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Pittsburgh
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Scholar Alumni

ARCS Scholar Alums, We’d Like to Hear from You!

You are a vital part of our mission. Your stories encourage current scholars and help us attract new funding for future scholars.

Stay involved with ARCS Foundation members and other scholars. If you are in the Pittsburgh area and want to give back in any way, including speaking about your research at an ARCS Foundation event, we would love to hear from you. Let us know how you would like to participate in carrying ARCS Foundation work into the future.

To notify the Pittsburgh Chapter that you are in the area, please email us at pittsburgh@arcsfoundation.org. To update your information, navigate to the Member & Scholar login.  

ARCS Pittsburgh Scholar alums continue to make their mark on the scientific world. We are proud of their accomplishments.

Carnegie Mellon Scholar Alums
University of Pittsburgh Scholar Alums
Penn State University Scholar Alums

Carnegie Mellon University Scholar Alums

  
2018, 2019, 2020 Scholar Alums  
Kevin Edelson The Martin-Ragni-Stover Award 2019-2020
Carnegie Mellon University, Computer Science Rhobotics Institute
Samuel Foley The Leslie and Hans Fleischner Award 2018-2020
Carnegie Mellon University, Mellon College of Science, Physics
Research: The theoretical and computational modeling of lipid membranes.
Christopher Kottke Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2018-2020
Carnegie Mellon University, Mellon College of Science, Theoretical Chemistry
Research: Biological systems modeling, drug design, and machine learning.
Thomas Magelinski Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2018-2020
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science, Societal Computing
Research: Computational analysis of social systems, currently focused on The Ukrainian Government.
2017, 2018, 2019 Scholar Alums  
Alyssa Lawler
Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2017-2019
Carnegie Mellon University, Mellon College of Science, Biological Sciences
Research: Understand the gene expression and epigenetic landscape of different types of neurons in the brain.
Amanda Quay
The Berdik-Unkovic Award 2018-2019
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Dept. of Engineering and Public Policy  and Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Research: Remotely sensed data for environmental policy analysis at the Water-Energy-Food Nexus.
Ziv Scully
The Susan and Roy Dorrance Award 2017-2019
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science, Computer Science
Research: Queueing theory – the study all sorts of systems that involve queues, lines, or waiting—for example, how to manage line lengths at a grocery store.
Katherine Ye
Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2017-2019
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science
Research: Techniques for programming language design and domain-specific language design to invent declarative and principled modes of information visualization.
Diana Zhang
The Alicia M. Avery and Virgil D. Gilgor Award 2017-2019
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Research: Sensing using commodity wireless communication devices.

2016, 2017, 2018 Scholar Alums

  
Dean Alderucci
Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2016-2018
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology / Engineering & Public Policy/ School of Computer Science / Language Technologies Institute
Research: application of machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to patent documents and the patent system.     
Timothy Bartholomew
The Heppner-Testoni-Young Award 2016-2018
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Research: improving water treatment and management for the energy sector                    
Ryan Wagner
Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2016-2018
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science, Institute for Software Research
Research: graceful degradation of computer systems in response to adversarial attacks

Zoe Wright
The PPG Industries/Templeton Award 2016-2018
Carnegie Mellon University, Mellon College of Science, Chemistry
Research: Designing new medical adhesives from the molecular level up, using principles from both organic chemistry and materials science engineering.
2015, 2016, 2017 Scholar Alums
  
Stephanie Biedka The Roche/ARCS Foundation Scholar Award 2015-2017
Carnegie Mellon University, Mellon College of Science
Research:  Biological sciences

Michael Craig, PhD

The Lockheed Martin Award 2015-2017
Carnegie Mellon University, CIT
Research:  Environmental impact of the electricity grid

Hannah Gommerstadt

 The Auclair-Unkovic Award 2015-2017
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science
Research:  Programming languages and information security

William Herlands

The Hans and Leslie Fleischner Award (V) 2015-2017
Carnegie Mellon University, H. John Heinz III College and School of Computer Science
Research:  Machine learning and public policy

Amy Shannon Cook, PhD

 The Jared L. and Maureen B. Cohon Award 2015-2017
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science
Research: Human-comp
2014, 2015, 2016 Scholar Alums
  

Daniel Gingerich, PhD

 Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2014-2016
Carnegie Institute of Technology, Engineering and Public Policy

Devin Griffith

 Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2014-2016
Carnegie Institute of Technology, Chemical Engineering

Clay Long

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2014-2016
Carnegie Institute of Technology, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Momin Malik, PhD The Gookin-Stockman Award 2014-2016
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science
Joseph Tassarotti, PhD The Susan and Roy Dorrance Award (II) 2014-2016
Carnegie Mellon University,  Computer Science Department
2013, 2014, 2015 Scholar Alums
  

