SBB Research Group, a Chicago-based investment management firm, recently awarded Aishwarya Atmakuri with the inaugural SBB Research Group STEM Scholarship, providing $5,000 to support her studies at UCLA in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology.
Over 1,600 students had applied for this scholarship, which empowers students to create value for society through their pursuit of higher learning, especially through interdisciplinary combinations of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
“We were really impressed with the depth of talent and passion for STEM among so many applicants,” said Matt Aven, the firm’s COO and CCO. “Their stories inspired us to expand our scholarship program.”
The company has now awarded four additional $1,000 SBB Research Group STEM Scholarships (listed alphabetically by last name; pictured left to right).
David Ajoku is pursuing two master’s degrees at Carnegie Mellon University: Mechanical Engineering and Engineering & Technology Innovation Management. He also holds a BS in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Western Michigan University. He was the Chief Design Engineer at CTS Corporation, helping to invent and patent novel actuator technologies. David also has led multiple entrepreneurial endeavors, including an AI-based online platform focused on increasing awareness of maternal-fetal health issues.
Trisha Dani is a Computer Science major at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. In high school, she interned at Boeing’s Avionics Design Center and wrote maintenance programs for their 737, 777, and 787 airliners. She was recognized for optimizing a workflow project with Visual Basic macros to parse 10,000+ line airline order spreadsheets. She has also designed an escape room game for children with glaucoma and hopes to develop solutions for elderly accessibility issues.
Angel Shuford is pursuing a BS in Air Traffic Control at Thomas Edison State University where she previously earned an AAS in Aviation Support and Military Technology Leadership. She also serves as an Air Traffic Control Specialist in the US Army. Before enlisting in the military, Angel co-founded Tech From Vets, which won the 2017 Biztech Award. She also authored The Manuscript, a how-to educational guide for soldiers.
Stephanie Zhang is double majoring in Computer Science and Biology at Stanford University. Working with researchers at the University of Southern California and Purdue University, she discovered a novel biomarker gene for colorectal cancer. She is also the co-founder of PocketOnco, which uses AI to rapidly diagnose colorectal, breast, and skin cancer from dermoscopic images, and Blossom, an AI-powered app that detects hotspots on proteins.
SBB Research Group plans to launch the next round of this scholarship program on National STEM Day (November 8, 2020). To be eligible for an SBB Research Group STEM Scholarship, applicants must be full-time students pursuing a STEM degree, maintain a 3.5 grade point average or higher, and complete a 500-word essay on their STEM experience and how they would use STEM principles to benefit the world. For more information and to learn how to apply, please visit SBBRG's Scholarship website.