Six graduate students are sponsored by the Gilead Foundation to perform their research and STEM outreach.
The Gilead STEM Scholars (pictured above, from left to right, top to bottom:) Noah Gilbertson, Aimee Long, Christina Rivera, Marianna Tonoyan, Daniel Turner, and Zach Walters
Gilead is a major biopharmaceutical company based in California responsible for many life-changing medicines. Their Corporate Foundation, the Gilead Foundation, takes a holistic approach to supporting and strengthening communities, classrooms, and workplaces. They have awarded a grant entitled “Innovative STEM Education” to Professor Neil Garg’s laboratory to support graduate student research and STEM outreach.
“Innovative STEM Education”, a project by Professor Neil Garg, is supported by the Gilead Foundation.
The award provides financial support that contributes to the education and STEM outreach efforts of six graduate students in 2026: Aimee Long, Christina Rivera, Daniel Turner, Marianna Tonoyan, Noah Gilbertson, and Zach Walters.
In addition to conducting their UCLA research, Gilead STEM Scholars are expected to take-on efforts that benefit the community. Recently, they participated in the “Chem Kids” camp, which is a partnership between UCLA Chemistry & Biochemistry and UCLA Recreation. Through the camp, the Gilead STEM Scholars taught children the basics of organic chemistry and challenged them through brain-game activities, such as Rubik’s cube solving.
Later this year, the Gilead STEM Scholars will participate in other events that serve the community and engage children in STEM, such as UCLA’s flagship scientific outreach event, Exploring Your Universe, held on November 8, 2026.
“Just as much as I am passionate about research, I strongly value giving back to the community and sharing my love of chemistry with younger students,” said Gilead STEM Scholar Christina Rivera. “I am grateful that UCLA and the Gilead Foundation have provided me the opportunity to prioritize both.” Thus far, Rivera’s research on reactive strained intermediates has resulted in co-authored publications in Nature and Nature Chemistry.
Department Chair Alex Spokoyny notes, “As a great public university, our mission at UCLA goes beyond doing great science. It is also about serving the community. We are proud to see our students do both. We are grateful to the Gilead Foundation for supporting student research in the Garg group and for encouraging our students to share their knowledge through STEM outreach and service.”
Isabella Luo, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, isaluo196@g.ucla.edu.
