Scholarship Award Announcements

Meaghan is a multiply disabled graduate student and service dog handler in the Faculty of Public Health and Social Policy at the University of Victoria, located in British Columbia, Canada. Her research focuses on understanding how service dogs impact clinical symptoms and quality of life for female veterans and first responders with PTSD from sexual violence. She previously completed a Bachelor of Sciences (Honors) degree from Thompson Rivers University, where her thesis examined problematic research methodology in psychiatric drug trials. Her novel identification of research methodology and ethical violations in psychedelic psychotherapy clinical trials sparked multiple regulatory investigations and international attention. She is the co-author of a foundational article in the field of PTSD research. 

Meaghan is an invited international member of UK-based Disabled Leaders Network, which “brings together exceptional disabled scholars, working together to drive change and maximize impact.” 

Outside academics, Meaghan is a wilderness expedition leader and first responder. From lived experiences of discrimination as a service dog handler, she is a passionate advocate for increased diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the outdoor industry. A retired national team athlete, Meaghan is a current world record holder in the sport of inline speedskating.

Baylee Morgan Davis is from Enterprise, Mississippi. She graduated from Enterprise High School in May 2024 with Highest Honors. Currently, Baylee is a freshman at Mississippi State University, pursuing a major in Biochemistry with a concentration in Pre-Dental. She is a member of the Pre-Dental Society, preparing for Dental School.

Throughout high school, Baylee was involved in many STEM-related organizations. She was part of the Media and Yearbook Staff, the 28+ ACT Club, and the Senior Beta Club. She also received numerous awards for math and science. Baylee managed these activities while maintaining straight A’s, cheering, and navigating the challenges of ADHD. Although some may view certain aspects of her life as less important than others, she believes these factors are integral to who she is.

While some might see ADHD as a limitation, Baylee views it as a major part of her identity. It has shaped her determination and abilities. Her experiences have taught her how to persevere and have shown her how strong she is. Baylee is excited to see what the future holds and hopes to make a positive impact on the STEM field.

Addison Holloway is majoring in Biochemistry Pre-Pharmacy at Mississippi State University. She is a member of Phi Mu Sorority, Mississippi State University’s Enneagram Club, and Mississippi State University’s Pre-Pharmacy Club.

Beyond her involvement on campus, she also serves as a leader for the Little Lakers children’s ministry at her church, Pinelake Starkville. Addison is passionate about engaging with her community and those around her, always striving to be a friendly and welcoming presence.

An interesting fact about Addison is that she is pursuing her pilot’s license! When she initially started her journey in aviation, her goal was to complete her pilot training before beginning her studies at Mississippi State, allowing her to focus entirely on her academic pursuits. Although she hasn’t quite finished her license yet, she’s very close. Balancing her pilot training hours with her academic responsibilities has been challenging, but she wouldn’t change it. This journey has taught her a lot about her own capabilities, and even though things didn’t go exactly as planned, she remains dedicated to achieving her dreams.

Addison holds herself to high standards in pursuit of her goals. In high school, she consistently excelled academically, graduating with a Distinguished Academic Diploma, a 4.0 QPA, a 98.63 GPA, earning an all “A’s” award throughout all four years, and ranking 37th out of 376 in her class. College has proven more challenging, requiring her to prioritize studying to maintain her strong academic performance, especially as she prepares for graduate school.

Hannah Crazyhawk lives in Oregon and was born and raised in rural southeast Alaska. Hannah is a professional artist, Master falconer, amateur astronomer, science teacher, freelance writer, former first responder, and chronically ill student of Neuroscience. Hannah is currently an Associate Bio-Imaging Specialist at Yale University. Hannah is also a fellow in The McNair Scholars Program. Her goal is to continue pursuing her research career in theoretical neurophysics. She hopes to gain further insight into the neural correlates of adverse childhood experiences and how that trauma affects hippocampal place cells. 

Hannah’s scientific curiosities and hobbies include: ornithology, botany, neurophysics, neurotology, neurodiversity, linguistic relativity, particle physics, quantum mechanics, and cosmology. Hannah loves languages. She is currently studying Mandarin Chinese, Basque, Russian, and American Sign Language. 

Despite Hannah’s chronic illnesses, her urge to photograph, study, and narrate the world around her continues to be her driving force. Various prominent books, textbooks, magazines, and newspapers have published Hannah, including National Geographic Magazine. Hannah owns and administers two online Communities: Women and Wings, a community for falconers, and Spoonie Warriors, a support group for chronically ill humans. Hannah is also a disability rights advocate, working to increase accessibility for disabled college students.  

