The Graduate Division is proud to announce 25 Research Accelerator fellowships have been awarded to students pursuing research in 11 different disciplines this summer. The donor-funded awards were distributed across campus to graduate students from the College of Engineering, Humanities and Fine Arts, Bren School, and Mathematical, Life, and Physical Sciences.
Master’s and PhD students received awards funded by alumni, corporations, faculty, and friends of the university. “Donor generosity sparks discovery—and with the Graduate Division’s matching funds, its impact grows even greater,” said Dr. Janine M. Jones, Associate Vice Chancellor for Graduate Affairs and Anne and Michael Towbes Graduate Dean. “Together, we’re giving brilliant minds the freedom to pursue the research that shapes our future. The Research Accelerator program is a powerful force for innovation and makes groundbreaking research possible.”
Since 2015, the Research Accelerator Fellowship has provided top graduate students with the opportunity to advance their groundbreaking research that is the foundation for their dissertation or thesis. “This program began because many students have no funding in the summer if they are not supported with research positions that align with their dissertation research,” said Dr. Leila J. Rupp, who served as Interim Dean of the Graduate Division from 2020 through spring 2025. “That is the case for most students in the humanities and social sciences, and for some in STEM fields. Support from donors makes all the difference in their ability to finish their dissertations.”
The program amplifies the impact of donor gifts by adding additional funds from the Graduate Division, which provides an additional $3,000 to donor gifts of $5,000 to provide a full summer research fellowship. Open to all graduate students across disciplines who are not working as researchers during the summer, the fellowship provides funding for research expenses such as travel, housing at their research site, and specialized equipment.
Alumni donors like Liz Decolvenaere, PhD `17, recall how fellowships helped them achieve their career goals during their time at UCSB. “I donate because I believe strongly in the importance of the academic work being done by UCSB graduate students,” she said. “When I was a grad student myself, a last-minute fellowship at UCSB was able to help me salvage an important conference attendance when the original funding source pulled out. I want to give back and help other graduate students be able to continue doing great science, and the Research Accelerator program helps me feel like I'm making an impact even though my donation amounts would otherwise be `too small’ to directly impact students.”
After Charles H. Dana graduated with his BA in mathematics from UCSB in 1972, he went on to earn his MS (1975) and PhD in Electrical Engineering (1981) at the same institution at a time when fees were no more than $200 per quarter. "It is nice to be able to help those who are paying more," he said. "Besides, while grad school can create rewarding connections with fellow grad students, it can also be a traumatic time, so easing the process a bit feels good -- and meeting the students who get the grants is very enjoyable."
Impact of Support
Komal Na
PhD candidate
Chemistry and Biochemistry
2025 BD Biosciences Research Accelerator
“Receiving this award has been a source of both encouragement and motivation. Knowing that I was chosen from a competitive pool of applicants makes me feel incredibly grateful and inspired to continue pushing the boundaries of my research. This award has not only provided me valuable financial support, but has also affirmed the importance of the work I am doing – in the lab, in mentoring, and through community outreach.”
Elisabeth Rothman
PhD student
Bioengineering
2025 BD Biosciences Research Accelerator
Rothman's research covers how the inheritance of epigenetic modifications, such as histone methylation, regulates transcription and maintains cellular identity across divisions – which can inform future medical diagnosis and therapies. “Given that widespread epigenetic dysregulation is a hallmark of cancer and developmental disorders, I hope to uncover the mechanisms that can ultimately inform new diagnostic or therapeutic strategies."
Kwabena Agyare Yeboah
MA/PhD graduate student
History
2025 Christine Adams Research Accelerator
“As a West African scholar based in the United States and with limited access to funding, this generous grant allowed me to travel back to Ghana for summer dissertation research in multiple archive locations. The archives included Akyem Abuakwa State Archives, Ghana Geological Survey Authority Library in Accra, among others.”
Oindrila Chatterjee
Master's student
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Charles Dana Research Accelerator
Chatterjee is working on research to develope electrochemical aptamer-based (EAB) sensors for therapeutic drug delivery systems. “These sensors could one day enable real-time monitoring and regulation of medication levels in patients,contributing to safer and more effective treatment options, It’s exciting and meaningful work, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be pursuing it…As an international student who came here full of hope and ambition, this opportunity has meant so much to me.”
Vikas Kalagi
Master’s student
Computer Science Department
Charles Dana Research Accelerator
“I’m truly grateful for the Charles Dana Research Accelerator Fellowship. This support allows me to fully focus on research in data privacy, including vertical federated learning and privacy-preserving inference for large language models. This opportunity is helping me make meaningful progress without the added burden of financial worries.”
Monsij Biswal
PhD candidate
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Bo Hu & Xi Qiao Research Accelerator
Biswal's research primarily focuses on video compression in general and its application to point cloud compression standardisation efforts. “During my graduate studies, I have explored several topics within this area including learning-based frameworks,. This scholarship is instrumental in allowing me to solely focus on my degree objectives, without the burden of financial responsibilities.”
Alexis Topete
PhD candidate
Psychological & Brain Sciences
Liz Decolvenaere Research Accelerator
“I have been so grateful for the Research Accelerator Program at UCSB, and want to extend a special thank you to Liz Decolvenaere for her generosity and commitment to research for underrepresented graduate students in STEM fields. With the current uncertainty surrounding funding opportunities for graduate students and universities, I have had peace of mind through this program to know that my dissertation work would not be impacted or delayed by lack of funding. The fellowship I received allowed me to purchase all the necessary materials I would need to assay hormones and complete analyses for my work investigating spatial cognition from the lens of women's health. It also gave me the flexibility, as a student parent, to bond with my newborn over the summer without the stress of needing to apply for a teaching assistant position. Thanks to this program, I can confidently say that I've made substantial progress, both as a researcher and as a mom to a new baby!”
Aria Chaderjian
PhD student
Physics
Liz Decolvenaere Research Accelerator
“This fellowship did allow me to gain the experience and training needed to be prepared for the next step in my career. This is a huge encouragement to me.”
For more information, contact John Lofthus, Assistant Dean of Development of the Graduate Division.