The AAAS is one of the world鈥檚 largest general scientific societies and publisher of the Science family of journals. Each year, are selected for their achievements across disciplines that include research, teaching, administration in academia and communicating and interpreting science to the public. Founded in 1848, the AAAS has more than 120,000 members and began honoring AAAS Fellows . 

According to , nearly 50 Georgetown University faculty members have been named AAAS Fellows since 1925.

鈥淚 am delighted and humbled by this recognition of my work,鈥� Del Gado said. 鈥淭he AAAS is one of the most important organizations in the sciences. I admire their mission and their goals. I am especially grateful to the students, graduates and undergraduates, and the post-doctoral researchers I have had the chance to work with over these years, as it is our common work that is being recognized.鈥�

Del Gado joined Georgetown faculty in 2014 and is one of the 28 members selected this year in the physics section of the . , an adjunct professor for Georgetown University Medical Center, was also named a 2025 AAAS Fellow in the section of general interest in science and engineering.聽

Two other professors in Georgetown鈥檚 Department of Physics, and , have been previously honored as AAAS Fellows. Del Gado was named a fellow this year 鈥渇or distinguished contributions to the field of soft materials focused on gels, glasses and other soft amorphous solids using computational statistical physics.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

鈥淭his is a wonderful recognition of the interdisciplinary nature of Emanuela鈥檚 work and its scientific impact beyond physics,鈥� said professor and chair of the physics department. 鈥淗er studies tackle complicated systems, soft materials with complex microstructure, using statistical and computation physics to solve engineering problems, from tuning mechanical properties of network gels, to sustainable production of cement, to design of materials with desired functionalities.鈥�

Del Gado said the opportunity to 鈥渦nderstand things that appear difficult and mysterious鈥� drew her to the physics field.

Physics helps 鈥渞eveal the logic and the functioning of the world around us, developing ideas that can have far reaching implications, beyond physics, for technologies, artificial intelligence and even social systems,鈥� Del Gado said.

A key figure of merit for a magnet is the ability of its magnetization to strongly prefer a specific direction, known as magnetic anisotropy, which is a cornerstone property for modern magnetic technologies. 

Today, the strongest anisotropy materials for permanent magnets depend heavily on rare-earth elements, which are expensive, environmentally damaging to mine and vulnerable to supply-chain disruptions and geopolitical instability. For thin film applications, certain alloys of iron and platinum have become the materials of choice for next generation magnetic recording media, which contain precious metal platinum. Finding high-performance alternatives based on earth-abundant elements has therefore been a long-standing scientific and technological challenge.

A team led by professors and and graduate student Willie Beeson (G鈥�25) in the at Georgetown University 海角论坛 of Arts & Sciences recently discovered a new type of strong magnets based on high entropy borides using earth-abundant transition metals and boron. The materials are both rare-earth-free and precious-metal-free, offering a compelling new strategy for sustainable magnet design. Their results are published in the journal .

鈥淲e offer a sustainable approach to making strong magnets that may be used for many applications, from future magnetic recording media to permanent magnets,鈥� said Liu, one of the senior authors of the study. 鈥淢ore importantly, this points to the potential to alleviate the dependence on critical materials for magnets and other applications.鈥�

High-entropy alloys are materials containing five or more elements in near-equal proportions. They have recently emerged as a powerful platform for materials discovery. Their vast compositional space enables access to novel electronic structures and properties. However, most studies of such alloys focus on chemically disordered cubic structures, which are ill-suited for strong magnetic anisotropy that prefers lower crystal symmetry.聽

The researchers overcame this limitation by focusing on high-entropy borides, where boron promotes chemical ordering and lower-symmetry crystal structures. They targeted a crystal structure with tetragonal symmetry 鈥� imagine stretching a cube along one of its sides 鈥� called C16 phase. This structure is known in boron-based materials made from two or three elements but is largely unexplored in more complex materials.

