Carlos Argüelles Delgado, physics, Harvard University – Searching for New Physics with Galactic Neutrinos 

“Imagine tiny particles so elusive that they can pass through entire planets without a trace. These are neutrinos, some of the universe's most enigmatic constituents. Despite their minuscule mass, the question of how they acquire it puzzles scientists. My research is at the forefront of this cosmic detective story. We've recently detected neutrinos from within our own Milky Way, something akin to capturing a shadowy portrait of our galaxy without relying on light. I am developing innovative methods to better ‘catch’ these ghostly particles and analyze them for clues that could unveil new physical phenomena and explain the neutrinos' mysterious mass. On the educational front, the digital age is transforming how we learn. I am integrating the latest advancements in artificial intelligence, specifically large language models, into the undergraduate physics curriculum. This initiative will provide students with a personalized AI tutor, tailored to the course content, offering a dynamic and interactive learning experience that complements traditional teaching methods.” 

Bernadette Broderick, chemistry, University of Missouri – A New Tool to Probe Condensed-Phase Chemistry: Rotational Spectroscopy of Buffer-Gas Cooled Molecules Desorbed from an Ice Surface 

“To date, over 300 molecules have been detected in space, and laboratory experiments and astrochemical models have been devoted to unraveling the pathways responsible for their synthesis. It is now widely accepted that chemistry in ices is the primary way in which complex organic molecules are formed in the interstellar medium, but the details of this chemistry are not well understood. Our group is interested in the development of new tools to study this chemistry in the lab, and we have recently built a new apparatus to do so with high-resolution broadband rotational spectroscopy, the same method chiefly used by radio telescopes to observe and identify these molecules in space. This promises new insights into the chemical evolution of the star-forming regions that spawn new solar systems, and at the same time can make detected molecules more reliable reporters on conditions in distant sources. In addition to supporting our research objectives, funds from this award will be used to develop a chemistry-focused Freshman Interest Group targeting low-income, underrepresented, and first-generation college students in STEM at the University of Missouri. This close network of peer and faculty mentors will serve to facilitate the transition to college and provide an immediate support group within the first year and beyond.” 

Lía Corrales, astronomy, University of Michigan – Unveiling Cosmic Treasures: Exploring the Secrets of Astromineralogy with X-Ray Imaging Spectroscopy 

“Astromineralogy explores the chemical composition and structure of interstellar dust, a fundamental element in star and planet formation, revealing information about our cosmic origins. I will study the mineral makeup of interstellar dust in unprecedented detail with the X-ray Imaging Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM), launched in 2023, which provides insights to the raw materials that seed planet formation. As I pioneer data science techniques for my observational research, I am dedicated to sharing everything I have learned along the way. I am leveraging my experience with the Python community and the Learn Astropy project to develop curriculum in open source and sustainable software development. In 2020, I founded WoCCode, a community designed to support coders from marginalized backgrounds. As a Cottrell Scholar, I will channel this passion for open science, inclusion, and data ethics directly into the classroom.” 

Katherine de Kleer, astronomy, California Institute of Technology – Planetesimal Interiors: Searching for Evidence of Core Material 

“The asteroid belt contains debris from an earlier period in the Solar System’s history, providing a window into the time when the planets were first forming. This project will investigate the early chemical changes that took place within the building blocks of our Solar System’s planets due to intense heating that resulted in the formation of cores and mantles within these small rocky objects. Ancient collisions between these objects have resulted in some portions of their cores and mantles now being exposed to space, and we study these fragments at high spatial resolution by observing their thermal emission with arrays of radio telescopes on Earth. Astronomy in general has broad appeal to students and the public alike, providing an avenue for engaging individuals in science. This project will also support the development of a project-based astronomy course that is broadly accessible to the undergraduate population. The course is focused on hands-on experience with telescopes and astronomical data, with the goal of empowering students with knowledge and practical tools that will serve as a basis for astronomy as a career or simply as a lifelong extracurricular pursuit.” 