Peter Chapman

 The Kirwin-Leckey Award 2013-2015
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science

Tom Jackson

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2013-2015
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Peter Lund

 The BNY Mellon Award 2013-2015
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Department of Biomechanical Engineering

Lauren Strahs Bergman

 The Heppner-Testoni-Young Award 2013-2015
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
2011, 2012, 2013 Scholar Alums
  

David Bamman, PhD

 Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2011-2013
Carnegie Mellon University, Computer Science/Language Technologies Institute

Shawn Burton

The Hans and Leslie Fleischner Award (III) 2011-2013
Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Biological Sciences

Amy Dale, PhD

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2011-2013
Carnegie Mellon University, Engineering and Public Policy, College of Engineering
Research: Water quality and public health and risk-based regulatory policy

Samantha Finkelstein, PhD.

The Hans and Leslie Fleischner Award (IV) 2011-2013
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science, Human Computer Interaction Institute
Research: Promoting science discourse with bidialectal virtual peers

Rachel Jackson, PhD

The Berdik-Elliott Award (III) 2011-2013
Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Mechanical Engineering
2010, 2011, 2012 Scholar Alums
  

Andrew DeYoung

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2010-2012
Carnegie Mellon University, Mellon College of Science, Chemistry Department

Michael McCann, PhD

 The Susan and Roy Dorrence Award 2010-2012
Carnegie Institute of Technology, Biomedical Engineering Department
Research: Improving biomedical image reconstruction algorithms using tools from signal processing, optimization, and machine learning

Manya Sleeper, PhD

The Thomas W. and Carol K. Henderson Family Fund Award 2010-2012
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science
Research: Everyday online sharing

Stephen Spagnol, PhD

The PPG Industries Award 2010-2012
Carnegie Institute of Technology, Chemical Engineering Department

Jason Tsay, PhD

 The Catalyst/Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2010-2012
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science
2009, 2010, 2011 Scholar Alums
  

Melissa Day, PhD

The Dr. Arnold O. Beckman Award 2009-2011
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Chemical Engineering Department

Robert Fisher, PhD

 The Fine Foundation Award 2009-2011
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science, Machine Learning Department

Lauren Jackson

The Jeanne Berdik Founder Chapter Award 2009-2011
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Materials Science and Engineering Department

William Levine, PhD

 Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2009-2011
Carnegie Mellon University, Mellon College of Science, Department of Physics

Julia Schwarz, PhD

The BNY Mellon Award 2009-2011
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction Institute
2008, 2009, 2010 Scholar Alums
  

Chase Hetherington Butler

 The Hans and Leslie Fleischner Award 2008-2010
Carnegie Mellon University, Mellon College of Science, Inorganic Chemistry/Astronomy

Mark DeBlois

 Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2008-2010
Carnegie Mellon University, Mellon College of Science, Biological Sciences, Neuroscience

Lindsey Hines, PhD

The Highmont Foundation Award 2008-2010
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science, Robotics

Stephen Oney

 The Heitzenroder-Stockman-Woodward Award 2008-2010
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction Institute/Astronomy

Andrew Rape, PhD

The Carol and Richard Heppner Award 2008-2010
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Biomedical Engineering
Robert Smith The MSA Charitable Foundation Award 2008-2010
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Chemical Engineering

Enrique Suarez

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2008
Carnegie Mellon University, Mellon College of Science, Physics, Radio Astronomy

Jessica Wilson, PhD

The Berdik-Elliott Award 2008-2010
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Civil and Environmental Engineering
2007, 2008, 2009 Scholar Alums
  

Brian Becker, PhD

The Westinghouse Electric Company Award 2007-2009
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science, Robotics

Katherine Fu, PhD

 The Lawrence J. Rhoades Memorial Award 2007-2009
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering

Katharine Ricke, PhD

The Abraham-Wainwright Award 2007-2009
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Engineering & Public Policy

Nathaniel Shank, PhD

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2007-2009
Carnegie Mellon University, Mellon College of Science, Chemistry

James Arthur Tolbert II

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2007-2009
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science

David Whitney, PhD

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2007-2009
Carnegie Mellon University, Mellon College of Science, Biological Sciences

Christopher Wirth, PhD

The PPG Industries Award 2007-2009
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Chemical Engineering
2006, 2007, 2008 Scholar Alums
  

Armen Arevian, MD, PhD

The Thomas W. and Carol K. Henderson Family Fund of the Pittsburgh Foundation 2006-2008
Carnegie Mellon University, Mellon College of Science
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Center for Neuroscience, Biological Sciences

Thomas C. Diaz

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2006
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering

Kevin Gimpel, PhD

 Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2006-2008
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science, Computer Science, Language Technologies Institute

Alysha J. Grenko

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2006-2008
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Materials Science & Engineering
2005, 2006, 2007 Scholar Alums
  