Beeson synthesized these high-entropy borides using a combinatorial sputtering method in Liu鈥檚 lab, where atoms of the multiple target materials thoroughly mix by the time they are collected on a heated substrate. This approach also allowed rapid explorations of a large number of material compositions. On a single substrate, about 50 samples can be made simultaneously under identical conditions but with varying compositions.聽

Key Findings

• Discovery of a new class of strong magnets: The team realized the first high-entropy borides in the C16 crystal structure using earth-abundant 3d transition metals 鈥� those that occupy the first row of the d-block of the periodic table 鈥� establishing a new class of ordered high-entropy magnetic materials.
• Anisotropy enhancement through chemical mixing: By introducing multiple 3d transition metals and systematically exploring composition space using a combinatorial co-sputtering approach, the researchers transformed the magnetization to point to a preferred direction with a significantly larger anisotropy.
• Record-level performance without rare-earths: Newly discovered quinary boride compositions exhibit strong magnetic anisotropy approaching that of rare-earth permanent magnets and exceeding previously reported values for rare-earth-free high entropy materials.
• Theory and experiment in agreement: Density functional theory calculations confirm the experimental trends and identify optimized electronic structure, particularly valence electron concentration and effective magnetic moment, as the origin of the enhanced anisotropy.

鈥淲e’re continuing exploring even better permanent magnets or recording media with different compositions on different underlying crystal structures,鈥� said Yin, another senior author of the study. 鈥淲ith the help of machine learning we are hoping to make more rapid progress.鈥�

Impact and Applications

The results establish a boron-assisted, high-entropy synthesis strategy for achieving strong magnetic anisotropy using earth-abundant elements alone. These materials are especially promising for applications that demand high anisotropy, such as:

• Heat-assisted magnetic recording media
• Spintronic devices and magnetic tunnel junctions
• Energy-efficient, rare-earth-free permanent magnets

By demonstrating that high magnetic anisotropy can be engineered without rare-earth elements, using only abundant transition metals, this research opens new pathways toward sustainable magnetic technologies. Beyond magnetism, this work highlights the vast and largely unexplored potential of ordered high-entropy materials as a discovery platform for advanced functional properties.

The team also included postdoctoral fellows and , and graduate student Bradley Fugetta (C鈥�23). The work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation (NSF), 5E Advanced Materials and the Advanced Cyberinfrastructure Coordination Ecosystem Services & Support (ACCESS) program. 

Beeson and Liu are co-inventors on on Boron-based and high-entropy magnetic materials filed by Georgetown University.

Contacts:

Kai Liu
Georgetown University, Department of Physics
Email: kai.liu@georgetown.edu

Gen Yin
Georgetown University, Department of Physics
Email: gen.yin@georgetown.edu

This month, the American Physical Society (APS) recognized Blair as one of its for 鈥渙utstanding contributions to the field of soft condensed matter, particularly in understanding the dynamics and mechanics of disordered systems.鈥� The fellowship honors not only his research but also his leadership in building the international soft matter community.

鈥淒an is highly deserving of this great honor both for excellence in his research and for his service to the soft matter community, with conference organization and leadership roles in the APS,鈥� said , the chair of the physics department in the 海角论坛 of Arts & Sciences. 鈥淭his is a new feather in our departmental cap, which already counts six other physics faculty who are APS fellows.鈥�

The Physics of Everyday Materials

Blair studies the materials that sit between solid and liquid such as gels, foams, emulsions and pastes. They are the 鈥渕aterials that we interact with on a daily basis,鈥� he said. His lab probes how these complex materials deform, flow and transition under stress.

He often illustrates this dual nature with a simple example: shaving cream.

鈥淚magine you take shaving cream and you squirt it out of the container. It鈥檚 a liquid, but it also is a solid at the same time,鈥� Blair said. 鈥淚t has a structure that gives it both the ability to flow 鈥� but it also has structure on a scale that鈥檚 very small that you can鈥檛 see with your eye, that gives it the integrity that allows it to be solid at the same time as being liquid.鈥�

To uncover those mechanisms, Blair鈥檚 group designs experiments that capture particle motion in 3D while applying mechanical stress.

