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Achievement Rewards for College Scientists ARCS FOUNDATION SEATTLE CHAPTER Scholar Bio Booklet 2023 ARCS SCHOLAR Susana Simmonds Bohorquez 2020 2023 Bioengineering University of Washington

2023 2024 ARCS Foundation Seattle Chapter Scholars Our Mission ARCS Foundation advances science and technology in the United States by providing financial awards to academically outstanding U S citizens studying to complete degrees in science engineering and medical research For ARCS Foundation Use Only A Washington nonprofit organization Tax ID 91 1042292 Recipient Schools University of Washington and Washington State University

Esteban Abeyta MD PhD Molecular and Cellular Biology University of Washington Sandra and Kent Carlson 5th Esteban received a Master of Philosophy in Biological Sciences Biochemistry degree from the University of Cambridge in addition to bachelor s degree in Biochemistry with a minor in Honors Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts Studies degree from the University of New Mexico He has always been interested in the investigation between human genetics and rare diseases including the causal mutations and mechanisms underpinning neuromuscular neurodegenerative phenotypes Esteban has additional interests in genomics innate immunity and infectious disease research In his career he hopes to lead a strong research team in a collaborative research center and assist patients with rare hereditary disorders to understand the cause of their physical manifestations and to develop personalized medicine to help them manage their illnesses Esteban was born and raised in Northern New Mexico and can trace his ancestry back at least 8 generations in the state He enjoys reading nonfiction running cycling traveling internationally and returning home to spend time with his family Genevieve Aguilar Nursing Science University of Washington Pamela H Donald W Mitchell ARCS Endowment in Nursing Science 8th Genevieve received her bachelor s degree in Nursing Science from Seattle University She was drawn to nursing by the health disparities she saw in the healthcare system As a research fellow at her hospital she surveyed hospital wide about the barriers nurses face when providing interpretation and translation services Her research and desire to make a difference for the Latinx e community compelled her to pursue her PhD Genevieve currently serves on the nursing faculty of Heritage University in Toppenish WA Heritage is a Hispanic Serving Institution and a Native American Serving Non Tribal Institution She hopes to continue serving this community through her teaching and research Genevieve is bilingual bicultural and was born and raised in the borderland of El Paso Texas She came to the Pacific Northwest twenty years ago and has two sons five birds and a Chihuahua

Hailey Akins Chemistry University of Washington Gladys Harrington in honor of Eve Alvord ARCS Endowment 27th Hailey received a bachelor s degree in Chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology where she worked with Dr Henry La Pierre Her research focused on the synthesis of new weak field ligands for isolating tetravalent lanthanides While Hailey has always enjoyed working in the lab her research made her realize her love for inorganic synthetic chemistry In graduate school she hopes to apply this interest towards solving problems in clean energy because she is passionate about using research to solve global environmental issues Specifically Hailey is interested in studying inorganic complexes and materials that can catalyze energy relevant reactions Furthermore she enjoys teaching chemistry labs and hopes to continue in graduate school Outside of the lab Hailey enjoys spending time with her friends trying new restaurants and experiences and playing roller derby Celine Atkinson Oral Health Sciences University of Washington Washington Research Foundation ARCS Endowment 135th Celine received her bachelor s degree in Microbiology and her master s degree in Biology Cell and Molecular Biology track from the University of South Florida Celine has always wondered how diverse microbial communities can coexist and thrive within their environments Fueled by her curiosity she looks forward to examining similar concepts in her doctoral degree at UW Currently Celine is exploring bacterial strain variation and bacteriophage dynamics in the gut microbiome This research has allowed her to characterize trends between microbial populations in a microbiome as well as gain an understanding towards how the innate immune system recognizes and responds to these populations Celine is passionate about representation mentorship and outreach and prioritizes these tenets in her academic work Celine loves to run cook and drink oat milk cappuccinos in her spare time

Megumi Azekawa Nursing Science University of Washington Doris L Carnevali ARCS Endowment in Nursing 3rd Megumi holds a master s degree in Music Therapy from Colorado State University Over the course of her career as a music therapist Megumi has gained a wide range of clinical experiences at different care settings and has served a variety of populations including refugees immigrants and migrants Both her clinical and personal experience as an immigrant sparked her curiosity to explore how grief and loss due to migration migratory loss may be linked to possible health consequences and how music therapy may contribute to prevention treatment and wellness By blending nursing science and music therapy she seeks to research the development and promotion of innovative and culturally responsive approaches to close racial gaps in mental health care access and provision In her free time Megumi enjoys exploring and hiking with her family cooking Japanese food and playing in a saxophone quartet and other ensembles Jeffrey Tanner Badigian Molecular Biosciences Washington State University Washington Research Foundation 133rd Tanner received a bachelor s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Idaho after 3 5 years of study In that time he performed 2 years of undergraduate research on antifungal killer toxins produced by yeast encoded by dsRNA satellites and their potential as a therapy for vaginal yeast infections He loves his field of study because it taught him how different life forms interact with and infect each other sometimes benefiting both organisms Tanner wants to study the same types of interactions in plants and their pathogens He hopes to eventually expand this research into something that can allow plants to survive more diverse traumatic events He enjoys going for hikes and spending time in nature more than anything and if he can work towards preserving that he will

Raelynn Cameron Nursing Science University of Washington Joanne Bruce Montgomery ARCS Endowment 12th Raelynn received a bachelor s degree in Nursing Science from Linfield College She also received a master s degree in Nursing Science and minor in Palliative Care from the University of Pennsylvania Raelynn researched how different diuretic treatment plans would improve patient outcomes in her master s degree Her career has been in cardiology specifically heart failure for the past 12 years Working as an RN and now ARNP at UW Montlake Cardiac ICU she sees gaps in healthcare and it excites her to fill those gaps with evidence Raelynn s main research interests are in heart failure and palliative care Being able to change practice improve patient outcomes and motivate new nurses towards research is what excites her in starting a PhD at UW In Raelynn s free time she enjoys kayaking stand up boarding and meandering through the numerous parks of Seattle Hank Cheng MD PhD Genome Sciences University of Washington Washington Research Foundation ARCS Endowment 136th Hank received his bachelor s degree from the University of Washington where he majored in Biology and minored in Applied Math He conducted research in medical genetics at the UW and spent a year at the NIH after graduation to work in bioinformatics The fulfillment and excitement of discovering genetic causes for patients at the UW motivated him to return to the UW to pursue an MD PhD with a PhD in Genome Sciences He currently works in Andrew Stergachis lab which uses chromatin sequencing to study the impact of non coding and epigenetic variation on human disease Hank is grateful to be back at UW and grateful for the support from ARCS His goal is to become a skilled clinician and researcher In his free time he enjoys cooking kayaking and watching K Dramas

