Virginia is a fourth-year graduate student in the lab of Professor Ankur Dalia, where she uses the model organism Vibrio cholerae to study how membrane-bound transcriptional regulators are able to access their genomic targets despite their diffusion-limited position in the cell membrane. She enjoys teaching and mentoring younger students to help them develop the skills required for scientific research. This award will support Virginia as she continues her thesis work.

Sannoong is a third-year graduate student in the lab of Professor Pranav Danthi. He is fascinated by virus-host interactions and is working to understand how viruses can trigger cell death in infected cells. Sannoong is also interested in teaching and and outreach. He enjoys being an assistant instructor and volunteering for outreach activities like Science Fest and Foundations of Science and Mathematics.

Adrián is a third-year graduate student in Assistant Professor Cristina Landeta’s lab, where he studies protein folding in Mycobacteria. He is vice president of the IU Microbiology Graduate Student Association (MGSA).

Ayushi is a sixth-year graduate student in Professor Dan Kearns’ lab. Using genetics and molecular biological techniques, she studies how Bacillus subtilis activates swarming motility upon contact with surface. She enjoys mentoring undergraduate researchers and having scientific discussions with her colleagues.

Tanmaya is a Ph.D. candidate in Associate Professor Julia van Kessel’s lab. She studies quorum sensing regulation and small molecule inhibitors of quorum sensing in Vibrio species. She uses molecular genetics, biochemistry, and structural techniques for deciphering the molecular mechanisms of quorum sensing inhibitors in Vibrio vulnificus. Tanmaya has taught several undergraduate laboratory classes in Microbiology and Chemistry over the past few years and helped students excel at lab work, understanding scientific literature as well as presenting their research. She believes in advocating for student rights and well being. She serves as the international student chair for the IU Microbiology Graduate Student Association. Apart from research, she enjoys travelling around the world, experimenting in the kitchen, and volunteering. This fellowship will support Tanmaya to continue her research work towards completing her thesis.

Zhongqing is a graduate student in Associate Professor Xindan Wang’s lab. He became interested in chromosome biology because chromosomes provide the blueprint for all life. Inside the lab, he studies chromosome folding and dynamics using different bacteria as model organisms. He enjoys teaching and looks forward to teaching more classes in the future.