鈥淚n my lab, we have a very powerful microscope where we can make three-dimensional images and then watch things change over time. So it鈥檚 almost like a 3D movie of the motions of these little particles while we鈥檙e applying a force to make them flow,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e put them between these two plates, metal plates, and we shear them very hard, and we watch what happens.鈥�

Blair first began this line of inquiry during a sabbatical at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where he co-authored describing the transition between liquid and solid states in dense suspensions.

鈥淪ince then, we鈥檝e been developing new techniques to more closely view this process under the microscope and under different flow conditions,鈥� he said. 

His research has implications for technologies such as impact-resistant clothing and protective gear. 鈥淚f something hits me quickly, say, a bullet or the road, if I’m on a motorcycle and if I put a very thin amount of this stuff in my protective jacket, the entire material becomes solid instantaneously,鈥� Blair said.

Building a Research Community

Blair thrives on collective inquiry, both within his own lab and across a larger community of physicists. 

He continually emphasizes the importance of teamwork in the research process, countering the perception that scientific research is an individual pursuit. At the heart of his research network lies a shared intellectual curiosity. His collaborators range from graduate students to senior colleagues at Georgetown. 

鈥淚鈥檝e worked very closely with , who is the Vice Provost for Research,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e and I publish most of our papers together because we make a good team and we work very closely on a lot of these topics.鈥�

Blair also highlighted the support he receives from Georgetown faculty, emphasizing that collaboration is central to his success. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 do it alone. Nothing happens by myself,鈥� he said.

Beyond his own research, Blair has devoted significant effort to organizing and strengthening the soft matter physics community, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic region 鈥� a commitment that contributed to his recognition as a fellow.

鈥淧art of my mission when I got here at Georgetown was to really provide an environment for people who work in this field to be able to get together and talk to each other on a regular basis,鈥� he said.

Drawing inspiration from his experiences as a student and postdoc in New England, Blair founded that brings together students, faculty and researchers for collaboration and networking. 

The next conference, to be held at the University of Pennsylvania, will bring together about 100 students for a day of short research talks and networking, providing them a space for them to connect with one another across institutions.

A Career Defined by Passion

Growing up as a first-generation college student, Blair had the chance to visit NIST’s nuclear reactor at a young age. It helped spark his lifelong interest in science. 

鈥淚 thought it was really neat that there would be a job where you could do math, work with these cool tools and see all this amazing stuff every day,鈥� he said.

Looking ahead, Blair鈥檚 research continues to expand into interdisciplinary frontiers, particularly at the intersection of physics and biology. 

For Blair, it all circles back to that early spark of curiosity and to the shared passion of discovery that drives his work today.

鈥淚 have a new collaboration that’s being started on looking at how biological materials interact with nonliving materials,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e can make measurements where we’re taking biological matter and turning it into something where we can manipulate it and measure it in conditions that might be important for applications. And that’s the kind of thing that I find very exciting.鈥�

The mountainous areas of Northern Thailand are home to many indigenous groups that migrated from Eastern Myanmar, Southern China and Western Laos for reasons ranging from political unrest to forced cultural assimilation. These ethnic minority groups are known as the hill tribes, with the six major hill tribe groups being the Lahu, Akha, Hmong, Lisu, Karen and Yao tribes. 

Thailand鈥檚 universal health care system offers many free services, including regular Papanicolaou (pap) smears and HPV vaccines. In order to access these benefits, however, women must hold a Thai ID card, which is verification of their citizenship. Despite having lived in Thailand for generations, many hill tribe women do not hold Thai ID cards and are therefore ineligible for coverage under universal health care.

Lack of health care coverage, however, is only one of the many barriers that prevent cervical cancer screening uptake. My primary objective this summer was to identify all of the barriers to screening through literature reviews and interviews with the women in order to develop an effective health care intervention to increase screening uptake.

Most of my time was spent preparing for an HPV screening workshop for the hill tribe women, hosted at Mae Fah Luang University. Ninety-five percent of cervical cancers are caused by HPV, making HPV a strong precursor and indication of cervical cancer risk. The goal was to create a workshop that would be most effective at increasing screening uptake. 