Nikol Damato Environmental and Forest Sciences University of Washington Kathy Fraser 4th with Sally and David Wright 4th Nikol received a master s degree in Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island and bachelor s degrees in History Environmental Affairs and Sustainability from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Inspired by her love of marine mammals and her interest in the complex relationships between human communities and marine systems Nikol s research focuses on the human dimensions of marine conservation and policy As an interdisciplinary social scientist she examines governance and decision making for endangered species and marine mammal conservation to balance diverse perspectives and values throughout the policy process Her research at the UW will focus on recovery of the endangered Southern Resident killer whales in the Salish Sea In her free time Nikol enjoys being in and near the water spending time with family and visiting local cafes Kimberly Derderian Neuroscience University of Washington ARCS Light in honor of Marcia McGreevy Lewis Kimberly received a bachelor s degree in Neuroscience with minors in Computer Science and Biotechnology from Santa Clara University In her past research experience she developed an interest in computational neuroscience and neurotechnology Kimberly has begun exploring the intersection of technology and neuroscience by constructing a device used to study visual reflexes and utilizing Deep Learning models for cognitive and behavioral neuroscience research She hopes to continue using technology in interdisciplinary neuroscience research to advance diagnostics therapeutics and patient care Kimberly also enjoys baking playing video games and dancing

Alex Doan MD PhD Molecular and Cellular Biology University of Washington Joanne Bruce Montgomery ARCS Foundation Endowed Fellowship in Honor of the American Lung Association 5th Alex received a bachelor s degree with honors and a master s degree in Biology at Stanford University Fueled by scholarly interest and the impact cancer has on his friends and family members he decided to pursue cancer research and is interested in discovering novel targetable vulnerabilities in tumor cells that could guide better developments in cancer immunotherapies Alex worked in the lab of Julien Sage at Stanford studying the RB tumor suppressor protein and is now an MD PhD student at UW investigating small cell lung cancer in the lab of David MacPherson at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center He looks forward to pursuing a career as a physician scientist tackling cancer both at the lab bench and at the bedside Alex identifies as first generation and is also passionate about health and research equity In his free time Alex enjoys playing board games cooking watching movies and exploring the city Kathleen Durkin Aquatic and Fishery Sciences University of Washington Keith Mary Kay McCaw Family Foundation ARCS Endowment 21st Kathleen graduated from Harvey Mudd College with a bachelor s degree in Mathematical and Computational Biology and an emphasis in Environmental Analysis For the past several years she has been studying methods of species delimitation in octocorals to improve estimates of biogeographical diversity while also informing future conservation efforts Kathleen is interested in pursuing a more applied field of ecology with conservation implications which has motivated her decision to study marine invertebrate stress response at UW In her free time Kathleen enjoys reading biking baking and seeing musical theatre productions

Kaitlin Flores Computer Science and Engineering University of Washington Lindsay Eberts Patti Paxton Eberts 2nd with ARCS Foundation Kaitlin obtained her bachelor s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Yale University where her fascination with medicine took root With a genuine passion for leveraging computer science to enhance global healthcare she eagerly embraces the opportunity to develop innovative computer vision techniques at UW Currently Kaitlin has been working on utilizing machine learning for advancing digital pathology specifically automating the detection of different cell types in liver cancer Through her research experience she has gained a deep appreciation for the transformative potential of computer vision in the medical field Her aspiration is to utilize computer vision as a means to enhance healthcare accessibility on a global scale Outside of academia Kaitlin finds joy in connecting with nature through hiking surfing and the strategic pursuit of chess Maria Garcia Biology University of Washington Camille Jim Uhlir ARCS Endowment 17th Maria received a bachelor s degree in Biology Evolution Ecology Marine Biology with honors and Romance Languages and Literatures French and Spanish from Bowdoin College Her research involves considering how anthropogenic activities alter marine foundation species and extend through the rest of the community Foundation species are important for both humans and ecosystem functioning In the past Maria has worked in researching bull kelp and eelgrass ecosystems In graduate school Maria is looking forward to continuing understanding eelgrass and other mudflat ecosystems in the Ruesink Lab With her research involving field experiments she hopes to have impact both for the conservation of the environment and for the people that depend upon it In her free time Maria enjoys riding horses and spending time outside with her dogs

Julianna Gilson Immunology and Infectious Diseases Washington State University ARCS Light in honor of Kitti Lile Julianna received her BS in Biology at Simpson University and her MPH TM at Tulane University She has always been interested in patterns of infectious disease and how they interact with hosts to move through populations Working for the Frank Lab at Tulane University Julianna focused her interests on bats and developed a fascination for how the bat s immune system interacts with viruses In continuing her research in this field at WSU she hopes to generate useful descriptions of bat host viral interactions that will uncover mechanisms of zoonotic spillover In her free time you can find Julianna exploring National Parks climbing mountains and writing fiction Maya Gong Oceanography University of Washington Alicia Jeff Carnevali ARCS Endowment in Oceanography 3rd Maya received a bachelor s degree in Mathematics from Haverford College in 2023 She has always been interested in studying climate change and the environment but discovered a love for math during her first year of college after taking linear algebra She worked in a physical oceanography research group for a summer as an undergraduate and found it the perfect way to combine her interests in climate science and math Her research interests are in ocean mixing and how ocean mixing affects the global climate system She hopes to use her research to better understand the effects of climate change In her free time Maya enjoys hiking baking and crocheting

