OURS National Scholarships

National Scholarship Recipients

Cooper Jacobus 2024-2025

Cooper Jacobus (’25, Astrophysics and Logic) is passionate about Computational Physics and fascinated with Cosmology and Machine Intelligence. He currently works toward solving problems in Cosmology using Machine Learning methods at UC Berkeley’s Department of Astronomy and Berkeley Lab’s Computational Cosmology Center. His research uses supercomputers to simulate the birth and history of the Cosmos to learn about the nature of gravity and dark matter. He hopes his work will inspire a new generation of scientists and shed light on the grandest mysteries of the universe. Outside of research, Cooper greatly enjoys […]

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Alana Yang 2024-2025

Alana Yang (’25, MCB and Data Science) is interested in translational immunology and computational biology. She is an undergraduate researcher in the Doudna Lab, where her research involves developing an assay to streamline diagnosis for novel mutations causing ART-SCID. She is also using computational tools to analyze T cell diversity as an early predictor of whether patients with SCID need a second bone marrow transplant. After graduation, Alana plans on pursuing a PhD in molecular biology.

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Samuel Alber 2023-2024

Samuel Alber (’24, Computer Science and Physics) is interested in the mathematics and physics underlying the immune system and plans to pursue a PhD in computational biology. His research involves developing and applying statistical/computational methods for analyzing single-cell multiomics data from immune cells. He also develops computer vision algorithms for analyzing immune cell interactions from microscopy images and videos. Outside of research, Sam enjoys teaching and is currently a teaching assistant for Berkeley’s machine learning course.  

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Mrunali Manjrekar 2022-2023

Mrunali Manjrekar (Bioengineering/EECS, ’23) is interested in the exciting research being conducted at the intersection of applied engineering biology and computer science working, in order words, at both the benchtop and the desktop. She plans to pursue a PhD in Computational Biology and credits UC Berkeley’s amazing “landscape of opportunity” for providing the resources and opportunities to pursue her interests. She has worked in the Nielsen lab, seeking genetic markers to explain how a particular kind of frog is able to live at high altitudes in the Andes and is […]

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Naveen Durvasula 2021-2022

Naveen Durvasula is a sophomore majoring in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) and Business Administration through the Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology program at UCB. He’s interested in problems at the intersection of computational learning theory, economics, and machine learning. After graduation, he intends to get a PhD in computer science and (one day) start a company.

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Eden McEwen 2020-2021

Eden McEwen is a junior majoring in physics and astronomy. She hopes to be onthe forefront of the intersection of technological advancement and scientific discovery.Eden wants to help answer questions on exoplanet composition, black hole populations, and stellar dust disks by developing a new generation of more sensitive ground and space-based observatories. Eden has been active in the Society of Physics Student where she has served as Secretary as well as the publication STEMinist Chronicles, where she served as Treasurer and photographer. After graduating Eden wants to pursue a Ph.D. […]

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Casey Mogilevsky 2020-2021

Casey Mogilevsky is a junior majoring in Chemistry. His work has helped lead to two submitted manuscripts involving protein-protein bioconjugates and CRISPR. He has also been working on a project which involves sequential site-selective bioconjugation reactions. Casey has been a volunteer and trainer of volunteers at UCSF Benioff Childrens Hospital. Additionally, he has served as Director of Tutoring with PEACE A campus organization with the mission to combat the hyper-competitive environment of college. After graduation from Cal, Casey will pursue an MD/Ph.D. dual degree in medicine and biochemistry. In the […]

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Rahul Sahay 2020-2021

Rahul Sahay is a junior majoring in physics and mathematics at UC Berkeley. have been involved with two research groups: Kam-Biu Luks high energy experiment group where his research is centered around the optimization of a detector in the internationally collaborative DUNE experiment. In 2019 Rahul joined Norman Yaos condensed matter theory and atomic experiment group. Rahul serves as the vice president of the UC Berkeley of Physics Students where he created the first undergraduate seminar series for the Department of Physics. He was also the recipient of the Isadore […]

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Bhavish Dinakar 2019-2020

Bhavish dinaker, from Stanford, CA, is a senior studying Chemical Engineering with a triple minor in Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science at the University of california, Berkeley. Bhavish is passionate about protecting the earth from climate change. He is invovlved in the UC Berkeley Biofuels Technology Club, which is a student organization whose goal is to convert waste cooking oil into biodiesel to power campus transit. Additonally, Bhavish is involved in two UC Berkeley research labs. Bhavish hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineerng in his future.

