2020 ASU ARCS Scholars Showcase

Each Fall, the ASU Graduate College welcomes the Phoenix Chapter of the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS)  Foundation to campus to meet with the graduate scholars that their organization generously funds and their faculty mentors. This year, we were pleased to welcome our community partners virtually to hear from all 17 of the current ARCS Scholars about the STEM research they are conducting as part of their doctoral programs at ASU via brief video introduction.

ARCS Scholar Showcase

The event featured remarks by the ARCS Phoenix Chapter’s Vice President of University Relations, Elizabeth Nofen (PhD ‘16). Nofen, an ASU alumnus who received the ARCS Fellowship herself, spoke to the importance of supporting scientific research and discovery now more than ever. “At ARCS we recognize that the United States can’t remain competitive in the global economy in the 21st century without supporting our scholars in the sciences” Nofen shared.

Smaller group breakout sessions allowed several scholars to provide a more in-depth overview of their particular research and open Q & A for all attendees. Scholars in attendance had an opportunity to share directly with the Foundation members and some of their own benefactors exactly what the funding has meant for them and how it has impacted their ability to successfully work toward their doctoral degrees. Several who will complete their degree this academic year were also able to share their current offers of post-doctoral research and research positions within industry.

About the ARCS awards

The Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) awards unrestricted funding to talented scholars at more than 50 top American research universities. The ASU ARCS award provides $8,500 per academic year to each recipient of this competitive award.

The Phoenix Chapter of the ARCS Foundation was established in 1975 and has partnered with ASU since 1977 to offer over $3 million in support of graduate students conducting research in select STEM areas. About this partnership, Katrina Roalson Sr. Director of Fiscal Business Services at the Graduate College remarked that “With over 40 years of supporting ASU’s future innovators in scientific research, the Graduate College greatly values our collaboration with the Phoenix ARCS Chapter and the commitment of their members and donors to the success of these outstanding scholars .”