Sarah Hadley Medicinal Chemistry University of Washington Allison and Steve Harr 3rd Sarah received a bachelor s degree in Biochemistry with a minor in Science Education from UCLA in 2015 She spent six years at two pharmaceutical development companies first working in project management and then moving into analytical chemistry During this time Sarah became passionate about using analytical techniques to quantify the physical and chemical characteristics of disease relevant molecules She decided to pursue graduate school to gain expertise in pharmaceutically relevant analytical techniques as well as to learn more general skills about strategically approaching scientific questions and problems understanding the existing relevant work and presenting her findings in a clear and contextual way She plans to return to pharmaceutical development to utilize these skills upon graduation In her free time Sarah likes to hike birdwatch explore Seattle and pester her cat Barry Manilow Luan Heywood Earth and Space Sciences University of Washington Karyl and Elias Alvord 5th Luan holds a bachelor s degree in Geoscience from the University of Iowa and a master s degree in Geology from Western Washington University Most recently she worked in a joint position as a Research Associate at the International Ocean Discovery Program Texas A M University and on the R V JOIDES Resolution a scientific ocean drilling vessel Luan is interested in studying how subduction zones such as the Cascades as well as underwater subduction zones such as the Izu Bonin subduction zone in the Western Pacific create magmas and how geochemistry controls the location shape and eruptive potential of volcanoes Luan also serves on the Steering Committee of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Geosciences AAPIiG https www aapigeosci org a new affinity group designed to provide a space for networking education and advocacy by and for the AAPI earth sciences community

Ula Jones Earth and Space Sciences University of Washington Margery S Friedlander ARCS Endowment 8th Ula received a bachelor s degree in Geophysics and Environmental Science from Western Washington University with minors in Math Astronomy and Honors as well as an Associate of Science in Life Sciences from Seattle Central College Her research interests include the structures of planetary interiors the potential habitability of icy moons and exoplanets and high pressure mineral physics particularly exotic phases of water ice These interests have resulted from a lifelong curiosity about large scale planetary systems and space sciences in general especially the intersections between these topics She looks forward to refining her focus during graduate school and contributing to interdisciplinary projects through the UW astrobiology program In her free time she enjoys doing amateur astronomy reading science fiction novels and spending time outdoors Jane Keth Chemical Engineering University of Washington Althea Stroum Endowment 34th Jane received a bachelor s degree from the University of New Mexico In her undergraduate career Jane gained a wide range of professional and research experience working in the Organic Materials Science division at Sandia National Laboratories where she characterized materials using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy techniques Her motivation for attending graduate school at the University of Washington comes from wanting to tackle emerging engineering challenges related to sustainable research In her free time Jane enjoys climbing hiking and photography

Mitch Kluesner MD PhD Molecular and Cellular Biology University of Washington Washington Research Foundation ARCS Endowment 137th Mitch received a bachelor s degree in Biochemistry and Neuroscience from the University of Minnesota Mitch s motivation to pursue a career as a physicianscientist largely stems from his experience of losing his best friend to a rare bone cancer osteosarcoma while in high school Mitch s past research experiences include designing immune stimulating small molecule drugs genetic engineering to enhance T cell based immunotherapies developing a suite of bioinformatic tools to aid researchers in genetic engineering and public health research into text messaging health system in Uganda to provide health literacy and care to pregnant persons in rural settings Following completion of his MD PhD training Mitch aims to do a residency in pediatric or adult internal medicine followed by a hematology oncology fellowship His long term goals are to see patients with cancer as well as lead a research laboratory investigating the biology of his patient s conditions while developing improved therapies Beyond research and medicine Mitch loves to cook mushroom hunt spend time outside make music and travel back home to Minneapolis to see his friends and family Yongjun Joseph Kwon Chemical Engineering Washington State University WSU Vice Provost for Graduate and Professional Education Joseph received his undergraduate and Master of Philosophy degrees from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology His interest in mitigating the ozone hole sparked his curiosity about global warming and the potential solutions to this environmental issue In Professor Minhua Shao s lab Joseph synthesized thermal catalysts to increase the production of butanol from ethanol and tested electrocatalysts with a polymer coating to discover reaction pathways for carbon reduction His research focuses on the synthesis of electrocatalysts that react with carbon dioxide to produce higher value products like ethanol and ethylene His passion for understanding and discovering new solutions to this topic is what motivates him to pursue a Ph D Joseph enjoys hiking biking and playing games with his friends and family

Medina Lamkin Computer Science and Engineering University of Washington Virginia M Dickenson Memorial ARCS Endowment 9th Medina received a bachelor s degree in Computer Science from Portland State University As an undergraduate student she worked on a machine learning project which inspired her to pursue a career in research Following her graduation she decided to explore different areas of research Through her work at the Oregon Health and Science University she discovered how effective data visualization was at communicating research results across different fields This has led to her decision to pursue a PhD in computer science to study the development and improvement of data visualization tools and resources After obtaining her PhD Medina hopes to become a professor and design interactive data visualization tools to engage students in STEM education In her free time Medina enjoys relaxing with her two cats gardening and crocheting Chloe Leach Immunology and Infectious Diseases Washington State University Janis Mercker Chloe received a bachelor s degree in biochemistry from Smith College She has researched novel drug treatment for lymphatic filariasis and from this work has gained an increasing fascination with infectious disease research and drug development Chloe looks forward to learning more about the pathogenesis of infectious diseases at WSU in the hopes to gain more insight into possible treatment methods She hopes to continue drug development research in an industrial setting by examining the mechanisms pathogens employ to survive Chloe loves to spend her free time playing guitar and exploring local nature

Kate LeBlanc MD PhD Molecular and Cellular Biology University of Washington Keith Mary Kay McCaw Family Foundation ARCS Endowment 19th Kate received a bachelor s degree in Biology and a master s degree in Bioengineering from Stanford University Her fascination with the brain started in high school when she was lucky enough to work in a laboratory studying alcohol use disorders and circadian rhythms She has had a wide variety of other neuroscience research experiences but was ultimately drawn to Alzheimer s disease as the focus of her graduate work Kate is passionate about taking insights from the clinic and the lives of patients into the laboratory and vice versa She is in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Program and works in the Kraemer Lab at UW where she studies the effects of pathological tau in C elegans Upon completing her MD PhD Kate hopes to work in academics as a physician scientist splitting her time between the clinic and the laboratory When not looking at C elegans in the microscope Kate enjoys snowshoeing hanging out with her classmates and visiting the octopus at the Seattle Aquarium Casmali Lopez Mathematics University of Washington Walker Family ARCS Endowment 13th Casmali received a bachelor s degree in Mathematics from Colorado College He is interested in using pure mathematical approaches to solve real world problems related to algebraic optimization and graph theory He has done work in pseudo random generators ensemble analysis mathematical biology mathematical economics and is passionate about this type of interdisciplinary mathematical work In the future Casmali hopes to continue doing research in mathematics either in industry or within academics Casmali is a Dark Water Paddler a member of the Chumash Inter Tribal Singers a member of Syuxtun Plant Mentorship Collective and a subsistence Hunter

