Kehinde 'Kenny' Adebiyi is a Ph.D. candidate in the Microbiology program working in the Kearns Lab. His research is focused on understanding the molecular mechanism of cell division and its relation to motility in Gram-positive bacteria. He is passionate about teaching, mentorship and social work, and has been a front volunteer in major outreach activities in the department and beyond.

Holly is a third-year graduate student in the Dalia lab, where she studies how bacteria regulate gene expression in response to changes in their environment. She is passionate about teaching and helping students build confidence in their skills. This award will support Holly as she continues her thesis work.

Claudi is a fourth-year Ph.D. student working on virus-host interactions in the Danthi lab. The project focuses on figuring out function and mechanisms of how outer capsid proteins evade the host's innate immunity. Aside from lab work, she is also working on a venture capital portfolio project as a venture fellow through IU Venture.

Nick is a member of the Dalia lab. His research focuses on understanding how competence pili from various organisms bind to DNA and facilitate natural transformation.

Jordan is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in the Hardy lab where she studies the molecular requirements of a Chikungunya virus infection. Additionally, she teaches various upper-level microbiology courses with Megan Dunn.

Nicholas is a senior graduate student working towards a Ph.D. in Microbiology in the McKinlay lab. His research focuses on understanding the basic physiology and metabolism of bacterial species with potential for industrial applications. After graduating, he plans to pursue a career in industry with the goal of sustainably producing value-added products through bioprocessing.