Meagan Elinski, chemistry, Hope College – Chemical-Mechanical Control over Nanoparticle-Hydrogel Sliding Interfaces 

“Molecular control over surfaces in sliding motion has the potential to transform treatments for osteoarthritis. However, the implementation of nanoparticles as drug delivery vehicles results in complex chemical-mechanical interactions that are not well understood. Using hydrogels as a mimetic material, the Elinski group seeks to understand the interplay of nanoparticle surface chemistries, molecular and physical structures, and applied mechanical forces in a soft sliding interface. Building foundational knowledge at the intersection of chemistry and mechanics, our work will enable synthetic control over hydrogel nanocomposites through top-down integration of nanoparticles into hydrogel surfaces and bottom-up in situ mechanochemical formation of surface bound hydrogel films. Uncovering new synthetic pathways for the molecular control of soft sliding interfaces will advance fundamental knowledge in surface chemistry and mechanochemistry, with the potential to reshape osteoarthritis treatment and address broader challenges in healthcare. My Cottrell award will also support my educational efforts that embrace an interfacial theme, bringing together several elements to build a more inclusive community and energize chemical education. Areas of focus will include a combination of student-facing discussions scaffolded across the chemistry curriculum, structural changes toward evidence-based inclusive teaching practices, and community-facing middle school science programming. Collectively, this work will increase student confidence and perseverance in chemistry.” 

Jacob Gayles, physics, University of South Florida – Strain Manipulation of Charge and Spin Dynamics in 2D Magnets 

“Magnetic two-dimensional materials have emerged as prominent contenders for next-generation technologies due to their potential for high efficiency and low heat consumption. The inherent advantages of low dimensionality, which require less current, coupled with the gate tunability of magnetic anisotropy not found in three-dimensional magnets, contribute to their enhanced efficiency. Our group will develop computational methods to treat and characterize 2D magnetic materials in chiral topological systems for the possibility of new functionality and fundamental physics. A pressing societal outcome of universities, and the scientific industry, is to increase the attainment and retention of underrepresented groups in the STEM fields. Our educational plan aims to unify and synergize the physics department at the University of South Florida around education and outreach, focusing on attracting and motivating underrepresented groups.”  

Leslie Hamachi, chemistry, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo – Colloidal Stabilization of Covalent Organic Frameworks with Acid-Base Chemistry and STEM Educator Training 

“The Hamachi group aims to synthesize nanoparticles with high surface areas that have applications in water purification and catalysis. Traditionally, the performance of these high surface area particles has been controlled by adjusting their molecular composition. We will target control of particle size and shape by investigating acid-base chemistry at the particle surfaces. Our ultimate goal is to probe size-dependent properties of these materials and transform the way the fundamental surface chemistry of this class of materials is understood. My educational efforts focus on STEM educator training to meet the STEM teacher shortage by developing educational activities for Cal Poly’s ‘Learn by Doing Lab.’ The ‘Learn by Doing Lab’ provides undergraduate students with hands-on teaching experience to an audience of third- through eighth-grade students. Curriculum development will focus on aspects of polymer synthesis and sustainability.” 

Farnaz Heidar-Zadeh, chemistry, Queen's University – Combining Quantum Chemistry Concepts and Machine Learning for Drug Discovery 

“Our research develops physics-based machine learning (ML) methods and computer software to accelerate molecular design. These methods are suitable for systematically screening billions of molecules to select promising candidates for further experimental scrutiny. Unlike existing approaches, the proposed ML methods are faithful to physical laws and chemical principles, so they are applicable to large molecules and diverse phenomena. The first key idea is to incorporate conceptual quantum chemistry quantities into the development of the ML model to achieve chemical transferability. The obtained ML models are guaranteed to be scalable, so they can be combined with molecular dynamic simulations to compute properties like drug binding affinities. Alternatively, we characterize a molecule's propensity for intermolecular interactions with a "spectrum." Then, using the spectral similarity of molecules we can directly predict the strengths of intermolecular interactions. We are also developing a tiered structure for learning, using, applying, and innovating with mathematics and computer programming in the chemistry curriculum, which is typically a weakness of chemistry education. This approach features active-learning components and exploits new technologies: computer programming (Python and Jupyter Notebooks), interactive online materials (Jupyter Book), and automated testing (GitHub Classroom) to provide immediate objective feedback on assignments.” 

