Two students from the University of Utah’s College of Engineering and an ophthalmology resident at the John A. Moran Eye Center were awarded scholarships at the 8th Annual ARCS Foundation Utah Scholar Awards Luncheon Tuesday, Oct. 17. The event was held at the John A. Moran Eye Center auditorium.
ARCS Foundation Utah Chapter is part of the national nonprofit women’s organization throughout the country which helps U.S. students completing degrees in science, engineering and medical research.
The Utah chapter of the foundation supports students in doctoral programs at the University of Utah and is dedicated to bringing the brightest students to Utah to help with their education.
This year’s scholars include:
Chantel Charlebois — Bioengineering
Chantel came to the University of Utah from the University of Vermont where she was a research assistant investigating ventilator-induced lung injury. She completed a Bachelor of Science degree at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. Chantel was an RIT Presidential Scholar, and received numerous academic awards and scholarships. At the U, she will be working with associate professor Christopher Butson in the area of deep brain stimulation for the treatment of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. Chantel wrote, “I enjoy research at the boundary of engineering and medicine where advancements in engineering methodology have the potential to have a profound impact on healthcare.” In her spare time, Chantel enjoys a variety of outdoor activities such as horseback riding, skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and sailing, among others.
Samuel Sprawls — Materials Science and Engineering
Sam is pursuing a doctoral degree in materials science and engineering with the goal of advancing his career in renewable energy photovoltaics (PV), a term which describes the conversion of light into electricity using semiconducting materials that exhibit the photovoltaic effect, a phenomenon studied in physics, photochemistry, and electrochemistry. At the U, he will be working under the direction of associate professor Mike Scarpulla. Sam earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering physics specializing in materials science at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. He wrote, “After earning a PhD in materials science and engineering, I hope to be a leader of PV research and
development in industry or government.” Sam also enjoys film and digital photography cycling, and served as president for Habitat for Humanity.
Bradley Jacobsen, MD — Ophthalmology/John A. Moran Eye Center
Dr. Jacobsen is a first-year ophthalmology resident at the John A. Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah, where he plans to focus on the retina and the
treatment of retinoblastoma—a type of eye cancer most common in children. Jacobsen earned his medical degree from the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine and completed a general surgery residency at Baylor College of Medicine. At UC Irvine, Jacobsen founded the International Ultrasound Project, which uses medical students to teach ultrasound and conduct research in Mwanza, Tanzania. He also received a $60,000 John Tu grant to initiate what has now become an integrated medical education course at a Mwanza medical school. Jacobsen’s many research projects range from investigating alternative treatments for patients with retinoblastoma to the feasibility of using ultrasound as a diagnostic imaging device in low-resource settings. He plans to continue his research at Moran, combining it with his passion for furthering high-quality care in underserved and resource-limited areas.