2022-2023 AWARD RECIPIENTS

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  Gabrielle Kostecki

  2022 Amgen Scholar

  Gabrielle Kostecki is a sophomore mathematical biology major in the Honors College. Under the mentorship of Drs. Colin Haile and Therese Kosten, she has helped research the development of an effective anti-fentanyl vaccine that prevents relapse and opioid overdose, as well as a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine against new variants. This helped shape her goal to become a researcher that helps millions impacted globally by Neglected Tropical Diseases. Through the Amgen Scholars Program, Gabrielle looks forward to conducting translational infectious disease research at UT Southwestern. She plans on applying to the Goldwater Scholarship and US Fulbright Program in the future, before pursuing a PhD in Immunology.

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  Heather Butina-Sutton

  2022 Critical Language Scholarship

  Heather Butina-Sutton holds a Bachelor of Science in cultural anthropology and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in history under the mentorship of Professor Philip A. Howard. Her research interests include the cultural and socio-economic history of Black women in the Atlantic World, gender studies, and public history. In 2021, her work received an honorable mention from the BWSA for best graduate student paper in Black Women’s Studies. This summer, Heather will be studying Portuguese in Brazil through the Critical Language Scholarship Program, where she is excited to strengthen her language skills and connect with others who share her enthusiasm for cultural exchange. As a mother of three and a mature student, she hopes that her work is an inspiration to other non-traditional students at the University of Houston.

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  Ola Dafaalla

  2022 Sumners At-Large Scholarship 

  Ola Dafaalla is a junior in the Honors College double-majoring in Political Science and Sociology. She has pursued her passion for politics and community engagement through volunteering for campaigns, working for a political PAC, and interning at the Houston Mayor's Office. She was selected as a Sumners Scholar in May 2022 by the Sumners Foundation and is a recipient of their At-Large Scholarship. She looks forward to spending the next two years attending workshops and events through the foundation and engaging in bipartisan dialogue with other Sumners Scholars and former elected officials.

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  Amanda Pascali

  2022-2023 Fulbright U.S. Student Program
  Italy, Study/Research
  

  Amanda Pascali graduated from the University of Houston in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Geology and a minor in Italian Studies. In addition to being a Texas board-certified Geologist in Training who has conducted fieldwork in the Arctic, the deserts of California and West Texas, and on a marine expedition in the South Atlantic, she is an internationally acclaimed bilingual singer/songwriter and Houston Chronicle’s 2021 “Musician of the Year”. In the fall of 2022, Pascali will embark on a nine-month Fulbright Fellowship to conduct ethnomusicology research in collaboration with the University of Messina in Italy. Pascali will translate the songs of Rosa Balistreri, a key female figure in Sicilian music, to be sung in English. In the process, she will travel throughout Sicily, documenting the perspectives of women and working-class individuals on class issues, imprisonment, organized crime, immigration, and gender roles; some of the fundamental themes in the songs sung by Rosa Balistreri. This project aims to preserve the words and meanings sung in Sicilian, deemed an endangered language by UNESCO, on an international scale as they continue to be relevant into the future.

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  Hai Pham

  2022-2023 Fulbright U.S. Student Program
  Taiwan, English Teaching Assistant
  

  Hai Pham is graduating summa cum laude with a degree in psychology. He has spent his time at the University of Houston as a mentor in the NSM Student Leadership program and a teaching facilitator in biochemistry at the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Beyond his passion in teaching, Hai is involved in community service and scientific research.

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  Phillip Pham

  2022-2023 Fulbright U.S. Student Program
  Taiwan, English Teaching Assistant
  

  Phillip Pham is graduating with a degree in biology. After several semesters as a teaching facilitator in physics at the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, he is particularly excited to extend his classroom to students in Taiwan as an English Teaching Assistant. During his eleven months abroad, he aims to exchange language and culture, all the while sharing his passion in STEM. Outside of the classroom, he has engaged in research, entrepreneurship, and scientific writing.