Nancy MacKenzie Neuroscience University of Washington John W and Elaine A Zevenbergen Sr ARCS Endowment 36th Nancy received a bachelor s degree in Biomedical Physics and a minor in Neuroscience from Portland State University A chronic illness led her to explore neuroscience where she became interested in the neural mechanisms underlying everyday experience In her undergraduate research Nancy used machine learning to study information processing in artificial systems In her graduate work she aims to use computational models to understand how spatial and temporal relationships in neural networks give rise to information processing in the brain She is also excited to explore experimental design to ground her theoretical models in biology After graduating Nancy plans to continue in research leading and collaborating with others to unfold principles of information processing Nancy enjoys anything explorative or creative in her free time from foraging and trail running to cooking and painting Taydin Macron Entomology Washington State University Zevenbergen Captial Investments 35th Taydin received bachelor s degrees in both Physics and Philosophy from Loyola Marymount University in the summer of 2021 His post undergraduate career in clinical research coupled with a preexisting love of insects fueled his decision to pursue a PhD in Entomology At WSU he will be studying the stability of pollinator health for commercial agriculture and his research aims include detailing the intricate relationships between growers beekeepers and honeybees along with exploring novel methods to better pollinator health within the industry Taydin is eager to work with pollinators as well as conduct research contributing to sustainable agricultural practices After completing his degree he plans to either complete a post doc or work within commercial bee keeping In his free time Taydin enjoys reading writing poetry and camping

Alyssa Maine Immunology and Infectious Diseases Washington State University Alicia and Jeff Carnevali in Honor of Sophia R Carnevali 3rd Alyssa received her B S in Biology from Evangel University and M S in Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology from Frostburg State University A self described Renaissance woman Alyssa enjoys learning new skills and has worked in a variety of positions including optometric technician Microbiology lab assistant veterinary technician phlebotomist field research technician and Immunological research assistant Her research interests include vector borne diseases specifically tick borne disease She appreciates the interdisciplinary approach to this particular field to tackle the issue of vector borne disease using a One Health approach Specifically she is interested in the variation of how microbes interact with different species or individuals to cause disease in some but not others She believes understanding these interactions can help prevent or treat disease to ultimately decrease suffering Her goal is to have a career in academia as a researcher and professor Outside of academics and work Alyssa enjoys outdoor activities with her beagle Ranger weightlifting spending time in local coffee shops and baking Gygeria Manuel MD PhD Molecular and Cellular Biology University of Washington Chisholm Foundation Fellowship 15th Gygeria received her bachelor s degree in Biochemistry from Spelman College Summa Cum Laude Her passion for research started in high school and persisted through many diverse undergraduate projects including the investigation of the link between Alzheimer s Diseases and Type 2 Diabetes and Induction of Vascular Progenitor Cells from Endothelial Cells She is a student in the Morehouse School of Medicine MD and UW PhD combined MD PhD program Her research interests include maternal fetal health specifically preterm birth and fetal injury related to Group B Streptococcus She is passionate about understanding the host and immune factors that contribute to the progression of an invasive infection compared to those that are resolved and hopes to determine the major factors to help develop therapeutics for preterm birth caused by infectious disease She plans to become a devoted physician scientist who changes medicine by performing clinical and translational research that predominantly affects underserved communities She loves traveling workout classes going to concerts and spending time with her family and friends

Kaylie McCracken Chemistry Washington State University WSU Pullman Chancellor Kaylie received an interdisciplinary bachelor s degree in chemistry Environmental Studies from Whitman College in Walla Walla WA She conducted research that examined the kinetic pathways of nickel uptake in thin films and she continued this work the year after graduation as a full time researcher Kaylie decided to attend graduate school to further her knowledge of chemistry and learn advanced analytical techniques She is starting work with the Moreau Group this fall where she will have the opportunity to work on a project that can benefit environmental remediation applications in radiochemistry Kaylie loves being outdoors and loves to ski hike and camping with family and friends Eric Mei Atmospheric Sciences University of Washington Rosa Ayer ARCS Endowment 11th Eric holds both a bachelor s and a master s degree in Environmental Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology During his master s thesis research on air quality he developed a curiosity with broader questions regarding atmospheric composition This interest led him to his current research project at the University of Washington where he aims to investigate the various factors influencing the emissions and decay of atmospheric methane in the past and modern atmosphere Through this research experience Eric hopes to gain valuable expertise for a career using satellite measurements and machine learning techniques to examine changes in atmospheric composition relevant for climate and air quality In his free time Eric finds joy in rock climbing and as an amateur runner he is thrilled to have relocated to Seattle

Bria Metzger Molecular and Cellular Biology University of Washington Tina Karl Neiders 4th Bria received her bachelor s degree with dual honors in Biology and Nonfiction English Writing from Brown University Bria s early fascination for the ocean brought her to the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole where she joined the lab of Dr Duygu zpolat studying germline regeneration in marine annelids Bria moved with the lab to Washington University in St Louis and wrapped up her work on how a master hormone system coordinates regeneration with the rest of the life cycle She hopes that continued research into development and regeneration will make regenerative medicine an accessible everyday reality that transforms our quality of life and care Outside of the lab Bria writes science fiction and fantasy novels and enjoys taking photos of ice with her treasured macro lens Angela Montemayor Computer Science and Engineering University of Washington Vicki Gary Glant ARCS Endowment 11th Angela received both a bachelor s degree and a master s degree in Computer Science at Stanford University She is largely interested in networked systems and performance specifically within the context of large scale cloud computing At Stanford her work mainly focused on functional operating systems and how determinism can fundamentally change the way users interact with their cloud providers At UW she is looking forward to joining the Center for the Future of Cloud Infrastructure FOCI with an emphasis in reducing carbon emissions in data centers and developing the next generation of cloud systems As a Latina she is passionate about encouraging fellow Latinos to pursue higher education particularly graduate school In her free time she enjoys crocheting exercising and spending time with her family