Michael H. Dinitz, PhD

 The Vicki and Tom Griffin Award 2005-2007
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science, Computer Science

Gabriella Engelhart Farnham, PhD

 Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2005-2007
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Chemical Engineering

Kathleen Spees, PhD

The Berdik-Elliott Award 2005-2007
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Engineering & Public Policy

Daniel J. Wendlandt

The Hans and Leslie Fleischner Award 2005-2007
Carnegie Mellon University, School of Computer Science
2004, 2005, 2006 Scholar Alums
  

Elisabeth A. Gilmore, PhD

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2004-2006
Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Engineering

University of Pittsburgh Scholar Alums

  
2018, 2019, 2020 Scholar Alums  
Mason Donnell, PhD Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2018-2020
University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Cellular and Molecular Pathology
Research: Immunology of asthma and cystic fibrosis.
Stephanie Frisch, PhD The McGough-Dunn-Unkovic Award 2018-2020
University of Pittsburgh, School of Nursing, Department of Acute and Tertiary Care
Research: The development of models for recognition and prediction of critical illness early in the disease course.
Gary Yu, PhD The Burke-Harter Award 2018-2020
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering, Bioengineering
Research: The use of therapeutic ultrasound and injected lipid microbubbles to physically destroy microvessel clots and restore blood flow as a minimally invasive therapy.

2017, 2018, 2019 Scholar Alums

  
Christopher Lee Hughes, MS
The Beukema-Wainwright-Wood Award 2017-2019
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering, Bioengineering .      
Research: Electrical stimulation in the human brain for the restoration of tactile perception. 
Tyler Meder
Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2017-2019
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering, Bioengineering
Research: Peripheral nerve repair, specifically by  using an injectable hydrogel meant to modulate the immune response to be more constructive rather than destructive.
Michelle Scribner
The Fromm-Payne-Stockman Award 2017-2019
University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology
Research: The evolution of antimicrobial resistance in bacterial pathogens during chronic respiratory infection in cystic fibrosis patients.
Alex White
Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2017-2019
University of Pittsburgh,  School of Medicine, Pharmacology and Chemical Biology
Research: G-protein coupled receptor signaling biology.
2016, 2017, 2018 Scholar Alums  
Ethan Bassin
Chapter-Ragni-Ryan Award 2016-2018
University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology
Research: Developing Treg mimicking microparticles with the goal of treating type 1 diabetes​​

Katerina Clemens Acar
The Fine Foundation Award 2016-2018
University of Pittsburgh, Center for Neuroscience
Research: Neural population activity across visual and oculomotor regions underlying the selection of targets for saccadic eye movements

Michelle Heusser
Freed-Jones-Meadowcroft Award 2016-2018
University of Pittsburgh - Swanson School of Engineering, Bioengineering
Research: Mechanisms of population coding in the oculomotor system

Alexis Nolfi
Pittsburgh Chapter Award, 2016-2018
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering, Bioengineering 
Research: Women’s health research, specifically the disease endometriosis and the conditions of pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinences
Michael Oddo
Pittsburgh Chapter Award, 2016-2018
University of Pittsburgh,  Swanson School of Engineering, Bioengineering
Research: Mechanisms of breast cancer metastasis and chemotherapy resistance
2015, 2016, 2017 Scholar Alums  

Shelby Hemker, PhD

The Berdik-Pappas Award 2015-2017
University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Molecular Genetics and Developmental Biology Program 
Research: Hypoxia in kidney development and its effects on gene expression

Daniel Long

The Roche/ARCS Foundation Scholar Award in Life Sciences 2015-2017
University of Pittsburgh, Department of Bioengineering
Research:  cellular and organ engineering
2014, 2015, 2016 Scholar Alums  
Jennifer Boatz, PhD Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2014-2016
University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology
Research: Aggregate Polymorphism in Protein Deposition Diseases: Investigations by Magic Angle Spinning Solid State NMR and Transmission Electron Microscopy

Victoria Corbit, PhD

The Beukema-Wainwright-Wood Award 2014-2016
University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine
Research: The Effects of Cortical and Pallidal Inputs on Striatal Microcircuit Activity and Behavioral Output

Michelle Guaragno

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2014-2016
University of Pittsburgh, Department of Bioengineering
2013, 2014, 2015 Scholar Alums  
Courtney Andersen, PhD The Woodard-Ryan Award 2013-2015
University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program
Research: TARGETING ESTROGEN RECEPTOR AS A STRATEGY FOR PERSONALIZED MEDICINE IN OVARIAN CANCER

Whitney Lane, PhD

The Jeanne Berdik Founder Award 2013-2015
University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Research: Temperature-dependent efficacy of the IFN-alpha/beta response against chikungunya and other arboviruses
Nick Pavlovsky The Abraham-Martin-Ragni Award 2013-2015
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering
Brooke Sullivan Thomas The Fine Foundation Award 2013-2015
University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Department of Immunology
Research: How the immune system keeps the herpes virus latent and hiding in our neurons
2011, 2012, 2013 Scholar Alums
  