To tailor this workshop, I reviewed more than four dozen research papers about common barriers to screening in similar populations as well as ways to overcome these difficulties. This information was then incorporated into the workshops. For example, past interviews with hill tribe women indicated that there was a common cultural value of modesty, which made pap smears highly undesirable due to their invasive nature. Informed by research, HPV self-screening kits were chosen for the workshop. 

During one workshop, I led an activity of building clay models of the female reproductive tract in order to teach the indigenous women about female anatomy. I had preconceived notions that they would have little interest in having me, a foreign and young girl, teach them about their reproductive systems. Despite the heavy language barrier, however, I was met with so much enthusiasm. While we were able to laugh and lightheartedly poke fun at the clay models, many of the women also spoke up about some of their perceptions of women鈥檚 health, such as avoiding the gynecologist for fear of judgment. The openness and solidarity that I felt stood out to me, because our ability to connect simply as women completely transcended the bounds of language.

I have always been drawn to the interpersonal aspect of medicine and the unique relationship that is built between a patient and health care provider. This relationship is built on a foundation of mutual understanding that can only be achieved through active consideration of a patient鈥檚 identities. Social identities are a huge factor in health care. Whether it is race, religion, socioeconomic or migration status, I believe that as a future physician, I have an imperative to educate myself on the health care disparities that are systematic and institutionalized worldwide. While the research component was highly appealing to me, I found the experience of being immersed in a different culture to be absolutely invaluable. 

I hope to continue researching barriers to cervical cancer screening and take my understanding of health disparities to the next level by pursuing a Master鈥檚 of Public Health prior to starting medical school.

This summer truly transformed in the way I value cultural relativism. There are so many underlying identities that inform health decisions 鈥� identities that must be examined closely by physicians to truly connect with their patients. I am humbled and grateful that these women were willing to open up to me and share aspects of their culture and way of life with me. This shed light on the nuances of medicine鈥檚 micro-level impact, which has only bolstered my ambition to become a doctor. This was an incredible learning curve for me, and I have returned to the United States with a stronger desire to discover more, meet more people and immerse myself in spaces where I can keep learning from people who are different from me. 

Cover photo by Phil Humnicky.

Related Stories

Filling in the Blanks: Experiential Learning in the 海角论坛 of Arts & Sciences

Students in the 海角论坛 of Arts and Sciences expand upon classroom learning with firsthand experiences in everything from genetic engineering and tech for good to religious understanding and political campaigns.

Read Full Story

Meet the Scholar: Emmanuel Assefa (C’27)

Emmanuel Assefa’s (C’27) participation in the Regents STEM Scholars program helped jumpstart his academic journey in the natural sciences.

Read Emmanuel’s Story

Established by the 海角论坛 Academic Council (CAC) in 2016, the award recognizes students who embody the values of a liberal arts education in the Jesuit tradition, which its eponym championed during his time as dean of the 海角论坛 of Arts & Sciences from 2008 to 2017. 

This summer, both Chen and Nguyen are abroad, expanding upon their academic and personal interests through real-world research, foreign study and cultural exchange. 

Mary Nguyen (C鈥�25)

Mary Nguyen is spending her summer abroad in Samoa through the School for International Training (SIT). Guided by the pursuit of curiosity, the SIT鈥檚 curriculum involves an independent study project focused on social and environmental resilience in the Pacific. 

For Nguyen, an environmental biology major and religion, ethics and world affairs minor, the summer has provided a golden opportunity to continue exploring the relationship between her Catholic faith, which prioritizes service to others, and her academic interests.  

鈥淔aith and justice are integrally linked,鈥� Nguyen said. 鈥淭he global Church plays a significant role in interreligious understanding and social change.鈥�

In Samoa, Nguyen is relying on the skills she鈥檚 learned in the classroom to document real-world problems related to environmentalism and social justice.

鈥淪amoa鈥檚 relationship to the import and export market inspires my project鈥檚 engagement with global floriculture, tropical biodiversity and an indigenous understanding of stewardship,鈥� Nguyen said. 鈥淢y field of research is supported by interdisciplinary values instilled by a liberal arts education.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

At Georgetown, Nguyen has built a firm foundation of academic excellence and religious inquiry. In the fall of 2023, Nguyen served as Georgetown鈥檚 delegate at the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice (IFTJ) held in Washington, DC. Hosted by the Ignatian Solidarity Network, the IFTJ is the largest annual Catholic social justice gathering in the United States.

