2020 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships

Thanks to our generous donors, 28 undergraduate students will conduct research in our faculty labs this year as summer research fellows.

The summer research experience can be one of the most meaningful parts of an undergraduate education. It enables students to pursue science research rather than having to accept a summer job in an unrelated field and, for many students, their lab research experience is a real game-changer – many who thought they were headed to pharmacy, medical, or dental school, realize how exciting research is, and begin to consider research as a career.

Awardees will perform their research projects remotely initially. As the campus begins to re-open, students may have the opportunity to perform studies in-person. All awardees will be honored at a Departmental Awards Ceremony after the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

Congratulations to the following summer fellowship recipients!

ARTHUR FURST SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

This annual award honors chemistry or biochemistry majors who have done outstanding laboratory research projects.

Fadi Alsarhan – faculty mentor, Prof. Alexander Spokoyny 

Alexandra Bell – faculty mentor, Prof. Timothy Deming

Eva Himel Rubin – faculty mentor, Prof. Paula Diaconescu

THE DR. RAVI AND APARNA BIKKINA FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP  

This scholarship was established in 2017 by Ravi ’94 and Aparna Bikkina to support scholarships for chemistry and biochemistry students. 

Morgan Hopp – faculty mentor, Prof. Alexander Spokoyny

BOYER SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

These fellowships were established in 2018 by Prof. Richard Cross (Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York) to honor of his former postdoctoral mentor Nobel Laureate Professor Paul D. Boyer.

Shannon Zhuang – faculty mentor, Prof. Juli Feigon

Tanya Hadjian – faculty mentor, Prof. Juli Feigon

Carolyn Hu – faculty mentor, Prof. David Eisenberg

DANIEL KIVELSON SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

The family of UCLA Chemistry & Biochemistry professor Dr. Daniel Kivelson (1929-2003) established these fellowships in his honor so that his legacy would live on and help educate young scientists.

Emily Dunn – faculty mentor, Prof. Daniel Neuhauser

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE) SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

These fellowships were established in 2019 with funds provided by the UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics to support undergraduate students conducting summer research at UCLA within the broad science missions of the U.S. Department of Energy and its Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program.

Kaylie Bair – faculty mentor, Prof. Todd Yeates 

Linwei Li – faculty mentor, Prof. Keriann Backus

Anqi Zhou – faculty mentor, Prof. Robert Clubb

DOLORES C. SOUTHAM SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

This award is named in memory of Dolores Cannon Southam, who as a UCLA undergraduate student, worked for Professor Chris Foote. This award is given to students in recognition of their outstanding achievement in research.  

Azmain Hossain – faculty mentor, Prof. Justin Caram

GEISSMAN SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

These fellowships were established to honor UCLA Chemistry & Biochemistry professor Dr. Theodore (Ted) Geissman (1908-1978).  

Jason Wu – faculty mentor, Prof. Ohyun Kwon

Kyle Bui – faculty mentor, Prof. Ellen Sletten

Kyle Yang – faculty mentor, Prof. Craig Merlic

LORRAINE AND MASUO TOJI SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

These fellowships were established in 2019 thanks to a $1 million gift from the estate of Lorraine and Masuo Toji.

Timothy Bondoc – faculty mentor, Prof. Steve Clarke

Ovie Soman – faculty mentor, Prof. Alex Spokoyny

Jongha Choi – faculty mentor, Prof. Sarah Tolbert

Yanru (Cindy) Liu – faculty mentor, Prof. Guillaume Chanfreau

William Sander – faculty mentor, Prof. Albert Courey

RAYMOND AND DOROTHY WILSON SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

These fellowships were established by alumnus Raymond A. Wilson (’43) and his wife Dorothy as a tribute to the UCLA chemistry professors who, more than seventy years ago, had such a profound impact on Raymond when he was a bright young chemistry student.

Alana Rose Meyer – faculty mentor, Prof. Miguel García-Garibay

Jason Zhu – faculty mentor, Prof. Richard Kaner

Brianna Mai – faculty mentor, Prof. Chong Liu

Lauren Tan – faculty mentor, Prof. Justin Caram

SUSAN ELIZABETH BAUMGARTEN SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

Susan Baumgarten (B.S.’ 73, M.S.’ 76, M.B.A. ’79) established this fellowship in 2019 to support chemistry and biochemistry undergraduate students. 

Emily Joyner – faculty mentor, Prof. William Gelbart

WHITCOME SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

This fellowship honors the late Dr. Philip Whitcome who received his Ph.D. in 1974 from UCLA and went on to a successful career in the biotechnology industry.

Emily Martinez – faculty mentor, Prof. Torres Jorge

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To contribute to the Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship Program or establish a new named fellowship, please contact Joy Kruger at 310-206-8023 or jkruger@support.ucla.edu. Your gift of any size will directly impact one of our world-class students and aspiring scientists! 

Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, penny@chem.ucla.edu.