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  Paul Vaughan

  2022-2023 Fulbright U.S. Student Program
  Poland, Study/Research
  

  Paul Vaughan is graduating summa cum laude from the Honors College with an Economics major and a minor in National Security Studies. His academic interests focus on the manner in which economic markets and political systems intersect and influence national security and foreign policy. This inspired him to pursue study abroad and internships in this field. He studied Russian foreign policy at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations as a Gilman Scholar, and interned at both the U.S. Department of State in the Economic Section of the U.S. Mission to the European Union in Brussels and in the Anti-Corruption and Public Administration section at the United Nations Development Programme's Istanbul Regional Hub. In Istanbul, he tackled governance and institutional corruption issues across the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region. Paul is eager to research how the rapid growth of the Ukrainian and Polish IT sectors will impact the post-Soviet borderland's delicate security landscape in the context of war and reconstruction in his 2022-2023 Fulbright Study/Research Award for Poland.

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  Nimra Zubair

  2022-2023 Fulbright U.S. Student Program
  Bulgaria, English Teaching Assistant
  

  Nimra is a graduate of the University of Houston’s Master's in Public Administration Program and an advisor in the Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards, where she guides students on fellowships and major awards applications. As a first-generation student, Nimra began her undergraduate studies at Houston Community College, later transferring to UH in 2018 to complete her B.A. in Political Science. She has received multiple national fellowships, such as the Critical Language Scholarship to study Punjabi (2020) and Urdu (2021). She was most recently awarded the Fulbright grant to teach English in Panagyurishte, Bulgaria starting Fall 2022. Nimra plans to combine her formal studies, language skills, and experiences to promote understanding between marginalized populations and government agencies.

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  Jewel Pham

  2022 JET Program

  Jewel Phan is a senior graduating with a major in biology and a minor in teachHouston with the College of Natural Science and Mathematics. During her teaching apprenticeship at a high school, Jewel realized her calling to become a future educator with a focus on biology. She is a short-list candidate for the Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program and is honored to be an ambassador for her country. She possesses a deep respect and interest in Japanese culture and customs. By taking on the Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) position, she hopes to further develop her skills as a teacher to provide the best education and mentorship to her future students.

2021-2022 Award Recipients

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  Zania Boriek

  2021 BCM SMART

  Zaina Boriek is a sophomore psychology student in the Honors College pursuing minors in both biology and medicine and society. Over the past two years, Boriek has worked on two projects dealing with skeletal muscle mechanics during complex mechanical loading and presented results at national conferences such as ABRCMS and SACNAS in 2019 and 2020. As a Houston Scholar, leadership intern officer for MEDLIFE and former HERE program participant, she has demonstrated her commitment to research and medicine through volunteering activities and projects related to policy, infrastructure, inequality and health care disparities in the Greater Houston area. Through Baylor College of Medicine’s SMART Program, Boriek was able to appreciate the translational aspects of research and solidify her desire to become a physician when she understood that clinical research has a direct impact on patients and was selected to participate in the program again to have another opportunity to be involved in clinical research in the field of pediatric nutrition. Looking forward, Boriek hopes to pursue a medical doctorate to continue growing her passion for the humanistic aspects of medicine. 

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  Kainat Aziz

  2021 Critical Language Scholarship

  Kainat Aziz is a third-year psychology student with minors in biology and business management and leadership. Various leadership involvement and experiences as a pre-med student have strengthened her passion to study medicine. She has participated in the Academic Associates Program for two consecutive semesters at the Texas Children's Hospital which has sparked her interest in conducting medical research in the future. After completing her undergraduate degree, she plans to pursue medical school. Aziz will be studying Urdu this summer through CLS.  