Peter Wes Maughan Crop Soil Science Washington State University Cassa Hanon 2nd with ARCS Foundation Wes received two bachelor s degrees from Brigham Young University B S in Landscape Management and B A Portuguese Studies as well as a M S in Plant Science from Utah State University For Wes early classes in crop pest management and plant health diagnostics soon developed into graduate research in invasive plant management His research at Utah State University sought to further develop herbicidebased strategies for restoring degraded rangelands from invasive annual grasses Currently as a graduate student at WSU he hopes to further his invasive plant science skills in the agricultural environment He is passionate about working towards increasing plant growth and production whether those be in wildland or farmland settings and hopes to run a lab of his own in the near future Wes loves fishing writing and spending time with his kids Manali Nayak Atmospheric Sciences University of Washington Becky Jack Benaroya ARCS Endowment 18th Manali received a bachelor s degree in Physics from The Ohio State University in 2023 As an undergraduate she pursued research opportunities in climate modeling and physical oceanography as they allowed her to apply her knowledge of physics to an interdisciplinary field with problems relevant to current times As a graduate student at the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at UW Manali aims to gain a better understanding of questions in large scale climate dynamics such as what sets patterns of global sea surface temperature and how these patterns affect the atmosphere Aside from research Manali enjoys teaching and K 12 outreach and aspires to have a career as a university professor In her free time she likes to read do yoga and go on long walks along scenic trails

Caitlin Ottaway Neuroscience Washington State University Loch Anderson Allyn Perkins Second ARCS Endowment 7th Caitlin Ottaway was born and raised in Bellevue Washington after which she earned her bachelor s degrees in neuroscience and psychology at Washington State University She worked in human and animal research labs during her undergraduate degree and was a member of the Students Targeted Towards Advanced Research Studies program She is specifically interested in continuing her neuroscience education by studying different disorders and influences related to neurological psychiatric and developmental disorders In Caitlin s free time she enjoys working on mental health advocacy spending time with her friends and family kayaking swimming and doing art projects Karina Pastrana Molecular Biosciences Washington State University Washington Research Foundation 134th Karina received a Bachelor of Science in cell and molecular biology from San Diego State University Her research interests lie in immunology and regenerative medicine As an undergraduate she worked in a microbiology lab where she studied the gut microbiome of patients with inflammatory bowel disease Afterward she completed an internship at the University of California San Diego where she used induced pluripotent stem cells iPSCs to study nonalcoholic fatty liver disease Karina refined her research interests to include research projects with translational potential She is passionate about using research to uncover the molecular mechanisms of disease and aspires to become a senior scientist in the industry Her dream is to contribute to the development of therapeutics for some of the major pressing health issues we face today In her free time Karina enjoys spending time with her loved ones traveling hiking and camping

Sean Perez Genome Sciences University of Washington Candice Rosenberg Peterson ARCS Endowment 17th Sean received a bachelor s degree in Biology from Pomona College with an interdisciplinary focus on Mathematics Throughout his research career Sean has investigated bioinformatic applications to clinical and environmental research and aims to find overlap in future conservation genomics research He is also passionate about community health inclusivity and education and hopes to pursue a career in academia as a professor with the intention of creating engaging and encouraging classroom and lab spaces Outside of the lab Sean is passionate about sharing music watching movies and exploring the outdoors Pip Petersen Astronomy University of Washington ARCS Foundation Seattle Chapter Pip earned two bachelor s degrees in Astronomy Astrophysics and Mathematics from Pennsylvania State University and a master s degree in Physics from Case Western Reserve University He has done research at the intersection of quantum physics and cosmology studied the shape of the universe and will study the interaction of galaxies with their environments at UW Pip comes from a family of artists which has shaped his scientific pursuits and communication goals He hopes to become a professor in Astrophysics with an emphasis on science communication His long term dream is to become an astronaut Pip grew up in NYC and Philadelphia and spends his time rock climbing collecting decks of cards and playing board games He hopes to learn to ski after moving to the West Coast

Morris Richardson III Aeronautics and Astronautics University of Washington Micki E and Robert J Flowers ARCS Endowment 10th Morris earned his master s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kettering University while simultaneously working at Johns Manville s Research and Development Center where he conducted advanced materials and structures research and was awarded two multi national patents as the sole inventor In his professional career Morris has gained extensive professional scientific and research experience in various areas such as advanced materials modeling and development structural design for extreme environments large scale technology deployment advanced manufacturing methods and research program management His research interests include developing hybrid adaptive structures fuel cell technology smart materials and novel computational methods Morris is enthusiastic about promoting philosophical stewardship in engineering and leveraging his expertise to drive technological advancement toward a world where all living things can benefit from technological innovation Outside of work Morris enjoys spending time in nature volunteering practicing meditation and supporting his family and community Clare Riley Chemistry Washington State University ARCS Foundation Seattle Chapter Clare received Bachelor s in both Chemistry and Vocal Performance from Pacific University She has always been fascinated with the makeup of the objects that form the foundation of our world and universe To this end her prospective research is in inorganic chemistry possibly in geochemistry or planetary geochemistry She plans to continue in this vein in the future as a researcher She is a musician singing and playing the violin She also enjoys knitting sewing and making origami She also enjoys hiking and sailing In her spare time she fosters cats

