Announcing the 2025 winners!
Public Choice: Felicity Hills
Cohort Choice: Ian Gonzalez
Instructors’ Choice (tie): Lida Sarafrazarpatapeh AND Meg Sales
Check out some of the projects below
More information about our 2025 cohort can be found here
Siham Boumhaouad
[IMAGE] This awareness poster is designed for pharmacies and clinics to educate the public on safe melatonin use. In the U.S., melatonin is available over-the-counter in most drugstores, including CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid, and is often purchased without medical guidance. The poster highlights common side effects, encourages mindful use, and promotes natural strategies to support healthy sleep. The goal is to empower users to pause and consult professionals when needed, and to remind them that “natural” doesn’t always mean risk-free.
Amanda Brock Morales
Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow at University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Director of the Kawsay Pacha Archaeological Project
[VIDEO] Kawsay Pacha is a community-based archaeological project focused on how humans form relationships with places in dynamic landscapes. Our name is derived from the Quechua words “Kawsay” which means living or alive and “Pacha” which means land, earth, and time. In 2023 we excavated the archaeological site of Chupacoto, located in Huaylas, Peru. One of our major findings was discovering that the construction of Chupacoto began during the early third Millennium BCE and is a contemporary with other large ceremonial sites in the region such as Caral in the Supe Valley and La Galgada in the Tablahacha Vallley.
To stay up to date with our work, follow us on Instagram @kawsaypacha_project or Facebook: PIA Kawsaypacha.
Bryna Goeckner
Medical College of Wisconsin
[VIDEO] Support scientific research through the NIH!
Ian Gonzalez
[VIDEO] This is Part 1 of an animated series exploring the hidden world of insects and their importance to our ecosystems. In this episode, we introduce the series with a lighthearted look at common perceptions of bugs and why they deserve a second chance.
Felicity Hills
University of Kentucky
[VIDEO] This is an introduction to a series of videos encouraging people to engage with science on a personal level. Each video will cover a step of the scientific method or a topic relevant to the process of doing science. First, I will discuss what that topic looks like in my professional career. Then I will show how to apply concepts to the sample projects I have provided. Lastly, I will share my progress as I apply this technique to my own personal goal of doing a push up. The overall goal of this project is to break down the barriers between scientists and the general public and to encourage questioning, curiosity, and exploration.
Sriram Kumar
[SLIDE SHOW] This informational pamphlet is designed to include non-biology scientists in ongoing discussions and calls for rational policy-making on dual-use research of concern (DURC) and gain of function (GOF) studies. Non-biology scientists—such as those in physics, engineering, mathematics, computer science, or social sciences—should be active participants in advocating for rational policies rather than outright bans, as these complex issues demand multidisciplinary input far beyond biology alone. By collaborating, scientists from all backgrounds can advocate for policies that foster essential research while minimizing harm, striking a critical balance between safety, innovation, and public good. Ultimately, their engagement is essential for crafting intelligent and resilient policies that are scientifically robust, forward-thinking, and able to meet the evolving challenges posed by DURC and GOF studies.
VanesotjimFDS
University of Idaho
[SLIDESHOW] Agricultural land degradation
Meg Sales
[SLIDESHOW] The underlying messaging of this intended social media post is that girls have a place in STEM without having to conform to traditional ways of thinking or doing science. Target audience is Swifties, closet Swifties, and non-Swifties alike.
Aswathy (Ash) Shailaja, Ph.D.
Duke University School of Medicine
[VIDEO] A digital flip book shares premature baby Eva’s story, showing how breast milk, especially oxysterols, helps protect newborn brains. Designed for parents, NICU staff, and the public, it offers support, info on donor milk, and links to trusted research and resources. The goal is to inform and comfort, making science approachable, and giving families another way to feel empowered during a vulnerable time.
Matthew Steinsaltz
Yale University
[SLIDESHOW] What foods come to mind when you think about protein? The truth is, protein is in more foods than you think! If you have an abundance of options, choosing plant-based doesn’t mean sacrificing nutrition – but it DOES mean a healthier planet 🌍.
Monica Tschang
[SLIDESHOW] A healthy gut microbiome starts with food — yours and theirs. Let’s fight food insecurity together.
Gabriel Iván Vega-Bellido
UPRM alumnus; Ph.D. candidate at the University of Pennsylvania
[VIDEO] Puerto Rico’s fragile fossil-fuel-based grid still fails its people, but communities aren’t waiting for a fix, they’re building it themselves. This video tells the story of grassroots movements and rural cooperatives creating reliable, renewable microgrids in the island.
Jordan Williams
University of Pennsylvania
[SLIDESHOW] This Instagram post is the intro to a series about my research involving calcium signaling and innate immunity in the lungs.