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  Omar Harb

  2021 Critical Language Scholarship

  Omar Harb is a junior double majoring in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and minoring in Arabic studies. Coming from the Middle East, Harb is working to strengthen his linguistic efforts and expand his knowledge of his home region by taking up an Arabic studies minor. Harb co-founds One Small Step, a non-profit organization designed to help combat the effects the pandemic has had on his local community in Houston and plans to begin an initiative aiming to help underserved Arab American youths. Through the Critical Language Scholarship, Harb intends to sharpen his Arabic linguistic skills and draw upon his experiences to aid the Arab American community on campus and beyond.  

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  Kareem Soussan

  2021 Critical Language Scholarship

  Kareem Soussan is an economics major with a minor in Phronêsis. Interested in the economies of Middle Eastern countries, Soussan is actively involved in economic research and studying the Arabic language. As a CLS recipient, Soussan is excited to improve upon his proficiency in the language and network with other students interested in the economies of the Middle East. He plans on using this opportunity to delve deeper into his studies of the Middle Eastern economy.    

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  Nimra Zubair

  2021 Critical Language Scholarship

  Nimra Zubair is a graduate student pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) with a specialization in nonprofit management. She is also the graduate advisor in the Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards, where she connects students with major awards opportunities, assists them through the application process and manages the office's social media platforms. As a first-generation college student, Zubair began her undergraduate studies at Houston Community College and transferred as a political science major, with minors in business administration and Phronêsis, to the University of Houston in 2018. She has interned in various industries and speaks seven languages, including Urdu, for which she was awarded the 2021 Critical Language Scholarship. After completing her MPA, she plans to attend law school and continue working with the integration of marginalized populations.  

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  Kathryn Aing

  2021 DAAD RISE Scholarship

  Kathryn Aing is a sophomore electrical engineering major in the Honors College. She will spend her summer and fall at the Technical University of Central Hess in Gissen Germany. She will assist in research focused on analyzing an electro-optical system for the evaluation of novel nano-surfaces. The project is in collaboration with NanoWired and will use optical measurement to test their products. 

   

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  Smiti Gandhi

  2021 DAAD RISE Scholarship

  Smiti Gandhi is a junior majoring in Honors biomedical sciences and minoring in medicine and society, health and chemistry. Gandhi hopes to attend medical school after completing her undergraduate studies. She is a zealous advocate for pollution reduction efforts and clean energy. In high school, Gandhi developed a novel solar panel using bacteria, and she placed 4th at the Intel International Science Fair for her research in 2018. Since then, Gandhi has served as a keynote speaker for many renowned events, including TEDx and Women’s Energy Network’s Young Women Energized Conference. Now, Gandhi mentors science fair students as a Student Leader at the University of Houston STEM Center, inspiring them to pursue their research interests with creativity and confidence. This summer, she will intern at the Technische Hochschule in Bochum, Germany, further her knowledge of solar panels and evaluate circular economy concepts for solar-powered charging infrastructure. 

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  Nikki Hammond

  2021 DAAD RISE Scholarship

  Nikki Hammond is a third-year chemical engineering student in the Honors College at the University of Houston pursing minors in chemistry and leadership studies. She has been involved in undergraduate research through the HERE, Houston Scholars and PURS programs. With the DAAD RISE scholarship, Hammond will be researching the photocatalytic degradation of micropollutants in Freising, Germany. Having studied abroad in the Galápagos Islands and Egypt, she is excited to continue her global adventures this summer in Germany.  

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  Nhung Nguyen

  2021 DAAD RISE Scholarship

  Nhung Nguyen is a first-generation college student, originally from Vietnam. Nguyen is a distinguished student in the department of petroleum engineering, where she holds multiple scholarships. In January 2020, she was one of only three students from the U.S. selected to attend the Education Week at the International Petroleum Technology Conference in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She is a student leader, currently serving as the vice president and PetroBowl team captain for the Society of Petroleum Engineers UH Student Chapter. In 2019 and 2021, she led two teams to compete at International PetroBowl Championships. Nguyen loves volunteering and traveling. She is excited to intern in Germany this summer to experience a new learning challenge, meet new friends and explore the European culture. 

