Siwak Honored at ARCS Scholars Ceremony

Ph.D. student Nathan Siwak was presented with an Advancing Science in America scholar award at a ceremony sponsored by the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation on Oct. 21 at George Washington University.

The ARCS Foundation provides scholarships to academically outstanding students pursuing degrees in science, medicine and engineering. Scholars are selected by representatives of the 52 U.S. academic institutions that the foundation supports, based on strict criteria and recommendations from departmental advisers and faculty. ARCS offers student recipients a renewable award of $15K per year. The awards are sponsored by the Metropolitan Washington Chapter of the ARCS Foundation.

Doctoral students from the University of Maryland, University of Virginia, John Hopkins University and Georgetown University were also honored at the ceremony. Nathan Siwak, an advisee of Institute for Systems Research Director and Herbert Rabin Distinguished Professor Reza Ghodssi (ECE/ISR), was one of five University of Maryland students to be selected, and one of two students from the Clark School of Engineering. Kate Malinowski of Bioengineering was the other Clark School recipient, while the remaining Maryland recipients were Ankush Khullar (Biochemistry and Economics), Seth R. Thomas (Biochemistry), and Stefanie A. Sherrill (Chemistry).

Nathan's research focuses on homeland security chemical sensing applications using indium phosphide MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) optical switches. The goal of the project is to produce sensor systems which are highly sensitive and small. Nathan conducts his research in Prof. Ghodssi's MEMS Sensors and Actuators Lab. This was Nathan's second ARCS Foundation scholarship award.

For more information about the 2010-2011 ARCS Scholarship recipients, visit the ARCS website.

Published November 9, 2010