“By pairing education programming with lobbying on issues such as immigration reform and climate justice, IFTJ fosters accountability at both the local and national levels,鈥� Nguyen said. 鈥淔or the first time, I had the opportunity to actively practice faith-based advocacy.鈥�

On campus, Nguyen has been involved with the (CSJ) and since her first year on the Hilltop. Nguyen serves as a coordinator for the CSJ鈥檚 program and as a leader for Catholic Retreats.

鈥淭rue solidarity requires self-giving love,鈥� Nguyen said. 鈥淕ospel teachings underpin my resolve to address the social realities of systemic poverty and oppression. Because responsible land use and ownership are the foundation for a high quality of life, I am dedicated to a future of regenerative agriculture and its impacts on labor and economic parity.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

鈥淢y Georgetown education has encouraged me to serve with unconditional humanity and to uphold the dignity of every individual. In this way, the Jesuit tradition encourages a love that does justice.鈥�

Leah Chen (C鈥�25)

This summer, Leah Chen is conducting research in Thailand on barriers to accessing health care in indigenous and migrant communities. 

鈥淚t’s been a truly gratifying experience to use my positionality and privilege as a Georgetown student to hopefully make a tangible impact in the effort to decrease HPV prevalence in a marginalized population,鈥� Chen said. 鈥淚 am grateful that Georgetown’s support has enabled me to engage with these communities, further strengthening my commitment towards advocating for health care equity in migrant populations.鈥�

Chen, a physics major and public health minor, arrived on the Hilltop eager to accomplish one thing: do well enough academically to get into a good medical school. Her time at Georgetown, however, has given her the opportunity to reflect on her goals and grow as a person interested in service to others. 

鈥淭he 海角论坛 of Arts & Sciences taught me to slow down,鈥� Chen said. 鈥淢y theology requirement encouraged me to ponder my spirituality and motivation for helping others. A public health class revealed how human and environmental health are linked, flaring a desire to view healthcare from a wider lens than biology.鈥�

In addition to sampling a wide array of classes, a hallmark of a liberal arts education, Chen experienced firsthand the Jesuit ideal of cura personalis, or care for the whole person. Combined with her course of study, Chen found time to more fully investigate herself, her interests and how they intersect with the wider world. 

鈥�Cura personalis lifted my blinders, and newfound interests started a chain reaction of new priorities,鈥� Chen said. 鈥淢y liberal arts education added to my identity 鈥� though I am still a physics major on a pre-med track, I am also a social justice activist, a marathon runner and an agnostic sorting between science and the supernatural.鈥�

Those initial courses sparked a journey of personal and academic development that bloomed during a trip to the United States-Mexico border through the (ABP). 

鈥�Though my parents immigrated, the immersive experience taught me that all migrant journeys cannot be generalized,鈥� Chen said. 鈥淲e pondered the cause of these rifts, tracing them back to white supremacy and U.S. reception of different racial groups. It completely reframed my view on social justice.鈥�

Upon returning to campus, Chen found that the journey she began on her ABP trip continued in the classroom and beyond.  

鈥淚n one history class, I chimed in on discussions about destruction of indigenous sacred spaces, referencing my encounters with the Tohono O鈥檕dham Nation, whose territory sits at the border,鈥� recalled Chen. 

Outside of the classroom, Chen continued volunteering with the , where she worked with migrant children on their English and other academic needs. 

鈥淭his Jesuit, liberal arts education has given me power in my goals and social action, which will continue to shape my perspective and fuel my fight for migrant justice,” said Chen. 鈥淢y overarching goal is to become a compassionate doctor who makes patients feel understood. I want to fully appreciate the identities of others, the same way that I have realized them within myself.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

鈥淚 am emboldened by the welcoming atmosphere of the CAS to pursue things like attending Ash Wednesday mass without judgment, getting lost in conversation with professors, conducting public health research abroad and countless invaluable experiences that are still unknown, but undoubtedly awaiting. “

If you would like to nominate a student in the 海角论坛 of Arts & Sciences for next year’s Chester Gillis Award, please contact the 海角论坛 Academic Council at聽cacouncil@georgetown.edu.

