May 4, 2026
Ģą˝´«Ă˝ photo / J. Adam Fenster
Today marks Design Day, and nearly 300 of the Hajim School’s seniors and master’s students will showcase how their creativity and curiosity fueled impressive new discoveries and innovations. More than 85 projects will be on display that students have tirelessly worked on over the past year for sponsors in industry, nonprofits, and research labs.
A includes a custom microphone preamp for a local 3-time Grammy winning recording engineer; a new system to test air bearings for ASML, one of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers; and an AI chatbot for instructors to give feedback on their syllabi for a startup called Akkadian LLC.
The event takes place throughout the day in the Goergen Athletic Center. Morning presentations from 9-11:30 a.m. feature students majoring in computer science, data science, mechanical engineering, optical engineering, and optics. Afternoon presentations from 12:30-3 p.m. feature students majoring in audio and music engineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, digital media studies, and electrical and computer engineering.
I hope to see you there!
ED AND BARBARA HAJIM ART OF SCIENCE COMPETITION WINNERS
Ģą˝´«Ă˝ photo / Claudia Pietrzak
Last week, we unveiled the winners of Ģą˝´«Ă˝â€™s annual contest to explore and illuminate the aesthetic beauty that results when science, art, and technology intersect. More than 50 students, faculty, and staff submitted artwork in the 2026 , and the three winning entries will be permanently displayed in the .
For the second consecutive year, the judges and the Ģą˝´«Ă˝ community voters selected the same top entry. Political science student Matthew Ahn ’28 took home both first place and the People’s Choice Award—totaling $1,250—for his hand-drawn ink illustration titled The Architecture of Knowledge. Physics PhD student Meg Farinsky was the runner-up with Luminous Gills, her macro photograph of the gills on the underside of a pink oyster mushroom illuminated by grow lights. Majd Tabsi ’29, a biomedical engineering major, earned a place on the podium with Strings of Life—a creative representation of DNA and gene editing using about a mile of string.
Thank you to everyone who submitted artwork, the planning committee, the judges who evaluated this year’s submissions, and special thanks to committee chair Michelle Dunn. View the winning entries and read about the artists’ inspiration and process at the News Center.
DAAD RISE SCHOLARS
Ģą˝´«Ă˝ boasted an impressive 13 DAAD RISE scholars this year, including five Hajim School students. With support from the Student Fellowships Office, these scholars secured internships at top German universities and research institutions. Students are matched with a host university or institute based on their area of interest (biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences, engineering, or a closely related field) and work with PhD student mentors or researchers.
This year’s participants from the Hajim School include:
- Theresa Karp ’27 (audio and music engineering), who worked as an audio and music engineering course development intern in the summer 2025, will spend this summer in Clausthal-Zellerfeld studying at the Technische Universität Clausthal’s Institut fĂĽr Elektrische Informationstechnik.
- Yijin “Leah” Li ’28 (data science and finance), who works as a data analyst in the lab of Research Assistant Professor Zidian Xie and Professor Dongmei Li from the Department of Clinical and Translational Research will spend the summer at Universität Kassel’s Verteilte Systeme.
- Quan Nguyen ’27 (electrical and computer engineering), who works in Professor Hui Wu’s Laboratory for Advanced Integrated Circuits and Systems, will spend the summer in Mühlheim at Hochschule Ruhr West’s Institute of Measurement and Sensor Technology.
- Arthur Winslow ’27 (optical engineering), a transfer student who previously studied abroad through the Sea Education Association, will spend this summer in Clausthal-Zellerfeld at the Technische Universität Clausthal’s Institut fĂĽr Elektrische Informationstechnik.
- Data science master’s student Aditi Jasapara ’25 (ecology and evolutionary biology and environmental studies), who will work in Freiberg at the environmental consulting company Beak Consultants GmbH.
See the full list of participants on the Student Fellowships Office website.