Tova Holmes, physics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville – Next Generation Beams: Exploring the Potential of Muon Acceleration 

“I am an experimental particle physicist searching for new phenomena beyond the Standard Model, with an emphasis on unconventional signatures. My current research is centered around the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland, but my Cottrell Scholar Award project is aimed at a future collider that uses muon beams to reach even higher energies than we can explore today. I work on designing detectors that can both withstand the intense backgrounds associated with these beams of unstable particles and provide the precision information needed to identify particles emerging from the collisions. In addition, I am working on an educational program that teaches physics majors the foundations of visual and verbal scientific communication. On this project, I will work in collaboration with educators in design fields to expose students to new methods of learning.” 

Fang Liu, chemistry, Emory University – Machine Learning Aided Quantum Chemistry Discovery in the Solution Phase 

“Machine learning and big data play increasingly important roles in chemical discovery. Although numerous critical chemical processes occur in the solution phase, machine learning-aided discovery mainly focuses on gas-phase chemistry, with much fewer applications in the solution phase. This gap is due to the scarcity of high-quality solution-phase datasets and suitable ML methods. Our objective is to overcome these challenges by developing machine learning models and implementing automated workflows for the design and discovery of functional molecules in the solution phase. We currently focus on discovering photoredox catalysts, but the framework can be extended to discovering other functional molecules in the solution phase. Our efforts will facilitate the efficient prediction of solvation configurations, the accurate prediction of solution-phase thermodynamic and photophysical properties, and the extraction of design rules for photoredox catalysts used in polymerization. This research proposal aligns with our educational plan, which aims to enhance the data science skills of chemistry undergraduate and graduate students. I propose to integrate data science into the core courses of the Chemistry Unbound undergraduate curriculum by adapting existing course demos and assignments into a big-data-compatible form. I will also implement a research-oriented course that trains students to apply coding and data science skills and techniques to practical chemistry applications.” 

Anne Medling, astronomy, University of Toledo – Doing Our Homework: Direct Tests of Black Hole Accretion Rate Prescriptions 

“Our understanding of galaxies is forged at the interface between observations of the universe and the sophisticated simulations that model it. My work uses state-of-the-art telescopes to test key predictions of simulations, focusing on the growth of the supermassive black holes that lie in the centers of most galaxies. The extreme gravitational forces from these black holes can transfer enormous amounts of energy outwards, sometimes causing dramatic changes across the entire galaxy. This project tests our understanding of this fundamental process, which governs how galaxies evolve over billions of years. My education program will offer strategic support so all our students have a strong start. I will develop skill-building activities and incorporate them into one of our common first-year elective courses and two multicultural bridge programs. These skills, along with mentoring and curricular efforts to build up each student's sense of belonging as a scientist, will improve retention and resilience among our students.” 

Maren Mossman, physics, University of San Diego – Cloud-Based Investigations of Quantum Hydrodynamics in Ultracold Atomic Gases 

"Quantum turbulence is a fascinating field where the principles of classical fluid dynamics and quantum mechanics merge, offering insights that captivate mathematicians and scientists alike. Beyond theoretical fascination, this research holds practical relevance for subjects like superconductivity and the physics of neutron stars. My planned investigations focus on understanding the behavior of localized quantum turbulence in a channel-shaped Bose-Einstein condensate, a state of matter formed at ultra-low temperatures that follows the rules of quantum mechanics. In the past, investigations with Bose-Einstein condensates have required custom-built instrumentation built over many years, nestled in basements and labs of large research institutions. Through truly remarkable efforts to make quantum technologies more accessible, industry-run cloud-based platforms have now become available to the public, including platforms capable of creating these ultracold atom systems. By conducting these experiments remotely, we will demonstrate the newfound accessibility to study quantum dynamics at undergraduate institutions for research and education. As part of our educational initiative, we are introducing an intermediate-level inquiry-based course that integrates hands-on laboratory experiences with utilizing remote, cloud-based instrumentation. This approach not only immerses students in the realm of quantum technology but also equips them with the skills needed for careers in quantum science and engineering — an area of national need. Through this work, we are diving into the mysteries of quantum turbulence as well as empowering the next generation of quantum scientists and engineers to enter industry and graduate programs following their undergraduate career. " 