Gabriel Rodriguez Aeronautics and Astronautics University of Washington Dorothy Lewis Simpson ARCS Endowment 19th Gabriel received a Mechanical Engineering degree from Florida International University He has always had a fascination for space and the hidden mysteries of the universe His research interests lie in space propulsion in particular innovative and advanced methods or techniques such as fusion propulsion Gabriel has hopes of becoming an astronaut in the future to further humanity s advance into space and the stars beyond He recently worked as an Intern at NASA s Goddard Institute for Space Studies developing a data driven climate game designed to teach current and future generations about climate change and how our decisions have lasting impacts both good and bad In his free time Gabriel loves to program and create games as well as play them Amanda Rokicky Biology University of Washington Jeff Jana Foush e Family ARCS Endowment 5th Amanda received a Honours Bachelor of Science degree as a Lester B Pearson International Scholar from the University of Toronto Major in Genome Biology Major in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Minor in Contemporary Asian Studies Throughout her education she has had the opportunity to conduct research in genetics genomics at the University of Toronto ecology at the Koffler Scientific Reserve and paleobotany at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History Even though Amanda is interested in all aspects of biology she is especially intrigued by research on aging At the University of Washington Amanda plans on using genomics genetics along with behavioral and molecular methods to understand aging senescence and death in cephalopods and bees Amanda seeks to continue researching to achieve her goal of becoming a research professor In her free time Amanda can be found outdoors hiking and climbing or indoors fencing and reading

Annabelle Souza Pathobiology University of Washington Melissa and Eric Jones Annabelle graduated from the University of Central Florida with a bachelor s degree in Biology and a minor in Music specializing in the violin Her academic focus has been on genomics particularly in host pathogen interactions and viral replication Annabelle gained valuable research experience in Dr Britt Glaunsinger s lab at UC Berkeley where she studied Kaposi s sarcoma associated herpesvirus As a graduate student in the UW Pathobiology program she is driven by a strong commitment to advancing scientific knowledge specifically in understanding the evolution and mechanisms of viral replication Annabelle is also passionate about empowering women in STEM fields and actively seeks opportunities to mentor aspiring scientists In her free time Annabelle enjoys playing with her cat Venus playing music and just playing in general Mary Steele Plant Pathology Washington State University Alice Gautsch Foreman 1st with Missy and Kurt Zumwalt 2nd Mary received a bachelor s degree in biology and a master s degree in agriculture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo CA She has always been passionate and curious about how life plants and microorganisms in particular operate and has found an intensely practical side of this through agriculture Plant pathology has allowed Mary to ask complex questions about plant microbe interactions that have crucial applications to our food supply At Cal Poly she researched soilborne pathogens of strawberries and at WSU she will be researching gray mold of blueberries She is excited to apply her plant pathology knowledge to climate smart agricultural practices Outside of the lab Mary loves to be outdoors She especially enjoys hiking camping and mountain biking

Abby Strominger Chemistry University of Washington Mark A Jones ARCS Endowment 6th Abby received a bachelor s degree in Chemistry from University of Arizona and an Associate s of Science from Highland Community College In her professional career Abby participated in a wide variety of research including computational chemistry plant composition research and nuclear magnetic resonance NMR method development She took a great interest in protein NMR spectroscopy following her graduation from the University of Arizona Her interest in this field of research motivated her to pursue further education in protein spectroscopy research She plans to research electron paramagnetic resonance EPR spectroscopy methods of in cell protein structure determination during her time in graduate school Abby aspires to build a career in the field of biophysics using spectroscopy to further her knowledge in protein structure and dynamics In her free time Abby enjoys hiking weightlifting and traveling Derrick Tang Oral Health Sciences University of Washington Keith Mary Kay McCaw Family Foundation ARCS Endowment 20th Derrick received a master s degree in Computer Science and a bachelor s degree in Neuroscience from the University of Chicago He has worked on a wide array of projects in both dry and wet labs including neural signal decoding cancer biology neurotrauma generative language models and blood bank donations These projects often involve large data sets and utilize machine learning techniques to more effectively answer research questions At UW Derrick hopes to combine computational and biological methods to solve problems in neurodegenerative disease research especially Alzheimer s He is passionate about free inquiry philosophy and fitness He skis and gardens in his free time

Justin Thomas MD PhD Molecular and Cellular Biology University of Washington Michael Marti Young ARCS Endowment 3rd Justin Thomas is currently an MD PhD student in the combined University of Washington Morehouse School of Medicine Medical Scientist Training Program MSTP His research experience spans 10 years of training in the areas of hematology developmental biology and molecular biology As a stem cell biologist he has explored how pluripotent stem cells can be utilized to model hematopoietic development and hemoglobinopathies He has also studied the use of various gene therapy vectors as therapeutic delivery agents to alleviate the pathophysiology of hematopoietic disorders His clinical scholarship interest is in how identity plays a role in the interactions of patients within the health care system Justin s ultimate career goal is to pursue an academic career as a physician scientist hoping to study how stem cell identity impacts functionality and can be manipulated to produce better therapies for patients In his free time Justin enjoys trying out new bakeries and cafes in the Seattle area Rebecca Villa Pathobiology University of Washington Carlyn George Steiner ARCS Endowment 12th Rebecca received bachelor s degrees in Biology and in Anthropology from Grinnell College and a master s degree in Epidemiology with a Certificate in Emerging Infectious Diseases from the University of Iowa Rebecca is passionate about the intersection between science and social justice and believes that UW s interdisciplinary Pathobiology program is the perfect place to advance this passion into meaningful infectious disease research She plans to focus specifically on researching Mycobacterium tuberculosis where she can work towards developing a vaccine treatment or diagnostic test to help address this disease s global burden She hopes to become an advocate for the global eradication of tuberculosis disease throughout her future career as a public health researcher and scholar In her free time Rebecca enjoys running and competing in track and field

Stevie Walker Oceanography University of Washington Kristin N Kenefick Nancy P Norberg ARCS Endowment 4th Stevie received a bachelor s degree in Environmental Geoscience from Boston College During their undergraduate studies Stevie became engrossed in the intersection of oceanography and climate science Stevie began working with global climate models as an intern at NOAA and published a first author paper developing temperature and salinity projections for Puget Sound This experience confirmed Stevie s interest in pursuing a career conducting climate change relevant research They are interested in the ocean s role in the climate and how biogeochemical processes contribute to carbon sequestration Stevie wants to advance their data analysis and machine learning skills in graduate school and they plan to use autonomous sensors and global climate models to research the biological carbon pump In their free time Stevie enjoys biking climbing hiking and playing the guitar Olivia Waltner Genome Sciences University of Washington Nancy John Zevenbergen ARCS Endowment 37th Olivia received a bachelor s degree in Biology from Whitman College She has always been fascinated with complex cellular networks like the immune system Her desire for an advanced degree stems from her drive to have more technical computer science genomics skills and the ability to drive cutting edge research She currently works at Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Dr Scott Furlan s lab She specializes in collaborative single cell analyses that address important topics in pediatric cancer and immunotherapy The experience she has thus far have given her applied computational skills that can translate to meaningful clinical research Olivia loves thrifting running playing pool and her cat

