RRSP Awards

Aparna Bhooshanan is a computer science major and Chinese minor from Madison, Alabama. She is a Critical Language Scholarship and Boren Scholarship winner and will spend Summer 2024 as well as the 2024-2025 academic year studying in Taiwan. In addition to being a Randall Research Scholar and Witt University Fellow, Aparna is the current President of UA's chapter of the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers. In the past two summers, Aparna has interned at Lockheed Martin as a software engineer and participated in an NSF-sponsored Research Experience for Undergraduates at the University of North Texas, where she used natural language processing (a field that unites linguistics with machine learning) techniques to measure how China's reputation as a country has changed since the pandemic. She is currently leading a research project alongside UA's Dr. Yanyu Xiong and Dr. Xiang Zhang that employs AI methods to support Chinese heritage language speakers' language acquisition. This year, Aparna was named UA's Outstanding Sophomore. Additionally, she was recognized by the Modern Languages and Classics department for Excellence in Second-Year Chinese. Aparna aims to use her knowledge of Mandarin and natural language processing to contribute to the machine translation field and to develop methods to combat digital misinformation in different countries.

"Despite how many brilliant students they oversee, the RRSP directors, Dr. Gray and Ms. Batson, always manage to notice and celebrate each student's triumphs. Studying abroad in Taiwan for at least a year has been a dream of mine since high school, and this opportunity wouldn't have been possible without Dr. Gray and Ms. Batson's encouragement and guidance throughout the process. Numberless students' dreams are made possible by the tireless support from the Randall community."

Click on the following link to learn more: Outstanding Student Awards.

Jesse Park is a mechanical engineering major from Burr Ridge, Illinois on the STEM Path to the MBA. He is currently working with Dr. Keivan Davami on analyzing the fracture toughness of gear teeth, in which he is utilizing nano-indentation and atomic force microscopy on laser-treated steel samples. His previous project in the Davami Research Group involved a dynamic analysis of additively manufactured tensegrity structures. He has also previously done research at Argonne National Laboratory, where his work involved measuring the capacitive deionization efficacy of electrochemical cells, as well as biorefinery simulation and techno-economic analysis. Outside of research, Jesse is part of the Alabama Astrobotics Mechanical Design Team, contributing towards UA’s consistent placement as national champions. He is also the President of UA’s chapter of Tikkun Olam Makers and the internal vice president of the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers. An Honors College Ambassador and Ambassador for the College of Engineering, Jesse also enjoys playing trumpet in the UA Jazz Ensemble.

"The Randall Research Scholars Program was one of the main reasons I came to UA - its history of excellence and focus on research makes it one of the nation’s most outstanding programs. However, what makes RRSP truly special is the close-knit family that forms from the nexus of individuals with amazing character and intellectual prowess."

Click on the following link to learn more: Omnicrom Delta Kappa Outstanding Freshman.

Lena Seyfarth is a biology major from Janesville, Wisconsin. She had been working with Dr. Brandon Kim, Dr. Guy Caldwell, and Dr. Kim Caldwell to investigate the interaction of mid-brain dopaminergic neurons and brain endothelial cells during bacterial meningitis. She has co-authored two publications in her work related to Parkinson’s Disease in the Caldwell Lab. Lena is currently pursuing both a B.S. and M.S. in biology through the accelerated master’s program at UA under the direction of Dr. Brandon Kim. After the completion of her degrees in 2025, she plans to pursue a doctorate degree focused on infectious and genetic disease and become a lead investigator at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Outside of research, Lena is a Research Team leader for the Randall Research Scholars Peer Resource Organization, vice president of UA’s chapter of the American Society of Microbiology, and a member of Tri Beta biology honors society.

"The Randall Research Scholars program has been my biggest source of guidance and support throughout my time at UA. Being surrounded by like-minded students and amazing faculty have been invaluable in my development as a person, a researcher, and in my professional life! I am so thankful and proud to be a part of this program!"

Click on the following link to learn more: External Award Recipients.

Michael Zengel is a physics and math major from New Orleans, Louisiana. His first research experience was studying machine learning applications in Density Functional Theory calculations for 3 years of high school in Tulane University’s Physics Department. At the University of Alabama, he works with Dr. Hauser, researching structural and electronic properties of novel Heusler materials. In the summer of 2023, he gained exposure to optical physics, generating terahertz radiation through two-beam excitations in semiconductors, during a DAAD RISE internship at Justus Liebig University in Germany. He plans on becoming a physics professor after pursuing his doctorate in condensed matter physics after graduation in 2025. Outside of research, he is treasurer of the Society of Physics Students, an editor on the Journal of Science and Health at UA, and a lab manager in RRSP.

"The Randall Research Scholars Program has given me so many opportunities to present my research and encouraged me to apply for several opportunities. Both of these equipped me with tools that will continue to help me along my journey to being a physics researcher."