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  Ana Belén Gutiérrez

  2021-2022 Fulbright U.S. Student Program
  Spain, English Teaching Assistant

  Ana Belén Gutiérrez is a graduating senior obtaining her degree in mathematics with teachHOUSTON, a minor in Spanish and the Global Citizens Credential. During her undergraduate career, she has been very active in teachHOUSTON, having held various leadership roles within its Student Society, including professional development chair and vice president. She has also been very involved with teachHOUSTON summer camps, serving as a curriculum developer for the Equinor Summer STEM Camp and a team lead for the teachHOUSTON STEM Interactive, the first virtual summer camp of its kind. In the summer of 2018, Gutiérrez received the IEFS scholarship to go on a faculty-led study abroad trip to Peru. She also spent a semester during fall 2019 in Chile and Argentina studying comparative education and social change through SIT Study Abroad with the SIT Full Tuition scholarship. Since then, she has served both as an alumni mentor with SIT and as a global guide on the UH campus. Gutiérrez has also served as a RISE mentor with her home school district of Pearland ISD since spring 2019 and is currently student teaching at a high school in Alvin ISD. She will be spending nine months in the Spanish region of Galicia serving as an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) through the Fulbright ETA program. Gutiérrez plans to apply her global perspective of education in the mathematics classroom through inquiry-based, student-centered lessons when she returns to Houston. 

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  Ashley Cruz

  2021-2022 Fulbright U.S. Student Program
  Mexico, English Teaching Assistant

  Ashley Cruz is a graduating senior in the Honors College at the University of Houston majoring in biology with a minor in medicine and society. As a first-generation Mexican-American, her experiences have driven her to advocate for underserved communities. After spending a summer in Amman, Jordan, working with the Jordan Health Aid Society and learning about refugee and immigrant health, Cruz’s commitment to public service solidified. She has since worked closely with several public service-oriented organizations. She served as a census leader and voter advocate with Mi Familia Vota, a national civic organization that promotes Latino allyship to promote social and economic justice. Cruz expanded on this work by interning with Culture of Health – Advancing Together (CHAT), a non-profit that matches immigrants and refugees in Gulfton with essential resources, where she facilitated census engagement and computer literacy. Her experience working as certified nursing assistant has propelled her to pursue a Master of Science in physician assistant studies specialized in psychiatry, where she wants to continue working with underserved populations. By pursuing a Fulbright ETA in Mexico, Cruz hopes to better understand the origins of the Hispanic community to more effectively engage in conversations that address misconceptions between the two cultures. 

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  Maham Gardezi

  2021-2022 Fulbright U.S. Student Program
  Latvia, English Teaching Assistant

  Maham Gardezi, a biomedical engineering major and Phronêsis minor, served for the UH Bonner Leaders program, where she was introduced to the inequities in education and helped lead a program for ACT mentoring at KIPP Sunnyside High School. Passionate for community health and education, Gardezi received her Community Health Worker Certification in 2019 and has written curriculum while working as a project head for the Program Engagement Encouraging Rising Students (PEERS) program. Gardezi has also conducted neuroscience research under Bhavin Sheth from the University of Houston and Ian Mendez under the SMART-MIND program at The University of Texas at El Paso. She realized her passion to continue working with communities in the PHARIS program and will be serving as an English Teaching Assistant in Latvia. 

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  Saajan Patel

  2021-2022 Fulbright U.S. Student Program
  France, English Teaching Assistant

  Saajan Patel is graduating spring 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and minors in both French and English. Fascinated by the French language and global francophone cultures, he uses the intersection of his studies to investigate language in the post-colonial era. His interest in community-building also inspired him to co-found the University’s French Club, where students can unite to practice their skills and share favorite media finds. In preparation for teaching English in a high school outside of Paris, Patel has taken courses about teaching ESL and improved his French skills through internships. After completing his Fulbright, he will continue to pursue work in the field of teaching, particularly English language acquisition. 