Johanna Nagy, physics, Case Western Reserve University – Measuring Cosmic Birefringence in the Presence of Galactic Foregrounds and Improving Career Preparation through Advanced Physics Labs 

“The polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) carries unique information about the composition and evolution of the Universe. However, the signals from the early Universe are overshadowed by light produced within our own Galaxy. Measuring and disentangling these Galactic foregrounds from the CMB will allow us to both learn about new fundamental physics and to better understand the complex processes shaping our Galaxy. Undergraduate students who major in physics ultimately pursue a broad range of long-term career paths, and due to their unique role within the core curriculum, the advanced undergraduate laboratory courses offer a valuable opportunity to develop relevant skills. By improving the advanced lab experiments, emphasizing data analysis and presentation skills, and creating a more equitable and inclusive experience, we can better prepare physics students for a variety of careers.” 

Denise Okafor, chemistry, Pennsylvania State University – Allostery and Architecture: Building and Validating Functional Models of Multidomain Receptors 

“Nuclear receptors are a family of transcription factors whose ability to turn genes off and on is controlled by small molecules. For these receptors to function, coordination is required between different segments, or domains, of the proteins. Obtaining a complete understanding of how different domains talk to one another has been difficult, largely because structural studies of complete receptors are challenging. This proposal will support my group's development of computational methods to facilitate structural descriptions of complete receptors, as well as reveal how communication happens between domains. My education plan aims to incorporate biomolecular modeling and simulations into the undergraduate curriculum at Penn State. I will do this by creating modules for existing courses and developing a new course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) to give students opportunities for authentic research experiences.” 

Rebecca Rapf, chemistry, Trinity University – Interface-Induced Changes to Electronic Structure and Reactivity of Environmentally Relevant Polycyclic Aromatic Species 

“Chemistry that occurs at air-water interfaces, such as at the ocean surface or on atmospheric aerosol, can be significantly different than what is observed in bulk “beaker” chemistry. These interface-mediated changes in reactivity have important implications for the degradation pathways of key environmental pollutants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These species are highly sensitive to environmental conditions, as their photophysical and photochemical behavior is strongly affected by their alignment, orientation, and aggregation. My research group and I will use surface-sensitive techniques, including UV reflection-absorption spectroscopy, to systematically examine how both the spectroscopic properties and the photochemical reactivity of these species are affected at the air-water interface and when incorporated into organic films. The educational arm of this project seeks to enhance and support the mathematical fluency and quantitative reasoning of undergraduate students in chemistry to provide a scaffolded and equitable learning environment that develops student confidence and broadens and supports student success and retention in STEM. I will develop a series of modular activities, including incorporating ‘just-in-time' math review exercises into general chemistry and implementing a series of targeted exercises throughout the organic chemistry curriculum that build mathematical intuition to support chemical understanding.” 

Paul Robustelli, chemistry, Dartmouth College – Characterizing and Modulating Interactions of Disordered Proteins that Drive Biomolecular Condensate Formation and Cytotoxic Aggregation 