Karen Tang (pronouns: she/her) is a PhD Student in Clinical Psychology at Dalhousie University. Her research is on addictive disorders such as video gaming and vaping, comorbid psychiatric conditions (e.g., depression, anxiety), and sociocultural factors (e.g., stigma, culture). 

This award empowers her to continue to pursue her career goals of working as a clinical psychologist specializing in diverse populations, including individuals from the disabled community, by bringing her lived experience with disability into her clinical approach. 

Jillian “Jill” Walton is currently a second year PhD student in the Microbiology program at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville. Previously, Jill graduated from Clemson University with a B.S. in Microbiology and minors in Biological Science and Sustainability. In the Buchan lab at UTK, she researches the Roseobacter clade of marine bacteria that are prevalent microbial community members in coastal environments. She studies these microbes for their unique ability to degrade a type of recalitrant pollutant, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Upon completion of her degree, Jill will pursue environmental research at a government agency with the goal of supporting science-informed policy. 

Outside of her research, Jill has been working toward inclusivity of students with disabilities through her position on UTK’s Student Disability Services Student Advisory Board and her mentorship role in UTK’s chapter of the South East Alliance for Persons with Disabilities in STEM program. In addition to this, she has taken the initiative to help educate her department by hosting a seminar on student accommodations in higher education and inclusive practices for students with disabilities. She plans to continue her advocacy for students with disabilities throughout her graduate career and beyond. 

In addition to her advocacy work with students with disabilities, Jill is also passionate about STEM outreach and engagement. She has created a STEM education program for Knoxville residents that allows them to learn about environmental quality in their area by testing soil and streams and learning about what different environmental quality metrics mean. In addition to this, she also is the American Society for Microbiology Young Ambassador for Tennessee, where she has been working to promote STEM education throughout Tennessee. 

Nicole is finishing up a BS in biology this May, and has accepted a post grad job with an environmental consulting firm as a wildlife detection dog team. Bowser is not only Nicole's lifeline to independence but Nicole's working partner and research assistant! He helps Nicole find the data needed to report on the environmental impacts of wind farms so that Nicole is able to help improve green energy!   

Nicole plans to apply to veterinary school within the next few years and would like to practice at a service dog school as a veterinarian to help support the working dog community and improve breeding practices to produce more reliable candidates. 

Jade is a multiply disabled vertebrate paleontology Ph.D. candidate and service dog handler completing her degree at the University of Toronto and Royal Ontario Museum. She studies the microscopic structure of fossil bones to reconstruct the growth and species diversity of oviraptorosaurs - a group of feathered, bird-like dinosaurs. Jade grew up inspired by roadcuts and crinoid fossils in her home state of West Virginia, and her interest in dinosaur paleobiology took her to Montana and eventually to Toronto, Canada for her graduate studies. 

In addition to her research, Jade is passionate about science outreach and disability advocacy, and is dedicated to highlighting the experiences and access needs of service dog handlers in science. Alongside her service dog Basil, she has presented in classrooms, distance learning programs, and professional society conferences to advocate for increased accessibility for disabled students and researchers in academia. Jade hopes to build a career as a paleontologist and university professor to mentor students and carry her research, outreach, and disability advocacy work forward.

Alyssa Paparella is currently a second year PhD student in the Cancer and Cell Biology Program at Baylor College of Medicine. In 2019, Alyssa graduated from Sarah Lawrence College before pursuing a NIH PREP program at UC Davis. Alyssa is currently a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program recipient. 

Besides pursuing STEM, Alyssa has been actively involved in disability advocacy. In 2020, Alyssa created the DisabledInSTEM platform, which is hosted across a website, Twitter, and Instagram in order to raise more awareness and create community. Through this platform, Alyssa has also created a mentorship program, which is launching its second year, and has partnered with Disabled In Higher Education to run a Non-STEM mentorship program in its inaugural year. Alyssa also is an Executive Team Member for Disabled in Higher Education. Additionally, Alyssa serves on DisabilityIN’s Advisory Council. Alyssa also is an Executive Team Member for Disabled in Higher Education. Within her own institution, Alyssa is co-president of the disability club called Got Spoons?, is an event planner for a wellness program called BCM LIFE, and serves on the Inclusion and Excellence Council. 

Through her work, Alyssa aims to continue conversations regarding accessibility. Thus far, Alyssa’s impact has ranged from presenting at individual institutions, such as being an invited keynote speaker for Yale University’s Science Communication week, to conferences, such as ReclaimingSTEM and The Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS), and to the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy. Alyssa strives to make STEM more inclusive for all throughout her career. 