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  Carl Suerte

  2021-2022 Fulbright U.S. Student Program
  Japan, English Teaching Assistant

  Carl Suerte is a December 2020 graduate in biology with a minor in chemistry. Throughout his undergraduate career, he has studied the molecular basis of complex behaviors in fruit flies under the mentorship of Associate Professor Brigitte Dauwalder. In 2018 and 2020, he received the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship and the Provost’s Undergraduate Research Scholarship, respectively, to fund his endeavors with the Dauwalder group. When he was a sophomore, he was awarded a grant to research at the University of Tokyo through the Houston Scholars Program. There, as a member of Robert Campbell’s laboratory, he worked on developing tools for the real-time imaging of brain cell metabolism. While working with a diverse, international group, he was inspired to continue conducting research at an international level and applied for a Fulbright grant to resume his research at UTokyo. When he returns to the Campbell Lab through the Fulbright Program, he will work towards developing a high-performance tool to image a metabolic pathway implicated in neurodegeneration. Following the Fulbright Program, he plans to pursue postgraduate education and continue researching metabolism’s role in disease.  

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  Gabrielle Olinger

  2021 Goldwater Scholarship

  Gabrielle Olinger is a junior in the Honors College pursuing a major in physics and minor in mathematics. As a freshman, Olinger began working with Professor René Bellwied as part of the experimental heavy ions group, and she has since used statistical thermal models to better understand the transition between the universe’s primordial phase of matter, called the quark-gluon plasma, to the hadronic matter (e.g., protons and neutrons) that makes up the universe today. As a rising sophomore, Olinger participated in SURF, and under the guidance of Professor Eric Bittner began modeling the dynamics of a variety of quantum systems to understand how light-matter interaction with a cavity mode affects transport of an excitation along a chain of coupled spins. Today, Olinger continues to be involved in research with both Bittner and Bellwied, and in her free time enjoys playing the piano and baking.  

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  Vincent Laroche

  2021 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program 

  Vincent Laroche is a senior in the University of Houston Honors College majoring in mechanical engineering with a minor in mathematics. He has been involved in scientific research throughout his undergraduate career and has received a number of scholarships and fellowships for his work, including the DAAD RISE Germany Fellowship in 2019. In his junior year, Laroche joined Di Yang's lab as a recipient of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship. He proposed and completed a project to study kinetic energy recovery in the wake of vertical axis wind turbines, and later built upon this work in a senior thesis. After graduating, Laroche will continue to study computational fluid dynamics and turbulence as a doctoral student in mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. 

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  Alejandro Ramirez

  2021 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

  Alejandro Ramirez is a second-year graduate student working towards a doctorate in experimental astroparticle physics. Working under Assistant Professor Andrew Renshaw, his research involves developing and surveying particle detector technologies for DarkSide 20k, a dark matter experiment searching for weakly interacting massive particles. His other project includes using these particle detection technologies and applying them to nuclear medical imaging such as positron emission tomography. Ramirez is also a founder of the UH chapter for the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science. A society that aims to provide support of underrepresented minorities in STEM. 

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  Laura Taylor

  2021 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

  Laura Taylor received a bachelor's degree in geology from the University of Houston in December 2020 after transferring from San Jacinto College in 2017. During her time at UH, she worked with Professor Peter Copeland, studying the age of formation of the Grand Canyon using fluid inclusion data; completed a senior honors thesis; was advised by Assistant Professor Emily Beverly, tracking the progression of the North American Monsoon in Baja California Sur using oxygen and carbon isotopes from carbonates; and joined Associate Professor Julia Wellner in Antarctica to collect sediment cores and geophysical data as part of the Thwaites Glacier Offshore Research team. In June 2021, she will join the Coastal Systems Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program to pursue a doctorate in marine geology and geophysics where she will focus her research on studying the paleorecord of tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic and the palaeoceanographic conditions that impacted their intensity and variability.