"A large fraction of proteins expressed in human cells are highly flexible and do not adopt a well-defined three-dimensional structure. These so-called ‘intrinsically disordered proteins’ have been found to have important roles in biological processes, and the dysfunction of disordered proteins has been implicated in several currently untreatable human diseases. A number of these pathologies are related to abnormalities in cellular pathways where disordered proteins self-associate into dense liquid-like assemblies or ordered solid aggregates, but the molecular mechanisms by which disordered proteins self-assemble remain poorly understood. Our laboratory will integrate atomic resolution computer simulations with experimental biophysical data to determine the mechanisms by which disordered proteins self-assemble and to understand how small molecule drugs affect these processes. We hope to leverage these insights to pursue the design of novel disordered protein therapeutics. For the educational component of this proposal, we will integrate a series of computational exercises and analyses into undergraduate general chemistry and physical chemistry laboratories and biophysical chemistry graduate courses to teach the basics of Python programming and data analysis to students without prior coding experience. We will also develop outreach lectures and web-browser-based computational activities to introduce high school students to structural biology, computational chemistry, and drug discovery.” 

Timothy Su, chemistry, University of California, Riverside – Skeletal Editing of Silicon Nanostructures & Student-Created Social Media Videos to Close the Achievement Gap 

“Atomic dopants in silicon semiconductors are critical to the operation and function of current microelectronic and emerging quantum technologies. While we understand doping at the macroscale, there is a lack of understanding of how the quantity and position of dopants in the silicon lattice impact fundamental properties at the atomic level, which is ever-important as silicon semiconductor dimensions miniaturize into the single-nanometer regime. With support from the Cottrell Scholar Award, we will create synthetic strategies for installing single heteroatom dopants of interest at precise locations in nanocrystalline silicon, from its smallest sizes (i.e., Si diamondoid clusters) to larger Si nanocrystals. We will take rational inorganic synthesis approaches to control exactly where the dopant is installed, then study how dopant identity and position impact fundamental quantum electronic transport properties in silicon in single-molecule circuits built from these doped silicon nanostructures. This integrated approach that merges synthetic chemistry with quantum transport studies will allow us to, for the first time, understand how doping in silicon impacts electronics at an atomically exact level. The educational component centers on student-created social media (i.e., TikTok) videos that have helped students retain core general chemistry concepts, meet course learning objectives, and view abstract chemical concepts as being fun and relatable. These videos have led to tangible improvements in exam performance in general chemistry courses, while reaching broad online audiences with over three million total video views. Support from the Cottrell Scholar Award will enable us to study and understand the specific mechanisms through which these activities boost classroom performance, while broadening their scope to teach students about STEM careers and chemical research at UC Riverside.” 

Jessica Swanson, chemistry, University of Utah – Probing the Role of Membranes in Bacterial Methane Oxidation with Multiscale Simulations 

“Methanotrophic bioreactors have the potential to convert millions of tons of methane into valuable products each year. Although methane mitigation is now recognized as a key target to limit near-term warming, their implementation is limited by the efficiency, and hence cost, of methane mass transfer and oxidation. Using multiscale simulations, we are characterizing the fundamental processes limiting methanotrophic growth and enzymatic activity. We aim to obtain insights to guide the design of strains with increased efficiency and membrane scaffolds that retain enzymatic activity. To complement this, I am developing an interactive general education course called Chemistry for Climate Solutions that will expose incoming students to the rich fundamental science behind climate solutions. Teams of students will explore climate impacts on a personal level by focusing on specific communities while being inspired to propose their own solutions based on exposure to a wide array of developing climate mitigation companies and approaches. The aim of this course is to give students the scientific foundation and tools they need to explore climate solutions in their future professional and/or personal lives.” 

Michael Welsh, chemistry, Hamilton College – Characterization of Enzymes that Build and Degrade Spore Cortex Peptidoglycan 

“My research group studies cell wall biosynthesis and remodeling in bacterial spores. Spores are dormant cells that form in response to environmental stress and resist killing by antibiotics. My proposal seeks to identify and characterize enzymes that catalyze essential and unusual chemical transformations in the cell wall during spore development and germination. A better understanding of these proteins may inform the future design of spore-specific antimicrobials. My education plan is to build research-focused guided inquiry case studies into the introductory biochemistry course at Hamilton College. These activities will actively engage students and help them apply and relate fundamental course concepts to exciting research topics in biochemistry.”