Click on the following link to learn more: External Award Recipients.

Abby Foes is a 2023 graduate from Rockford, Illinois. She graduated from the RRS program with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and mathematics with a minor in global health. While at UA, Abby was a research assistant for Dr. Ayanjeet Ghosh in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, working with infrared spectroscopy to study Alzheimer’s disease tissue samples and the disease’s hallmark protein deposits. During her time with Dr. Ghosh, Abby received the Randall Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award, the H. Pettus Randall Jr. Scholarship, and the Outstanding Chemistry Undergraduate Research Award. She also received the Catherine J. Randall Premier Award and the Hazel Phelps Jones Award in the spring of 2023. Now, Abby is a PhD student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Department of Biostatistics. She is working under Dr. Tanya Garcia in developing statistical methodologies to address censored covariates motivated by the study of Huntington disease.

"The Randall Research Scholars program was invaluable in shaping me to be the student, researcher, and peer that I am today. The program provided support and motivation along my academic journey as well as comfort in my personal growth through my undergraduate education."

Click on the following link to learn more: External Award Recipients.

Blake Yuenger is a chemistry major from Murfreesboro, Tennessee pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Master of Science via the Accelerated Master's Program. He currently works with Dr. Kevin Shaughnessy of the department of chemical engineering, studying the activation of air stable palladium-acyl complexes for cross-coupling catalysis using labile ligand substitution between TMEDA and SPhos. Previously, he studied fentanyl trace analysis methods using eosin Y, a phosphate buffer, and FT Raman at Middle Tennessee State University, as well as synthesizing new emulsifiers for thermally stable emulsions at Nelson Brothers. He hopes to using the Hollings scholarship to understand how these cross-coupling reactions could simplify various synthetic routes used during industrial synthesis and its environmental impact. Outside of research, he is part of the JOSHUA editorial team and enjoys playing jazz guitar in the Tuscaloosa Big Band. He plans to attain a Ph.D. in chemistry.

"The Randall Research Scholars Program has been incredibly influential to my college experience, not only providing the resources to pursue any extent of my research interest, but also connecting me to phenomenal friends and mentors!"

Click on the following link to learn more: External Award Recipients.

Raeed is a mathematics and economics major from Biloxi, MS. He works with Dr. Michael Price and other faculty in the economics department to study the impact of uncertainty on decision-making. Combining economic theory, econometric modeling, and data - both experimental and non-experimental - he studies questions like how uncertainty about future income can impact the decision to donate to charity today, how political uncertainty shapes political contributions to candidates in the House of Representatives or Senate, and how policy can be used to mitigate the impacts of uncertainty. He has spent summers working at Harvard University and the University of Chicago, assisting faculty in the design, implementation, and analysis of experiments that test behavioral economic theory. With the Hollings, he hopes to construct measures of climate uncertainty, learning methods from leading NOAA scientists. In the long run, he plans to understand how climate uncertainty impacts investment in climate-resilient infrastructure today. Outside of research, Raeed is on the Judicial Board in Student Government, an Honors College Ambassador, and a Research Ambassador. He previously received the Randall Research Scholars Rising Star award, given to 1 freshman in the RRS class. He is currently enrolled in the Accelerated Master's Program in Mathematics and will pursue a Ph.D. in Economics after graduation.

"The Randall Research Scholars Program has shaped almost every part of my experience at UA - whether that be intellectually or socially. I am grateful to all the people in the program for being kind, supportive, and encouraging me to pursue external scholarships like the Hollings."

Click on the following link to learn more: External Award Recipients.

Abilene Morthland is a Spanish and philosophy major from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Her research in the UA School of Law alongside RRS student Lewis Fischer used legal analysis to draw conclusions about First Amendment infringements on marginalized populations. She is passionate about human rights advocacy and is pursuing a JD/PhD program in philosophy to ultimately use toward that mission, either through research or nonprofit work. Between graduation and law school, she will be an apprentice for Dr. Bob Art in New Orleans. Abby has served as Chief Justice of the Student Government Association, where she worked to increase campus education on student rights, responsibilities, and resources. She also serves as president of UA Phi Sigma Tau philosophy honor society chapter and as an ambassador for the College of Arts & Sciences. She also created RRSP's first trans-generational newsletter, and she's excited to stay engaged long after graduation.

"The Randall Research Scholars Program is forever intertwined with my sense of identity and community. The passion and brilliance in my peers inspires me greatly, and the mentorship from Dr. Cathy Randall, Dr. Jeff Gray, and Mrs. Jane Batson has shaped my character and conception of self in the world. Within this richly diverse, intellectually collaborative, and academically driven community, I have surely been blessed with some of the most meaningful and fulfilling relationships of my life, for which others easily may search the world."

Click on the following links to learn more: University Award Recipients | The UA Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award.