PSI PRIDE! Alumni achievements

Ravahn Enayati, PSI class of 2014
(PSI mentor, Dr. Tammy Martin)

Minh Nguyen, PSI class of 2013
(PSI mentor, Dr. David Sahn)
The summer research that Minh did in pediatric cardiology was made possible by her participation in PSI.

Apoorva Somayazulu, PSI class of 2012
(PSI mentors, Dr. Shannon McWeeney and Drs. James Rosenbaum/Stephen Planck )

Edward Szczepanski, PSI class of 2012
(PSI mentor, Dr. Eric Thompson)


Nick Farris, PSI class of 2004
(PSI mentor, Dr. David Sahn)
  • 2014 American Society of Hematology Honors Award (view a video of Nick explaining his research)

Billy Rathje, PSI class of 2009
(PSI mentor, Dr. Larry David)
  • 2014 Rhodes Scholar and Marshall Scholarship
"I wanted to pass on a heartfelt thank you to everyone involved in organizing PSI. The work you do was truly life changing for me. It started me on the path toward scientific research before I knew anything whatsoever about the subject, and it led me eventually into a computer science major in addition to my English major at the University of Puget Sound. I would not have been able to do what I have done in terms of research in the sciences had I not received the extraordinary training -- both via the class in how to think like a scientist and through the David lab's extraordinary, above-and-beyond mentorship -- that you so generously afforded me.
I wrote in my application about PSI, describing the program's organizers as a group of remarkably generous scientists and doctors who volunteered their Monday afternoons to feed students' minds on homemade bagels and seminal neuroscience articles. Your course that spring, and Larry's generosity and patience in taking me in as a mentor, inspired me to go on to realize that I could do original research even as a high school and college student, and it in turn inspired me to tutor and teach students on my campus and beyond. I hope to continue along those lines as I pursue my master's and PhD to become a professor.
Thank you again so much for the tremendous opportunity. The work you do for students is truly amazing.
Kind regards,
Billy (William) Rathje"
(Nov. 25, 2014)


Kevin Truong, PSI class of 2011
(PSI mentor, Dr. David Sahn)
  • 2013 Gates Millennium Scholarship
"... It has been around 3 years since I was done with the <PSI> program and I am very thankful to have been in the program since it has landed me many opportunities. One of these opportunities was being able to write about it in a scholarship essay and receiving the Gates Millennium Scholarship, which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and this scholarship covers undergraduate studies and certain graduate programs. The second was being able to go to Dallas, Texas last November to present the research I did with Dr. Sahn over the summer to the American Heart Association's annual Scientific Sessions. Being able to do research at a high school level and then being able to present it was a big honor and privilege that this program gave to me and it helped me get ahead of a lot of my fellow peers in college since many who are on the pre-med or pre-health track have not done so. I am now a college student coming into my sophomore year at the University of Portland with a Biology major and will be working with the American Cancer Society as part of their partnership with the Gates to help advocate for thins such as additional funding from the state to fund more preventive programs like health insurance companies covering the entire colonoscopy procedure....
Sincerely,
Kevin Truong
GMS Student Ambassador-Portland Metro Region"
(July 7, 2014)



Naomi Shah, PSI class of 2011
(PSI mentor, Dr. David Lewinsohn)
  • 2013 Finalist, Intel STS
  • 2013 Best of Category Winner in Environmental Science, Intel ISEF
  • STS alumni profile on the "Student Science" blog

Raghav Tripathi, PSI class of 2011
(PSI mentor, Dr. David Huang)
  • 2013 Finalist, Intel STS


Vicki Lam, PSI class of 2008
(PSI mentor, Dr. Leonardo Pereira)
  • 2010 Gates Millennium Scholarship