Related Stories

Physics Major Wins Accolade for Innovative Research Technique

Leah Chen (C鈥�25) won the third place prize in the 2023 District of Columbia Space Grant Consortium Student Research Poster Contest.

Read Full Story

One of the most prestigious awards for undergraduates in science, technology, engineering and math, the Goldwater Scholarship is given to support and cultivate the next generation of scientists, researchers and engineers. Established by Congress in 1986, the fund provides up to $7,500 to sophomores and juniors for up to two years.

“This is an indicator of the outstanding undergraduate research being done across majors here at Georgetown and how truly transformational the mentorship process is for applicants,鈥� said Bill Cessato, deputy director of the Center for Research & Fellowships. 鈥淢y colleagues and I congratulate the four recipients this year, their professors, and their mentors.鈥�

This is the second time in the past three Goldwater application cycles that all four Georgetown nominees were selected for this honor. 

Dua Mobin

Dua Mobin (C鈥�25) is excited to pursue a medical career that bridges laboratory research, clinical application and healthcare policy to reach underserved minority populations. After finishing her studies at Georgetown, Mobin, a double major in biology of global health and government, hopes to become a physician-scientist. 

鈥淎s a first-generation, low-income student my experiences with the medical system have shaped both my academic interests and professional aspirations,鈥� Mobin said. 鈥淚 plan to become a physician-scientist so that I can translate laboratory research into real-world treatments that cater to minority populations.鈥�

Mobin, who鈥檚 Muslim, has visited clinics and doctor鈥檚 offices with family members from a young age and seen firsthand how disparities in the American healthcare system manifest.  

鈥淎s a physician, I want to work with and serve patients from minority populations,鈥� said Mobin. 鈥淎s a scientist, I want those same clinical interactions to guide my laboratory research and potential novel treatments that can serve groups currently on the periphery of the medical system.鈥�

Her life experiences inspire her to be a physician-scientist that integrates socioeconomic, religious and cultural factors into care and innovates treatments to meet the realities of underrepresented patients.   

鈥淚 plan to pursue research in tumor biology that focuses on microscopy,鈥� said Mobin. 鈥淚鈥檓 interested in creating therapeutics tailored to minorities, treating patients and advocating to implement new cancer treatments in underserved areas.鈥�

On campus, Mobin is actively involved in both laboratory research and emergency care. As a research assistant in the , housed within Georgetown鈥檚 , Mobin studies the biophysics of cancer cell proliferation across underrepresented populations.  

鈥淒uring this upcoming year as a Goldwater Scholar, Dua will be studying how differences in the metabolism of amino acids may underlie health disparities in invasive lobular breast cancer,鈥� said , an associate professor of oncology in the School of Medicine. 鈥淒ua’s intellectual curiosity and passion for improving the lives of people with breast cancer in an inclusive way is a joy to see.鈥�

Already, Mobin has worked with Riggins to study molecular markers that are overexpressed in certain populations and are associated with larger tumor size.  

鈥淢y work in the Riggins Lab illustrates that treatment targeting cancers with specific genetic profiles may be more effective than the status quo,鈥� said Mobin. 鈥淭his research helps address health disparities by performing experiments to understand how the molecular underpinnings of cancer may differ across races.鈥�

In addition to her research, Mobin has worked as Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Georgetown Emergency Response Medical Services (GERMS). Her time in GERMS has impacted how she views the patient-clinician relationship. 

鈥淒uring shifts, I see patients undergo some of their most vulnerable moments and am amazed

by their trust in their clinicians,鈥� said Mobin. 鈥淲orking as an EMT, I improved my clinical skills while administering life-saving medication, but I also learned to treat patients with the utmost empathy as I assist them during their most vulnerable moments.鈥�

Her research, coursework and emergency care work have all combined to prepare Mobin for the next step. 