Denver Faulk, PhD

The Stockman-Paul Award 2011-2013
University of Pittsburgh, Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering
Adam Large, PhD Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2011-2013
University of Pittsburgh, Center for Neuroscience
Research: The role of somatostatin-expressing interneurons in anterior piriform cortex

R. Matthew Miller, PhD

The Burke-Harter Award 2011-2013
University of Pittsburgh, Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering
Austin Nuschke, PhD Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2011-2013
University of Pittsburgh, Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program, College of Medicine
Research: Improving the clinical utility of mesenchymal stem cells through enhancing cell survival: engineered and cellular approaches
2010, 2011, 2012 Scholar Alums  

Anny Caceres, PhD

The Joy-Linhart Award 2010-2012
University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine
Research: THE ROLE OF NHERF1/EBP50 IN WNT SIGNALING IN THE EPITHELIUM
Katharine Harris, PhD The Beukema-Carrow-Wainwright Award 2010-2012
University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology
Research: Manipulation of host cell death and innate immune signaling pathways by Coxsackievirus B3

Megan Jamiolkowski, PhD 

The Westinghouse Electric Company Award 2010-2012
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering, Department of Bioengineering

Tyler Tarr, PhD

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2010-2012
University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Center for Neuroscience
Research: Utilizing presynaptic structure-function properties to inform the design of novel therapies for neuromuscular disease
2009, 2010, 2011 Scholar Alums  

Berook Alemayehu, PhD

The Burke-Harter Award 2009
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering

Mahlon Collins, PhD 

The Huntington-Testoni Award 2009-2011
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Center for Neuroscience
Research: Identification of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Disease Mechanisms by Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteomic Profiling

Sarah Cook

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2009
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Center for Neuroscience

Douglas Marvel, PhD

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2009-2011
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Immunology Program
Research: Regulation by IL-10 of Innate Immune Responses to MUC1 as a Self-Antigen in MUC1 Transgenic Mice

Callie Norris

The McCague-Munchmeyer-Ragni Award 2009-2011
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Biomedical Program
2008, 2009, 2010 Scholar Alums
  

Prince Awuah, PhD

Pittsburgh Chapter Award
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Research: Delineating roles of Platelet Derived Growth Factor Receptor alpha in liver development, liver regeneration, and liver cancer

Nydiaris Hernandez-Santos, PhD

The Gookin Family Foundation Award 2008-2010
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Research: Understanding how the lung epithelium lining the airways mounts an immune response to pulmonary fungal pathogens.

Kristen Balogh Leslie, PhD

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2008-2010
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pharmacology and Chemical Biology
research: Exploring the Role of EBP50 in Vascular Inflammation

Michelle Messmer, PhD

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2008-2010
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Immunology
Research: Analysis of Cellular Sentinels for Extracellular Heat Shock Protein-Peptide Complexes

Bartholomew Roland, PhD

The Granito-M. Ryan Award 2008-2010
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Research: An In Vivo Structure-Function Analysis of the Pathogenesis of Triosephosphate Isomerase Deficiency

Penn State University Scholar Alums

 
2015, 2016, 2017 Scholar Alums
  
Jenna Reeger

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2015-2017
Penn State University, College of Agricultural Sciences
Research:  plant biology
2014, 2015, 2016 Scholar Alums
  

Joseph Schneiderwind

The Bennett-Coppersmith-Palmer Award 2014-2016
Penn State University, Graduate Program in Acoustics
2013, 2014, 2015 Scholar Alums
  

Laura Radville, PhD

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2013-2015
Penn State University, Department of Ecology
Research: Effects of climate change on root dynamics and phenology in Arctic tundra in southwestern Greenland
2011, 2012, 2013 Scholar Alums
  

Christopher Thawley, PhD

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2011-2013
Penn State University, Ecology Intercollege Graduate Program, Huck Institute of the Life Sciences
Research: How organisms adapt to rapid environmental change
2010, 2011, 2012 Scholar Alums
  

Whitney Coyle, PhD

The Bennett-Coppersmith-Palmer Award 2010-2012
Penn State University, Graduate Program in Acoustics
Research: Using the Green's Function Parababolic Equation Method to Predict Sound Propagation Outdoors in the Presence of Weather and Complex Terrain

Denise M. Finney, PhD

The Maureen Emily Ryan Award 2010-2012
Penn State University, Department of Biology

Meredith Hanlon, PhD

Pittsburgh Chapter Award 2010-2012
Penn State University, Department of Biology
Research: New perspectives on conventional ideas about root system architecture and morphology