NC West Virginia News

Three promising researchers pursuing doctoral degrees at West Virginia University are receiving funding from the Ruby Scholars Graduate Fellows Program to aid in their future academic endeavors.

This year’s fellows are Annabelle Smith, Suchindram Dasgupta, and Sloane Sirota. Each student will receive a $34,000 stipend, a $2,000 travel grant, and a tuition waiver to allow them to continue their research at WVU.

Recipients must be pursuing a graduate degree in one of the following fields: energy and environmental sciences; biological, biotechnical and biomedical sciences; or biometrics, nanotechnology and material science; security; sensing; forensic sciences; and related identification technologies.

Established in 2011 by the Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust, the fellowship provides financial support that allows incoming doctoral-level scholars to dedicate themselves fully to expanding their studies and using their research to benefit the people of WVU, the nation, and the world.

Since the Ruby Fellows program’s inception, a total of 53 students have received financial support to continue their research at the University.

“With the generous support of the Ruby Fellows program, WVU is able to bring exceptional young researchers to our campus each year,” Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Maryanne Reed said. “This year’s Fellows have already made great strides in their research and are poised to be significant changemakers in their fields of study.”

Annabelle Smith

Hagerstown, Maryland native Annabelle Smith began her undergraduate education at WVU in the music and health program. Smith also had a strong interest in science.

“Microbiology was something I had never done before, so I was like, ‘OK, let me try it out,’” Smith said. “It was kind of random and I just thought it would be fun, but now it is something I really love doing.”

During her freshman year, Smith joined the Research Apprenticeship Program and worked on a project studying functional stimulation of the deltoid muscle to relieve shoulder subluxation — a partial dislocation.

The experience left Smith with a desire to participate in more research. She changed her major to immunology and medical microbiology and continued her research.

“Immunology is something that we don’t talk about. It is so cool to actually study deep into your immune system and how bacteria and viruses are actually affecting you,” she said. “I really just want to do as much as I can and would like to have a meaningful project that I feel is going to push us forward scientifically.”

Smith will continue her studies and research on host-pathogen interactions at WVU. She aspires to dive deeper into her passion for research and become confident in her abilities as she pursues her doctorate in immunology and microbial pathogenesis.

Suchindram Dasgupta

Suchindram Dasgupta graduated from Rutgers University in New Jersey with a bachelor’s degree in astrophysics and mathematics. Originally from Fair Lawn, New Jersey, Dasgupta has always enjoyed learning about the universe.

“I used to read books about the solar system and the Milky Way as a kid,” Dasgupta said. “I kind of fostered that love over a long time.”

During his undergraduate education, Dasgupta participated in research on quantum mechanical behavior of hydrogenic ions in one spatial dimension, publishing a paper on the topic as the lead author. He also researched star formation in dwarf galaxies and the radio afterglow of a gamma-ray burst.

“The universe has so much more information that we have barely tapped into and that excites me as a researcher,” he said.

While at WVU, Dasgupta aspires to advance gravitational wave astronomy as he pursues his doctorate in physics. He aims to contribute efforts focused on improving detection localization of gravitational waves testing gravitational physics.

Sloane Sirota

Sloane Sirota from Cherry Hill, New Jersey could not decide what science course take high school While she was more familiar with chemistry she drawn mystery surrounded prior knowledge physics Her infatuation subject only grew pursued an undergraduate degree physics McGill University Montreal Canada

“Physics was only class felt really challenged thought exciting,” Sirota said “It kind applied everything felt like tied everything else learned together”

During education McGill University Sirota participated internships involving strange particles proton-proton collisions fast radio bursts continues look these bursts part CHIME Collaboration assisting release second catalog fast radio bursts biggest date

“Things always changing There new papers coming every day always more learn” she said “It field always evolving matter what doing physics see everyday life”

Sirota plans continue physics education research WVU She work Duncan Lorimer FRS one professors credited discovery fast radio bursts

The Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust established Ruby Scholars Graduate Fellows program memory namesake Hazel Ruby McQuain involved philanthropic giving support WVU more than 20 years before died age 93 2002 One many gifts includes $8 million gift toward construction J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital named after late husband

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