2025-2026 Illinois Scholars
The Illinois Chapter of ARCS® Foundation has granted awards to a total of ten scholars for academic year 2025-2026. These scholars were selected from three of our Academic Partners:
Awards will be presented at the Annual Scholar Awards Luncheon on October 7, 2025.
PhD in Neurobiology
The Brinson Foundation ARCS Scholar Award
Genevieve's research addresses fundamental questions regarding the sensing of external temperatures from the molecular to the organismic level. Prior to pursuing her PhD, she worked at Harvard Medical School on a project to design antibody therapeutics to moderate blood pressure in pre-eclamptic pregnant women.
PhD in Neurobiology
Aileen S. Andrew Foundation ARCS Scholar Award
Maggie is researching how hormones act on brain cells to modify reproductive behavior. She is working to identify key molecular processes altered across reproductive stages.
PhD in Physics
ARCS Foundation Scholar Award
Gina is working to develop scalable methods to connect separated quantum computing devices. Her goal is to provide a basis for future quantum computer networking or distributed quantum computing protocols that can operate within an existing fiber infrastructure.
MD/PhD in Neuroscience
The Brinson Foundation ARCS Scholar Award
Hunter's research focuses on motor neuron plasticity and neurodevelopmental diseases. This research has significant implications for diseases like ALS.
PhD in Physics
ARCS Foundation Scholar Award
Michael's research is dedicated to the study of quantum materials. Most notably, he was responsible for the design and construction of an ultra-high vacuum structure.
PhD in Physics
The Brinson Foundation ARCS Scholar Award
Scott is part of the resarch team for the Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO), a NASA Long Duration Balloon mission. He builds instruments that seek radio signals from ultrahigh-energy astrophysical neutrinos to discover the sources of the highest energy particles in the Universe and learn about the physics that drives their central engines.
PhD in Aerospace Engineering
ARCS Foundation Scholar Award
Rahil continues his study of gravitational keyholes in space and also space security research with the Jet Propulsion Lab and NASA's DART mission.
PhD in Geology
The Brinson Foundation ARCS Scholar Award
Lexie's research uses quantitative models of magma dynamics to forecast volcanic eruptions.
PhD in Materials Science and Engineering
Jones-Whitford ARCS Scholar Award
Bobby studies magnetization dynamics on a nanoscale level. The goal is to demonstrate technology for miniaturized microwave frequency devices in microwave electronics and quantum computers.
PhD in Bioengineering
Aileen S. Andrew Foundation ARCS Scholar Award
Kevin's research examines how exposure to magnetic fields may alter the chemical reactions inside cells, causing those cells to become stressed and change their behavior.