鈥淎s I observe gaps in patient outcomes due to the lack of treatment available for minority populations, my research inspires me to pursue a medical career to both care for patients and use those interactions to guide my research, creating more effective treatments for patients from communities like the ones I came from.鈥�

鈥淲inning the Goldwater has been one of the biggest honors of my Georgetown experience,鈥� Mobin said. 鈥淐oming to Georgetown, this was something that I never imagined I could have achieved. This would not be possible without the support and guidance of my mentors Adrian Kalaw (C鈥�23), Rebecca Riggins, and .鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Giselle Rasquinha 

Giselle Rasquinha (C鈥�25) plans to use the award to continue pursuing research opportunities related to virology. 

鈥淢y work has shown me that microscopic pathogens can shape the world in complex ways,鈥� said Rasquinha, a biology major. 鈥淢y ultimate career goal is to be at the forefront of understanding and eliminating persistent and re-emerging viruses.鈥�

Last summer, Rasquinha worked in Dennis Ko鈥檚 lab, which is housed within the Duke University School of Medicine, investigating the relationship between genetics and susceptibility to the Zika virus. The virus, which is primarily spread by mosquitoes, can trigger autoimmune disorders and, when infected women are pregnant, can lead to birth defects. 

鈥淎lthough it is common knowledge that genetically diverse individuals can interact with pathogens differently, I had never applied this to my research before; it was incredible to be able to integrate this into my understanding of disease and infectivity,鈥� said Rasquinha. 鈥淚 am inspired by how our strategies for fighting disease can evolve with our progressive understanding of human diversity. 

A global risk, the most severe outcomes associated with Zika virus outbreaks disproportionately affect those on the peripheries of society. For Rasquinha, pursuing research in virology carries an impetus to ensure equitable public health policies and outcomes. 

鈥淔oundationally, there seems to be a lack of scientific research that is inclusive of different demographics, such as failing to account for large discrepancies in disease rates in communities of color,鈥� said Rasquinha.鈥淚 would like to conduct research that considers the biological and social diversity that may drive different disease outcomes for different populations.鈥�

In addition to her work in Dennis Ko鈥檚 lab, Rasquinha has pursued research opportunities in the Casey Lab, which is housed within the Georgetown University Medical Center, and the New York Blood Center. With John Casey, an associate professor of microbiology & immunology in the School of Medicine, Giselle is working to develop therapies for the hepatitis delta virus, a liver disease caused by the eponymous viral infection. 

鈥淏ased on her work in the lab, It is clear to me that Giselle has the scientific awareness, focus, commitment and perseverance necessary to succeed,鈥� said Casey. 鈥淪he consistently asks questions to make sure she understands the scientific and technical bases for our approach and follows up with more detailed probing questions about the underlying science.鈥�

Outside of the classroom and the lab, Rasquinha has a passion for science communication, contributing articles to The Hoya鈥檚 science section. She served as the Georgetown delegate at the National Undergraduate Consortium for Science Journalism. Her ultimate aim is to pursue a dual M.D./Ph.D. and run her own lab. 

鈥淒isease is more than molecular biology; it is widely impacted by a variety of fields, including public health, medical practices and sociology,鈥� said Rasquinha. 鈥淚n a world where these disciplines are rapidly developing, I want to apply this diverse network of knowledge to the forefront of the fight against disease.鈥�

Morgan Rice

Cancer researcher Morgan Rice (C鈥�25) is excited to continue investigating metastasis in both laboratory and clinical settings. 

鈥淚 am hoping to expand my research in order to better understand the mechanisms underlying cancer cell metastasis in an attempt to research new drugs that could inhibit pathways of metastasis,鈥� said Rice, a biochemistry major. 鈥淏y combining both clinical and research experience in the field of cancer, I will have a better understanding of the entire field of cancer biology,鈥� said Rice. 

After finishing her undergraduate degree at Georgetown, Rice hopes to pursue a dual M.D./Ph.D.

鈥淎ll cancer treatments rely on both research and studies to prove that it will do what it鈥檚 intended for, and this is where the fields of M.D. and Ph.D, meet,鈥� said Rice. 鈥淏y receiving both degrees, it will allow me to be in the middle, working on clinical research while still being able to work directly with patients, and therefore allowing for a more expansive approach to research.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

On campus, Rice works as an undergraduate research assistant in the . 

