Seven Science Terps Receive CMNS Alumni Network Endowed Undergraduate Awards
The awards will enable the students to conduct research and present at scientific conferences over the summer.
Every year, the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences (CMNS) Alumni Network offers summer awards to help undergraduates defray costs related to conducting research, attending conferences or interning.
Read below how this year’s award recipients are furthering their professional and career development with funding from the CMNS Alumni Network Endowed Undergraduate Awards program.
Dhruv Agarwal
Senior physics major Dhruv Agarwal is spending his summer working on the Satellite Component Fabrication (SatFab) project as part of the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space organization. The SatFab team is building a 3U CubeSat—a type of nanosatellite—including its structure, electronics, power system and scientific payloads. Their CubeSat will feature a custom-built GPS and a thermal storage device to help the satellite’s electronics operate more efficiently.
“Receiving this scholarship has made it easier for me to remain in the U.S. over the summer to continue this critical phase of our work,” Agarwal said. “This scholarship provides me both monetary support and the proof that the work I have put into my education and lab project is meaningful.”
Agarwal and the SEDS SatFab team plan to submit a proposal to NASA's 2025 CubeSat Launch Initiative and present a paper on their findings at SciTech 2026.
Alex Emmert
How well do toddlers understand differences between verbs? Senior computer science and linguistics double major Alex Emmert is investigating when children start to understand details of verbs using "when" and "what" questions.
“For example, ‘when did she sleep’ is correct, but ‘what did she sleep’ is not grammatically correct,” Emmert explained.
This project is one of several in Linguistics Professor Jeffrey Lidz’s lab aiming to understand how children acquire verbs, and in turn, understand language acquisition more generally.
“I was very excited to hear that I was being supported by this award,” Emmert said, “as it will allow for uninterrupted recruitment of participants for the study, as well as additional time in the lab moving research forward during the summer.”
Jasmine Martin
When senior neuroscience major Jasmine Martin received her summer award, she knew she wanted to spend her summer getting ahead on her research thesis for the Biology Honors Program. Martin is studying the auditory system in Biology Assistant Professor Melissa Caras’ lab.
“Continuing my research over the summer as a result of this scholarship will provide me with invaluable lab skills that I can carry with me through graduate school and beyond,” Martin said.
After Martin graduates next year, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience and further her career as a research scientist.
Hannah McCright
Hannah McCright, a junior physics and astronomy dual-degree student, will use her award funding to attend the 2025 North American Particle Accelerator Conference. She is presenting research from her Honors Physics Thesis on plasma waves in the University of Maryland Electron Ring.
"I'm really grateful for the support from the CMNS Alumni Network; being able to attend NAPAC and share my work with people active in this field is such a valuable opportunity," McCright said. "It’s exciting to be part of those conversations and see how my research fits into the bigger picture."
Her project explores the propagation of specific plasma waves in electron beams (observed for the first time in this context) with potential implications for the design and control of future accelerator systems.
McCright is particularly looking forward to engaging with experts in accelerator physics and learning from the broader scientific community. The experience will also support her long-term goal of pursuing graduate study in areas that connect particle physics and accelerator technology.
Hari Kailad
Senior computer science and mathematics double major Hari Kailad received an undergraduate award for the second year in a row to pursue his cryptography research.
“I am incredibly grateful to receive this award again, as not only does it allow me to learn, it provides me with encouragement and support for my field of study,” Kailad said.
Kailad will use the funding to attend cryptography and proof systems workshops at the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing in Berkeley, California. He also plans to focus on his research on zero-knowledge proofs, anonymous credentials and multiparty computation with Computer Science Assistant Professor Ian Miers.
Swathi Sevugan
Senior biochemistry and biological sciences double major Swathi Sevugan is spending her summer learning biochemical techniques in Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics Professor Wade Winkler’s lab.
“I’ll be investigating transcription factors and the genetic regulatory mechanism that influences transcription elongation,” Sevugan explained. “Specifically, I will be trying to understand the interaction network of transcription factors in Bacillus subtilis, a Gram-positive bacterial model."
When she graduates next year, Sevugan plans to pursue a Ph.D. in biochemistry.
Cindy Wang
With the help of a summer award, senior biological sciences major Cindy Wang attended the 2025 Mid-Atlantic Section American Society of Plant Biology Meeting in May.
“It was such an eye-opening experience,” Wang said. “I had the opportunity to listen to some of the best plant biologists in the region present their research, exposing me to areas of plant biology I had never heard of before.”
Wang also had the opportunity to present a poster on her research in Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics Assistant Professor Charles Seller’s lab.
“It was exciting to see others in this field take interest in my project and explain to them some of the techniques I am using,” Wang said. “It was inspiring to listen to other students present their work, and I formed new connections with students and faculty from UMD and beyond.”
Wang plans to continue her research on campus and also work as a medical assistant and receptionist at a local endocrinology office.
Are you interested in supporting undergraduate students in their professional development and research activities? Consider donating to the CMNS Alumni Network Current-Use Undergraduate Award Fund.
