Eleven students have been selected to receive 2025 Beckman Institute fellowships and awards. The awards fund interdisciplinary research that takes place during the summer and will be celebrated with a poster session at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 23.

This year’s winners are conducting research that will improve the lives of people living with a variety of challenges, including speech disorders, Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s, Fragile X, tinnitus, mental illness and even brain tumors.

2025 Beckman Institute Undergraduate Fellows

The Beckman Institute Undergraduate Fellows Program provides undergraduate students with a $3,000 award to pursue interdisciplinary research at the Beckman Institute during the summer. Entering its eighth year, the program is supported by funding from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation.

Ali Alhaj, a junior studying both mathematics and molecular and cellular biology, is analyzing potential differences in neuron structures in rats modeling Fragile X Syndrome. The goal: to understand the connection between altered neuronal structure and function. He will work with Benjamin Auerbach, a professor of molecular and integrative physiology. Alhaj will apply to medical school and hopes to apply what he’s learned about interdisciplinary research at Beckman to the medical field.

“It was an honor to receive such an award, and I am committed to making the most of this opportunity,” Alhaj said.

Logan Carlson, a sophomore physics major, is developing an artificial intelligence model that will help humans better understand the auditory system in mammals. He’s working with Dan Llano, a professor of molecular and integrative physiology. He hopes to someday apply the knowledge he’s earning in the medical field or in a company he founds.

“I intend to apply it to improving people’s lives,” Carlson said.

Macyn Hoeveler, a junior studying brain and cognitive science, will spend the summer working on the Tinnitus Detect project, an international initiative focused on developing an objective diagnostic tool for tinnitus—a hearing disorder that affects more than 15% of the population. She’ll be working with Fatima Husain, a professor of speech and hearing science.

“This fellowship marks the first time I have been able to fully dedicate myself to my passion for auditory research without the burden of financial concern,” Hoeveler said.

Jason Kowalewski, a junior studying molecular and cellular biology, is working with Martha Gillette, Alumni Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology and head of the university’s Neuroscience Program. They are studying the permeability between blood vessels and the brain and how proteins affect it. They’re also measuring how the proteins vary throughout the day.

“This award will support my future by helping me gain a firsthand understanding of how scientific research is conducted and grant me experience in a professional environment that I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” Kowalewski said.

Meher Swamy is a senior majoring in neuroscience and psychology, and she is working with Wendy Heller, a Beckman researcher and executive associate dean for Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Anxious freezing, an aspect of fear that is distinguished from fight or flight, has been receiving increased research attention. Freezing in performance contexts and other social situations can interfere significantly with well-being and achievement. In addition, individuals with depression and anxiety may be more vulnerable to freezing, further compounding their difficulties with self-esteem and emotional regulation.

The team is studying freezing behavior using 7 Tesla neuroimaging at the Carle Illinois Advanced Imaging Center. Swamy’s work extends the research to examine freezing and the role of menstrual hormones, which have been associated with variations in anxiety.

Swamy is especially interested in fighting the stigma related to mental illness. She also hopes to connect with philanthropic organizations to prevent mental health stressors.

“I am devoted to making a positive impact on medical treatment outcomes, accessibility of resources, and a more accepting community by conducting mental health research,” she said.

2025 Erik Haferkamp Memorial Award for Undergraduate Research

The Erik Haferkamp Memorial Award for Undergraduate Research allows a promising undergraduate neuroscientist to pursue research at the Beckman Institute during the summer. The $3,000 award is supported by friends and family in memory of Erik Haferkamp.

Chelsea Roman, a junior studying molecular and cellular biology, is studying how Parkinson’s disease affects functional networks in the brain, with the ultimate goal of enabling earlier detection and more personalized treatments. She works with Caterina Gratton, a professor of psychology, and she’s using precision functional MRI scanning to learn more about the brain.

“This award will help me build the skills and experience needed for graduate school and a future career supporting individuals affected by neurodegenerative diseases,” Roman said.

2025 Nadine Barrie Smith Memorial Fellowship

The Nadine Barrie Smith Memorial Fund supports female engineering graduate students who are conducting medical imaging research at the Beckman Institute. This year, the award is supporting three winners.

Jiyoon Kim, a graduate student studying bioengineering, is developing fast imaging sequences and advanced MRI techniques that work on all brands of MRI to better visualize speech movements for individuals with speech disorders. Kim works with Brad Sutton, a professor of bioengineering and the technical director of Beckman’s Biomedical Imaging Center. Creating sequences and techniques that work on all MRI platforms will make MRI technology more accessible and usable for those who have speech disorders.

“This support not only helps me grow as a researcher but also strengthens my commitment to contributing to the field of biomedical imaging,” Kim said. “I hope to carry forward the spirit of Nadine Barrie Smith’s work by continuing to push the boundaries of what imaging can do in understanding and improving human health.”

Yueying Qiu, a graduate student studying electrical and computer engineering, is using super-resolution ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging to explore cerebral changes in rats with Type 2 diabetes. She works with Yun-Sheng Chen, a professor of electrical and computer engineering. Her work could eventually be used as a tool to personalize the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and detect it earlier.

“This award offers me a valuable opportunity to investigate how diabetes affects the brain using advanced biomedical imaging techniques and … brings me closer to my goal of making a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by Type 2 diabetes,” she said.

Shreya Verma is pursuing a Ph.D. in health and kinesiology and works with Naiman Khan, a professor in the same department. She is studying how different types of body fat and liver health affect brain development in children.

“Using advanced imaging techniques and a multimodal approach, I’m working to identify which factors are most relevant to cognitive health, beyond what we can learn from body weight alone,” she said. “This research has the potential to improve early screening tools and intervention strategies for children at risk for cognitive and metabolic challenges.”

2025 Thomas and Margaret Huang Award for Graduate Research

The Thomas and Margaret Huang Award for Graduate Research supports graduate students studying human-computer intelligent interaction. The $3,500 award is supported by the Huang Fund. The award is supporting two students this year.

Wen Jin, a Ph.D. student in electrical and computer engineering, is working under the mentorship of Zhi-Pei Liang, a professor in the same department, to advance the detection and understanding of brain tumors using MRI. Jin’s research focuses on combining advanced MRI techniques – especially MR spectroscopic imaging – with artificial intelligence to not only detect brain tumors earlier but also gain deeper insights into their type and behavior.

By creating detailed maps of both healthy and tumor-affected brains and developing physics-based AI models grounded in brain biology, his work aims to significantly improve the accuracy of brain tumor diagnosis.

“This award not only motivates me but also meaningfully contributes to my long-term goal of developing impactful medical imaging tools that improve patient care,” Jin said.

Haley West is a Ph.D. student studying Cognitive Neuroscience also working with Heller. West is using the Carle Illinois Advanced Imaging Center’s 7 Tesla MRI scanner to pinpoint the neural mechanisms associated with anxious freezing in humans. Using the MRI will offer highly precise data that West will pair with simultaneous electrocardiograms, diagnostic interviews and extensive questionnaire assessments for participants.

“It has been my great honor to be the recipient of this award, especially in this time when funding in science is so threatened,” West said. “As a first-generation student, my pursuit of higher education is something I value deeply, and approach with a strong sense of responsibility.”