Amelia Wilhelm MD PhD Molecular and Cellular Biology University of Washington Julie Tall ARCS Endowment 8th Amelia received a bachelor s degree in Chemistry from Bates College in Lewiston Maine She previously worked with Dr Lindsey George at the Children s Hospital of Philadelphia studying gene therapy for the treatment of hemophilia A where she became interested in novel gene and cell based therapies She is pursuing her PhD in Dr Shivani Srivastava s lab at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center and her research interests currently lie in better understanding the basic biology of engineered T cells and current limitations to cell based therapies for the treatment of solid tumors She is additionally interested in the immunological implications of pregnancy After her training is complete Amelia hopes to balance her time in the clinic and in her lab as a physician scientist with an emphasis on mentorship In her free time Amelia enjoys ceramics hanging out with her two cats and enjoying the beauty of Seattle Riku Yasutomi MD PhD Genome Sciences University of Washington Eve and Chap Alvord 26th Riku received his bachelor s degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California Berkeley Through his childhood fascination with insects and fish Riku became interested in how animals form and grow throughout life At Berkeley he was introduced to fruit fly genetics and studied development and regeneration in the Hariharan Lab Riku is currently interested in developing and applying new tools to quantitatively study developmental processes In the Moens and Trapnell Labs he studies the mechanisms of vertebrate brain development using genomic statistical and genetic methods in Zebrafish embryos He aspires to train as a physician scientist to apply methods and insights from basic developmental biology to better understand and confront illness Outside of lab Riku spends his time cycling skiing and fishing

Brayden Young Immunology and Infectious Diseases Washington State University Jenny and Scott Wyatt 4th with Debbi and John Wilson 4th Brayden received a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from San Diego State University Inspired by his love for science podcasts and non fiction novels he seeks to understand the vast world of viruses Brayden aims to enter this research field alongside the faculty and viral research community at Washington State University His current research investigates the host parasite interactions between Trichomonas vaginalis and the female reproductive tract This research alongside his health and community history motivates him to better understand immunology and how infectious disease impacts human health Brayden aims to become a professional researcher and aspires to become a professor of biology Outside of academia Brayden is a rugby player a long distance runner and a video game coder

SECOND YEAR SCHOLARS Mark Andrade UW MD PhD Molecular Cellular Biology Washington Research Foundation 131st Ky Aryeh UW Pharmaceutics Krissy Mark Grey Freddy Barragan UW Biostatistics Bill Melinda Gates Foundation ARCS Endowment 4th Shiven Bhardwaj UW Health Economics Outcomes Research Candice Rosenberg Peterson ARCS Endowment 16th Christina Bjarvin UW Environmental Forest Sciences Elizabeth and Johnathan Roberts 3rd Becca Blyn UW Pathobiology Kristin N Kenefick ARCS Endowment 2nd Cassidy Burke UW MD PhD Neuroscience Lisa Jim Koch Emily Callen UW Health Economics Outcomes Research Vicki Gary Glant ARCS Endowment 10th Caleb Carr UW MD PhD Genome Sciences Lynn Pigott Mowe 4th Hannah Cook WSU Entomology Jeff Jana Foush e Family ARCS Endowment Second 3rd Cameron Coyle WSU Veterinary Microbiology Pathology Eve Chap Alvord 24th Samantha Dilday WSU Entomology ARCS Seattle Chapter Augusta Finzel WSU Molecular Plant Sciences Pendleton Elisabeth Carey Miller Foundation 8th

Kailie Franco WSU Veterinary Microbiology Pathology Rick Jacque Doane ARCS Endowment 6th Anthony Garcia UW Biology Gladys Harrington in honor of Eve Alvord ARCS Endowment 24th Antonio Glenn UW Computer Science Engineering Dooley Short ARCS Endowment 5th Siena Glenn WSU Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology Mani Barrier 7th Angela Gonzalez UW Environmental Forest Sciences Cheryl David Hadley 4th Mathew Heaney WSU Chemistry ARCS Seattle Chapter Tia Hoisington WSU School of Molecular Biosciences Zevenbergen Capital Investments 33rd Joshua Grady Holder UW Aeronautics Astronautics MAC Consortium ARCS Endowment 8th Julisa Juarez UW Chemistry Mark A Jones ARCS Endowment 5th J Harris Kahn UW Quantitative Ecology Resource Management Winifred Peter Hussey 4th Iris Kern UW Oceanography Oceanus ARCS Endowment 8th Caroline Kikawa UW MD PhD Genome Sciences Kathleen Richard Gary 2nd Lucy Zhao Li UW MD PhD Molecular Cellular Biology Keith Mary Kay McCaw Family Foundation ARCS Endowment 17th Kaitlynn Lilly UW Applied Mathematics Becky Jack Benaroya ARCS Endowment 17th

Yilda Macias UW Epidemiology ARCS Seattle Chapter in honor of Jeff Eby Paul Martinez WSU Crop and Soil Sciences Ronald and Darlene Howell ARCS Endowment WSU 1st Haley Masterson WSU Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology Jim Trish Rogers ARCS Endowment 7th Shirley Mathur UW Statistics William Ruth Gerberding ARCS Endowment 12th Jenna McHale UW Nursing Science Pamela H Donald W Mitchell ARCS Endowment in Nursing Science Second 6th Patrick Monreal UW Oceanography Fairway Fund ARCS Endowment 8th Raul Moreno UW Atmospheric Sciences Nancy Mee Dennis Evans 4th Monika Perez UW Genome Sciences Washington Research Foundation 130th Nick Petty UW MD PhD Molecular Cellular Biology Oliver W Press ARCS Endowment 2nd Vyom Raval UW MD PhD Neuroscience Keith Mary Kay McCaw Family Foundation ARCS Endowment 18th Larissa Jean Etta Robinson Cooper UW Neuroscience Kitti Bill Lile 3rd Kellen Rodriguez UW Computer Science Engineering John W Elaine N Zevenbergen ARCS Endowment 34th Joelle Scott UW Chemical Engineering Luciana Simoncini Todd Scheuer 2nd

