists, Kama aims to reduce AI’s environmental impact without compromising performance. Her work has the potential to advance real-world AI applications—from medical devices to autonomous systems—for a future where technology and sustainability go hand in hand.
Holly Thomas

Theresa F. Jennings Memorial Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Geosciences
  • BS in Geoscience from the University of Maine; MS in Climate Science from The University of Arizona
  • Holly is studying the evolution of large-scale atmospheric circulation under climate change. Her research examines the rate and regional characteristics of tropical expansion, focusing on how shifts in atmospheric and oceanic heat transport influence the position of the climatological tropics' edge. By improving hydrological and climatological predictions, her work aims to better equip subtropical populations for the regional impacts of climate change.
Catherine Vasquez

Sandra and Ralph Matteucci Endowment Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Cellular and Molecular Medicine 
  • BS in Physiological Sciences from The University of Arizona 
  • Catherine’s research focuses on investigating the efficacy of small molecule Z06 in treating a heart disease known as Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). She will use the transgenic mouse model of a missense mutation to test if Z06 can improve heart function by correcting the structural changes seen in this mutation. She hopes her research can further therapeutic development of heart disease by targeting structural changes at the protein level.
Daisey Vega

Van Denburgh Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering
  • BS in Kinesiology and MS in Engineering Technology from the University of Houston
  • Daisey’s current work investigates how a muscle-tendon unit absorbs energy during lengthening in situ and how muscle-tendon units help with movement stabilization in the presence of unexpected perturbations in vivo. Overall, she takes an interdisciplinary approach to research which is crucial to the fundamental understanding of human movement in the real world and in developing innovative solutions to overcome barriers that limit mobility in individuals with neurological and physical impairments.
Ryland Wala

Kathryn Johnston West Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Optical Sciences
  • BS in Physics from Arizona State University; MS in Optical Sciences from The University of Arizona
  • Ryland's research specializes in high-resolution spectroscopy of laser-produced plasma. These laser plasmas tell us about the chemistry that occurs in certain environments as well as providing a method for material identification. This potentially can act as a powerful tool for isotopic identification in nuclear forensics or for material identification in the mining industry.
Ateh Zinkeng

Plenge Endowment Scholar

  • PhD Candidate in Cancer Biology
  • BS in Medical Laboratory Science from the University of Buea, Cameroon; MS in Applied Biosciences from The University of Arizona
  • The prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a metabolic condition characterized by excessive fat accumulation in the liver, is at an all-time high. MASLD affects approximately 100 million Americans and 2 billion people globally, making it the fastest-growing cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). These rising rates parallel the increasing consumption of dietary fat, sugar, and artificial sweeteners, highlighting the urgent need to understand how dietary factors interact with genetic variants to influence HCC susceptibility. Ateh’s research goal is to elucidate the macromolecular interactions driving this chronic liver disease and identify novel therapeutic strategies to prevent its progression to HCC.