Graduating seniors Isabella Scalise (L) and Nathan Patchen (R) Behind every scholarship is a student whose life and opportunities have been transformed.Two University of Utah students share how the School of Biological Sciences (SBS), mentorship, research and financial support have shaped their journeys and set them up for what comes next. Biology Scholarships. College of Science […]
Read MorePictured left to right: Kai Cruz, Isabel DuBay, Hanson Gu, Gaby Karakcheyeva, Jasmine Malhi, and Shaelyn Preede. (Photo from Office of Alumni Relations) Each year at homecoming, the University of Utah honors six exceptional undergraduate students who exemplify academic excellence, campus involvement, and community service. This year’s homecoming court included two remarkable seniors from the […]
Read MoreOctober 3, 2025 Above: Steven Naleway, left, and Atul Agrawal examine a fungal culture growing in a liquid medium in Naleway’s lab at the University of Utah’s College of Engineering. Photo credit: Dan Hixson. Fungi are vital to natural ecosystems by breaking down dead organic material and cycling it back into the environment as nutrients. But […]
Read MoreSeptember 18, 2025 Above: Abigail Bruzual In June 2021, I moved to the United States from Quito, Ecuador, for my final year of high school and to pursue a degree at the University of Utah. While I have a wide range of interests, my early involvement in research—starting with the Science Research Initiative (SRI) freshman year—marked […]
Read MoreSeptember 8, 2025 Above: A 36 kg male wolf (Canis lupus) named “Shaggy” by taggers with the environmental organization Kuzey Doga. Not more than five minutes after being tagged, the animal was gone. Nathan Murthy, a senior at the University of Utah majoring in Earth and Environmental Science recently returned from doing field work in Turkey. This is the second […]
Read MoreAugust 19, 2025 Above: “Rufous-tailed Scrub Robbins in-hand: These Scrub Robbins were caught in the same round. Alva found one and Maria found one. Since they are good friends, they were excited to show each other their cool finds. They were surprised to find out that they had found the same birds.” All photos: courtesy […]
Read MoreAugust 14, 2025 Above: Great Salt Lake Utah’s Great Salt Lake is a place of extremes, and its ecosystem is evidence that life can thrive under some of Earth’s most hostile conditions. Scientist say it may hold clues for life on other planets, too, especially Mars, which was once replete with salty lakes. Specifically, researchers […]
Read MoreResearch carries the power to go beyond the horizons of what healthcare can be, allowing for the innovation of more tailored solutions that account for a wider range of patients. My research journey began in the Lamb Lab, where I studied cerebral malaria, a severe complication of the malaria infection that can be fatal due […]
Read MoreJune 4, 2025 Above: Ryker Ray (left) and Hunter Hastings One of the newest majors available for undergraduate students at the University of Utah is Earth & Environmental Science (EES). The program fuses principles from atmospheric science, geology, and ecology to address key questions about the environment — including freshwater availability, the effects of extreme weather, and […]
Read MoreMay 13, 2025 Originally from Tennessee, moving across the country was daunting, but it also was the start to a transformative journey filled with leadership, discovery, and lasting connections. From the beginning, biology felt like a natural fit. “Both of my parents studied microbiology, so I grew up viewing the world through a microscopic lens,” […]
Read More“Growing up in an immigrant household where my parents instilled the importance of education.” “Language and culture have always been important in my family and integral to my upbringing and life at home. I was born in the U.S. My parents immigrated to the U.S. from El Salvador in 2002, looking for employment and educational […]
Read MoreApril 23, 2025 “After I got out of the military, I was planning on going into nursing and was taking classes in Washington. I took a microbiology class and I loved the course. When I completed it, I asked the professor for a letter of recommendation and when he gave it to me, he told […]
Read More“I have learned that research is hard and that it does not always work,” Kayla says, “But perseverance and dedication pays off and I hope to bring this attitude into graduate school and the future!” Over the past two years Kayla Marks has worked in the Judson-Torres lab at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, contributing to […]
Read More“As the first in my family to pursue a college degree, I carry with me the hopes and dreams of my family.” –Mimi Tran My mother and grandparents lived through the Vietnam War, enduring hardships that cost them many opportunities, says Mimi who lives in a multigenerational household with her mom, brother, grandparents and extended […]
Read MoreI am from Quebec, Canada, and will be the first in my family to earn a college degree. My dedication to both athletics and academics earned me a full athletic scholarship for track and field at a Division 1 college in the U.S. As a high school student I thought my path to college and […]
Read MoreMy experiences at the U have shown me how science can be a powerful tool for change, and I’m excited to keep building on that foundation. As I progressed through my undergraduate courses, I found myself increasingly curious about the social determinants of health—especially how factors like bias, policy, and sociocultural norms interact to shape […]
Read More“People only get brave when they have nothing to lose. Be brave anyway.” Tanya Vickers – School of Biological Sciences “As I entered college, I was in renal failure and had two choices: Return home and enjoy the rest of my declining life, or make one last effort to achieve my childhood dream. I chose the […]