J S Silviria UW Earth Space Sciences Mary Dunnam 6th Chad Small UW Atmospheric Sciences Micki E Robert J Flowers ARCS Endowment 9th Meg Southard WSU Neuroscience Washington Research Foundation 128th Ella Spurlock UW Chemistry Nicole A Boand ARCS Endowment 5th Aymee Dale Steidl UW Nursing Science Pamela H Donald W Mitchell ARCS Endowment in Nursing Science 7th Natalie Sturm WSU Crop Soil Sciences Washington Research Foundation 129th Kirsten Thompson UW MD PhD Molecular Cellular Biology Washington Research Foundation ARCS Endowment 132nd Robert Trujillo UW Biostatistics Ronald Darlene Howell ARCS Endowment UW 1st Marita White WSU Molecular Plant Sciences ARCS Seattle Chapter Lauren Wilner UW Epidemiology Charles Delphine Stevens Family Fndtn ARCS Endowment 2nd Naomi Yamamoto UW MD PhD Molecular Cellular Biology Julie Tall ARCS Endowment 7th Jina Yoon UW Computer Science Engineering Margaret Breen Stewart Landefeld 4th

THIRD YEAR SCHOLARS Nicole Aikin UW Earth Space Sciences Terry David Keegan Memorial 3rd Kaylee Andrews WSU Veterinary Microbiology Pathology Lynn Mikal Thomsen 18th Kaylie Barton WSU School of Molecular Biosciences Loch Anderson Allyn Perkins 6th Sophie Blackburn UW MD PhD Bioengineering Washington Research Foundation 123rd Kimberly Brinker UW Nursing Science Bobbie Richard Berkowitz ARCS Endowment in Nursing Science Lauren Brown UW Chemistry Virginia M Dickenson Memorial ARCS Endowment 8th Samuel Buckner UW Aeronautics Astronautics MAC Consortium ARCS Endowment 7th Kristen Bullough WSU Plant Pathology Aven Foundation 6th Ellie Byrnes UW Applied Mathematics Diane and Kirby McDonald Nathan Cheung UW Mathematics Dorothy Lewis Simpson ARCS Endowment 18th Tracy Chin UW Mathematics Althea Stroum ARCS Endowment 33rd Ron Dickerson UW Health Economics Outcomes Research ARCS Seattle Chapter in Honor of Cindy Stan Freimuth Evan Domsic WSU Crop and Soil Sciences Lyndi Bob Taylor 3rd with ARCS Foundation

Laurel Doyle UW Applied Mathematics Chisholm Foundation Second ARCS Endowment 14th Steven Edmonds WSU Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology Catherine Mee 5th Neljon Emlaw UW Atmospheric Sciences Alden Garrett and Charles Eriksen Zac Espinosa UW Atmospheric Sciences Sally John Morbeck 2nd with Erin Moyer Jason Barber Sydney Floryanzia UW Chemical Engineering Washington Research Foundation 124th Alexander Galarraga UW Mathematics ARCS Foundation Seattle Chapter Sam Garza UW Astronomy Nancy P Douglas E Norberg ARCS Endowment 5th Kelly Heard UW Molecular Cellular Biology Keith Mary Kay McCaw Family Foundation ARCS Endowment 16th Liban Hussein UW Electrical Computer Engineering Susan William Potts ARCS Endowment 4th Daniel Jiang UW Computer Science Engineering Walker Family ARCS Endowment 12th Tae Jones UW Computer Science Engineering ARCS Light in Honor of Carmen Gayton Laurel Kelnhofer Millevolte UW MD PhD Molecular Cellular Biology Susan Jobs with Gail Ransom 2nd Aaleyah Lewis UW Computer Science Engineering Washington Research Foundation 125th Chris Lin UW Computer Science Engineering Lisa Mike Losh ARCS Endowment 7th

Colin Marquis UW Materials Science Engineering PACCAR Inc 8th Kyra McClelland UW Biology ARCS Seattle in Honor of Mary Kay McCaw Turtle McCloskey Potter UW Environmental Forest Sciences Camille Jim Uhlir ARCS Endowment 16th Siegen McKellar UW MD PhD Molecular Cellular Biology Zevenbergen Capital Investments LLC 32nd Kirsten Meltesen UW Biology ARCS Foundation Seattle Chapter Emily Miura Stempel UW Chemistry Andrea Ellison Hess 5th Andrew Mullen UW MD PhD Computer Science Engineering Keith Mary Kay McCaw Family Foundation ARCS Endowment 14th Anna Okounkova UW Physics Chisholm Foundation ARCS Endowment 13th Miguel Paredes UW MD PhD Epidemiology Kerr Family Kyra Parker WSU Neuroscience Karen Cameron James Peng UW Biostatistics Kristin N Kenefick Nancy P Norberg ARCS Endowment 3rd Alyxandria Danny Powell WSU Veterinary Microbiology Pathology Marcia McGreevy Lewis 4th with Connie Niva 3rd Molly Sayles WSU Entomology Karyl Elias Alvord 5th Jordan Shaker UW MD PhD Neuroscience Keith Mary Kay McCaw Family Foundation ARCS Endowment 15th

Jeremiah Sims UW MD PhD Molecular Cellular Biology Rhea Clark Coler with ARCS Foundation Camille Wagstaff WSU Molecular Plant Sciences Floyd Rogers Memorial 2nd Terrance Wang UW Aquatic Fishery Sciences Polly Andrew Kenefick with ARCS Foundation Ashley Warren WSU Veterinary Microbiology Pathology Kathleen Brooks Simpson 4th Leigh West UW Biology Vicki J Thomas W Griffin in Honor of Paige Griffin Thoreson ARCS Endowment 8th Alexandra Willcox UW MD PhD Molecular Cellular Biology Carlyn George Steiner ARCS Endowment 11th Natalie Yaw WSU Chemistry Washington Research Foundation 127th