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Connor Tou 2019-2020

Connor J. Tou is amajor inbioengineeringat UC Berkeley. A Goldwater scholar and a Rose Hills fellow, hewas a key player in pioneering a CRISPR-based genetic diversifier termed EvolvR, which forms the platformbiotechnology of a Berkeley-based startup. He has published in the prestigious journal Nature and is currently drivingEvolvRs translation to eukaryotic organisms. He is first author of an upcoming manuscript. As a CPRIT-CURE scholar atMD Anderson Cancer Center, Connor discovered novel chemical inhibitors of a cancer-linked dealkylase and a denguevirus nuclease work which will also result in an upcoming publication. […]

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Brighton Skeel 2018-2019

Brighton Skeel is a junior majoring in Chemistry at U.C. Berkeley. Brighton will pursue a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry in graduate school. He hopes to one day teach Chemistry at the university level and conduct research in the field of Inorganic Chemistry. The will allow Brighton to the opportunity to both teach and mentor the next generation of chemists and lead a team of researchers in pursuit of new catalytic systems.

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Alexandra Brown 2015-2016

Alexandra Brown, is a junior majoring in chemistry at U.C. Berkeley. She works as an undergraduate researcher with the Arnold Group pursuing study of inorganic and organometallic aluminum complexes. Alexandra has been a peer advisor for the Chemistry department, is president of the Womens Rugby Club, and is a leader in the LGBTQ science community. After completing her undergraduate degree, Alexandra will pursue a Ph.D. in Chemistry. She hopes to conduct research in inorganic chemistry upon completion of her graduate studies and teach at the university level.

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Chun Man Chow 2015-2016

Chun Man Chow is a senior double majoring in chemical engineering and environmental engineering science. He will commence a Masters degree program in Advanced Chemical Engineering at the University of Cambridge in fall 2016. Chun Man is a UC Berkeley Regents and Chancellors Scholar, a Cal Alumni Leadership Scholar, a Society of Chemical Industry Scholar, and a Barry M. Goldwater Scholar, among other honors. He served as a research assistant in the Gadgil Lab for Energy and Water, a research intern through the Cal Energy Corps Program, and as an […]

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Shengkai (Alwin) Mao 2014-2015

Alwin is majoring in Astrophysics and will be a senior in fall 2015. He hopes to attain a Ph.D. in Astrophysics and perform research and teach at the university level. He has made the Dean’s Honors list twice. Alwin has been a research assistant with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, studying tidal disruption in dwarf spheroidal galaxies around the Milky Way, and with North Carolina State University, where he adapted VH-1 to simulate and evolve models of 1.4 solar mass Type la Supernovae and developed a code to determine a […]

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Nicole Schauser 2014-2015

Nicole Schauser is an incoming senior studying Materials Science Engineering. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in this field with a research focus on materials for renewable energy technologies. Her career goal is to perform industry-based research on photovoltaics or energy storage devices to help mitigate climate change. She has been involved in two research groups at UC Berkeley, studying 3D laser scanning techniques and also dendrite grown in lithium solid polymer electrolyte batteries. Nicole was a Summer Intern for Next Energy Technologies, where she researched efficient methods for depositing […]

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Ritankar Das 2013-2014

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Katherine Amberg-Johnson 2012-2013

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Andrew Vanderburg 2012-2013

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Mark Phuong 2011-2012

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Larry Cai 2010-2011

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Madhvi Venkatesh 2009-2010

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Yueh-Yi Wu 2009-2010

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Vivian Jiang 2008-2009

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Matthew Breindel 2007-2008

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Laura Lagomarsino 2007-2008

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Stephanie Lam 2007-2008

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Jesse Dashe 2006-2007

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Amar Kishan 2006-2007

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Yaniv Scherson 2006-2007

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Heather Bischel 2004-2005

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Austin Minnich 2004-2005

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

David Sontag 2004-2005

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Nathaniel Singer 2003-2004

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Aidan Craig 2002-2003

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Ankur Luthra 2002-2003

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Joanna Yeh 2002-2003

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Lewis Hyatt 2001-2002

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Asher Sinesky 2001-2002

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

James Hendricks 2000-2001

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Richard Hwang 2000-2001

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Byron Yu 2000-2001

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Sunil Aggarwal 1999-2000

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Megan Eckart 1999-2000

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Fumei Lam 1999-2000

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Mary Lee 1999-2000

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Megan Fifer 1997-1998

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

William J. 1997-1998

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Karen Kwan 1997-1998

Past recipient - profile no longer available.

Shadi Shakeri 1990-1991

Past recipient - profile no longer available.