鈥淚 was drawn to the Braselmann lab for their work in live cell RNA imaging because it felt relevant to the medicine I was interested in,鈥� said Rice. 鈥淚 had previously learned about cellular dynamics and mechanisms in my science classes, but they were always very general and nonspecific when it came to irregular cellular processes.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

鈥淚 realized that the field of RNA dynamics overlaps significantly with cancer research, and I knew that by beginning my research career early, I could begin to build a project that would have an impact.鈥�

Run by Esther Braselmann, the Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry, the lab鈥檚 team investigates biochemistry in living cells. Since joining the Braselmann lab, Rice has worked closely with graduate students and contributed to a peer-reviewed publication in Biophysical Reports. 

鈥淚 have no doubt that Morgan has a bright future as a leader in research in front of her and I am delighted to follow her career in the years to come,鈥� said Braselmann.

Last year, Rice received a Clare Boothe Luce scholarship, which is awarded to high-achieving undergraduate women pursuing degrees in science, math and engineering. This award helped fund her summer research with additional funds coming from the Center for Research & Fellowships鈥� . 

Jonathan Riess

Jonathan Riess (C鈥�25) is excited to continue exploring the fascinating world of mathematics and theoretical physics as a Goldwater Scholar. 

鈥淢y research interests are holographic duality and string theory, using setups with extra dimensions to study physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics, including quantum gravity and the string landscape, or nonperturbative phenomena in QCD,鈥� said Riess. 鈥淚 find these topics interesting because they are personally fulfilling and provide deep philosophical answers to questions about the origins and the fundamental constituents of the universe.鈥�

Riess鈥� on-campus research journey started in the lab of , McDevitt Chair in Physics, where he worked on nanowire foams for submicron particulate filtration. These foams can be used in a variety of applications, such as face masks, and present a competitive, reusable and environmentally friendly alternative to current N95 masks. The research team was selected as a Phase 1 Winner and Phase 2 Finalist in the .

鈥淛onathan helped us look into some novel applications of the foams鈥�, said Liu. 鈥淚t was fun having him on our team, and we continue to push forward in those research directions鈥�.

Riess has also worked with Hovhannes Grigoryan, an adjunct professor in the . His research with Grigoryan focused on studying strongly interacting superconducting systems using methods from holographic duality and numerical simulations. 

鈥淗olographic duality allows us to study physical phenomena where our conventional methods fail by relating a theory that is relatively easy to study to a relatively difficult one,鈥� said Riess. 鈥淚t has a rather nice philosophical interpretation, telling us that there is not a unique perspective or description of nature, but rather many dual descriptions of reality.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

A double major in physics and mathematics, Riess has also worked with , chair of the Department of Mathematics & Statistics. With Eller, Riess helped organize the , where he lectured on semigroups methods for solving partial differential equations. He has also worked closely with , the McDevitt Chair in Mathematics and Computer Science, under whose supervision he plans on completing his undergraduate thesis.

Most recently, Riess has worked with Ragnar Stroberg, an assistant professor at the University of Notre Dame, in the area of theoretical nuclear physics. Together, they investigated potential issues with the Standard Model of particle physics, namely CKM Unitarity violations. With the support of Georgetown鈥檚 Department of Physics, Riess presented this research at one of largest nuclear physics conferences in the United States 鈥� the DNP-APS 2023 conference. 

Rising sophomores (Class of 2027) and juniors (Class of 2026) interested in advising and applying for nomination for the Goldwater Scholarship should visit the for details about the upcoming application cycle.

Related News

Two 海角论坛 Students Named Goldwater Scholars

Two students in the 海角论坛 of Arts & Sciences 鈥� Naomi Greenberg (C鈥�24) and Roma Dhingra (C鈥�24) 鈥� were named 2023 Goldwater Scholars.

Read 2023 Goldwater Scholars Story

Kai Liu Elected Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors

The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) has elected Kai Liu, a physicist and materials scientist, to its 2022 class of Fellows.

Read Full Story