NSF GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP AWARDEES
I’m also delighted to share that Ģą˝´«Ă˝ had a strong contingent of NSF Graduate Research fellows and honorable mentions. The  (GRFP) supports outstanding students who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions. The federally sponsored program provides up to three years of graduate study support for US students who demonstrate outstanding scholarly promise and leadership potential. Students apply for the fellowship either the year before entering graduate school or during the first or second year of their graduate degree programs.
With support from the Student Fellowships Office, these Hajim School students and alumni were named fellows:
- Jack Cashman ’26 (computer science)
- Annika Deans ’26 (biomedical engineering)
- Devin Wong ’25 (biomedical engineering), now at the University of Iowa
See the full list of fellows and honorable mentions at the Student Fellowships Office website.
EDGE CONSORTIUM SCHOLARS EXPLORE CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY IN BOISE
Ten scholars from seven leading universities across the United States—including two from Ģą˝´«Ă˝â€”recently traveled to Boise, Idaho, for an immersive, two-day experience highlighting academic research and industry innovation in engineering and technology. The visit included a full day on the campus of Boise State University and a tour of Micron Technology’s renowned global headquarters. Hari Prasad Acharya ’27 and Joshua Li ’28 were among the students who made the trip to Boise.
Students received an exclusive tour of Micron’s fabrication facility, gaining a firsthand look at the advanced manufacturing and R&D processes that power some of the world’s most sophisticated electronics. Beyond the fab tour, scholars had the opportunity to engage directly with Micron leaders, practicing engineers, and members of the talent acquisition team.
CHARLES AND JANET FORBES ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETITION
Hajim School students showed their business savvy at the Ain Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation’s Charles and Janet Forbes Entrepreneurial Competition. Congratulations to biomedical engineering PhD student Hossein Abolhassani, who took first place with Mulinx, computer science student Guruansh Kohli who was part of the 2nd place DroneGurus team, and biomedical engineering CMTI student Timothy Guida who earned 3rd place for Guidas Medical. These students also recently earned places on the podium at the New York Business Plan Competition.
MAY 6 IS DAY OF GIVING
This powerful 24-hour campaign brings the Ģą˝´«Ă˝ community together to support students, advance healthcare, fuel research, and spark creativity across the University. Alumni, faculty, staff, and friends each play a vital role in making this day a success.
Whether you support your department, research, or a program close to your heart, your participation reflects pride in our shared mission and belief in where we’re headed. It also advances For Ever Better: The Campaign for the Ģą˝´«Ă˝, helping strengthen the future we’re building together.
Don’t wait— and be part of the momentum.
THANK AN ADVISOR
Undergraduate students are invited to recognize the advisors who have made a positive impact on their Ģą˝´«Ă˝ experience. Help us celebrate the staff and faculty who make our academic community ever better. This is a joint initiative from the Center for Advising Services, and the School of Arts and Sciences and Hajim School deans’ offices. .
GIDS-AI 2026-27 SEED FUNDING PROGRAM
The (GIDS-AI) is now inviting proposals for 2026-27 seed grants in data science and artificial intelligence. The GIDS-AI seed funding program aims to support collaborative research efforts toward attracting major external funding, with a particular focus on work aligned with at least one of the following research priorities in data science and artificial intelligence:
- Foundations of machine learning and AI
- Imaging, optics, and computer/human vision
- Life sciences and biomedical data science
- Health analytics and digital health
- Human-data-system interfaces/computational reality (including human-computer interaction, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), robotics)
- Computational social science
- AI for physical science
The maximum funding amount is $40,000 for one year. PIs must be full-time Ģą˝´«Ă˝ faculty members and at least one co-PI must be a . Proposals will be accepted until Monday, June 15, 2026, at 11:59 PM. For more information, visit the .
NEWLY FUNDED RESEARCH
Congratulations to Associate Professor from the , who received $125,000 from the American Chemical Society for a project titled “Harnessing Joule Heating for Dynamic Methane Transformations.”
Good luck with finals!
Your dean,
Wendi Heinzelman