Read More“I’ve met so many different people interested in so many things. I have been able to make the most of my experience because of the people surrounding me,” says Annabelle Rockne, a senior in the School of Biological Sciences. One of Annabelle’s most fulfilling roles has been serving as a College of Science Ambassador. “As […]
Read MoreLast week, a select group of students from the University of Utah and Utah State University showcased their research to Utah state legislators and community members at the 25th annual Research on Capitol Hill (ROCH). This event offers a glimpse into the groundbreaking work happening in labs across the state and on the University of Utah campus. […]
Read MoreAngelina Skedros and Professor (Lecturer) Emeritus, Mark Nielsen, looking for brine shrimp at the Great Salt Lake.Photo credit: Brenda Nielsen How a U of U Summer Camp Experience Shaped My Path in Science When I was 11 years old, I attended a comparative anatomy summer camp at the University of Utah. One day we toured […]
Read MoreSophie Hansen received her first liver transplant as a teenager, an experience that drives her passion for medical research and patient care. Now a senior in the School of Biological Sciences, Hansen navigates the challenges that come with having a chronic illness as a college student. National Donor Day on Feb. 14 recognizes the impact of […]
Read MoreJanuary 29, 2025 Above: Megan Duval in the Longino lab, School of Biological Sciences “Through research, I’ve been able to find a community at the U, build relationships with mentors, learn valuable research skills and I’ve worked with some really amazing ants in some really cool places! I first became interested in ants when I […]
Read MoreThe average American spends about 90,000 hours working, so before you hit that treadmill remember: your undergraduate career is the perfect time to take risks and explore your options! Whether you’re a freshman or an experienced biology student, getting involved in biology and finding your niche in science at the U can seem daunting. In […]
Read MoreTalia Backman – Ph.D. student, School of Biological Sciences, shares a micrograph of tailocins. From multicellular organisms, like us humans, to single-cell bacteria, living things are subject to attack by viruses. Plants, animals and even bacteria have evolved strategies to combat pathogens, including viruses that can threaten health and life. Talia Backman, a University of Utah […]
Read MoreNovember 18, 2024 Above: Ella Bleak Ella Bleak’s journey as a self-proclaimed science nerd started at a young age. Her inner nerd was fostered by high school chemistry and biology teachers, and having a professor in developmental biology with a PhD from the U as a neighbor didn’t hurt, either. That led her to discover ACCESS […]
Read MoreFinding Success as a Transfer Student: Support Systems and Determination “I am a transfer student from Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) where I received my Associate of Science in Pre-Health Sciences. It was much easier for me to get involved in U of U campus life than I had anticipated — and it’s been so […]
Read MoreUniversity of Utah SACNAS cohort in Puerto Rico. Left to Right: Benning Lozada, Palepoi Gilmore, Parker Guzman, Lorelei Sole, Nayma Hernandez, Laura Rupert, Chelsea Bordon, James “Jim” Ackerman (University of Puerto Rico Campus Río Piedras) Bottom: Rodolfo Probst and Felis catus. Not pictured: Fatima Serratos. Photo credit: Luz. An undergraduate extension of the University of Utah chapter of the Society for the […]
Read MoreSeptember 3, 2024 “Dream big and take the initiative to put yourself out there. If you’re hesitant or afraid of your goals, that’s okay. Your goals should be big, they should be scary, my goals certainly terrify at times.” Nathan is an undergraduate student double majoring in biochemistry and biology, and he plans to pursue […]
Read MoreJune 13, 2024 Above: Mary Fairbanks BS’23, biology A DNA repair system known as the GO DNA repair system removes oxidized guanine. This helps protect the system from mutating, and while scientists understand how it works, the origin of this mechanism isn’t well understood. That’s where the Horvath Lab comes in and, in particular, Mary Fairbanks BS’23. She and […]
Read MoreFor the 2024 University of Utah student commencement speaker Eron Powell, a love of learning is one of the most important things he is taking away from his time at the U. “Outside of college and into the future, I hope to always be able to educate myself,” Powell said. “We are never complete people. […]
Read MoreJokingly, but with at least an ounce of truth, Noah shares: “I am likely one of the world’s leading experts on fox squirrel genomics.” When it comes to research at the University of Utah, there are so many fascinating and niche topics being studied in the various labs. Noah found an opportunity to explore […]
Read More“While it is so exciting to enrich my life with different experiences and opportunities, it is equally as important to find balance and make time for myself,” says Michelle Tin, a senior graduating with a Bachelor of Science in biology and a double minor in chemistry and Pediatric Clinical Research. Graduating senior Michelle Tin developed […]
Read More“I love learning and I think the world is such an interesting place. Besides [that], I have little tidbits about lots of different things involving science that I wouldn’t have known without studying bio.” Originally from Idaho, Hailee Fell is one of the many talented graduating biology students hailing from all over the nation and […]
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