Gabriella "Ella" Sugerman is a doctoral candidate in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research in the Soft Tissue Biomechanics Lab of Dr. Manuel Rausch focuses on the fracture mechanics of blood clots. 

Alongside her research, she is working towards a certificate in engineering education and cherishes time spent teaching introductory mechanics courses. Upon completion of her degree, she will pursue a tenure-track teaching position with the goal of making engineering more accessible to marginalized students using the principles of Universal Design for Learning.  

A medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai received the Fall 2021 Scholarship for Scientific Excellence. He has asked to remain anonymous, as the culture of medicine still stigmatizes against those with disabilities. 

Prior to starting medical school, he was diagnosed with a rare illness that has shaped the course of his career path. Given the rarity and limited research conducted of this condition, he has taken on the initiative to perform research pertaining to this field, and has represented the patient perspective of those diagnosed with this condition at national conferences. He plans to continue his research and pursue a medical career which will lead him to help himself and others who are living with this rare condition.

He is very grateful for the IAFAIS Scholarship for Scientific Excellence and IAFAIS’ mission in supporting his goal to advance the field of rare diseases and one day become a physician-scientist who will help find a cure or at a minimum, be more informed and empathetic towards treating others who suffer from similar conditions. Additionally, he is extremely grateful for this special scholarship as it promotes those who are facing additional challenges to pursue a medical profession to help others.

A first-generation PhD student who is also a mother, currently attending the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is delighted to receive our scholarship. She is proud to have received the Fall 2021 Scholarship for Scientific Excellence. Unfortunately, she feels that having a disability and working in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is subject to stigmatization. For this reason, she asked to remain anonymous. 

She has experienced discrimination due her chronic illness and have been told that science is not for mothers, and especially ones with a chronic illness. However, she has had caring mentors who supported her commitment to science, despite her disability. She aspires for a future where the culture in STEM will be receptive to all students who have the interest in science. This will be a culture where future recipients of the International Alliance for Ability in Science will not fear to publicly celebrate his or her achievements. 

After completing her PhD, she plan to continue a career in academia, mentoring and encouraging other first-generation students living with disabilities to develop into their full scientific potential.

Jade:

Jade is a multiply disabled vertebrate paleontology Ph.D. candidate and service dog handler completing her degree at the University of Toronto and Royal Ontario Museum. She studies the microscopic structure of fossil bones to reconstruct the growth and species diversity of oviraptorosaurs - a group of feathered, bird-like dinosaurs. Jade grew up inspired by roadcuts and crinoid fossils in her home state of West Virginia, and her interest in dinosaur paleobiology took her to Montana and eventually to Toronto, Canada for her graduate studies. 

In addition to her research, Jade is passionate about science outreach and disability advocacy, and is dedicated to highlighting the experiences and access needs of service dog handlers in science. Alongside her service dog Basil, she has presented in classrooms, distance learning programs, and professional society conferences to advocate for increased accessibility for disabled students and researchers in academia. Jade hopes to build a career as a paleontologist and university professor to mentor students and carry her research, outreach, and disability advocacy work forward.

Basil:

Basil is a multipurpose service dog trained to help Jade with the impacts of hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, dysautonomia, and PTSD. Her primary task is to alert Jade to changes in heart rate, but she also performs many mobility tasks such as picking up items, pressing accessible door buttons, carrying objects, and balance and brace work. Basil’s alerts and tasks give Jade the independence to pursue her research, hobbies, and daily tasks safely. Since Jade’s job requires time in laboratories and out in the field, Basil is trained to wear protective gear to suit their working environment, including a lab coat and goggles for their days in the lab together. The pair also enjoy time outdoors, where Basil’s skills have helped Jade reclaim her love of hiking and camping.

Keron Rose is currently a biomedical graduate student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai located in New York City. He is currently conducting his thesis research, “The Elucidation of ADAMTS10 in Skeletal Muscle Differentiation in C2C12 Myoblast Cells”, within the orthopedic research laboratory of Dr. Dirk Hubmacher.

In 2014, Keron received his Bachelor of Arts degree in both Pre-medical and Black Studies from The City College of New York with Cum Laude honors. Post-graduation, he gained substantial on-hands medical experience and patient interaction exposure through his tenure at CityMD as a medical scribe. Here, he worked directly alongside emergency medicine physicians in a bustling urgent care environment. Additionally, Keron gained invaluable experience through his various tenures spearheading research initiatives at many of New York’s premier medical research establishments such as SUNY Downstate, New York University and Northwell Health.

Following the completion of his graduate studies, Keron aspires to become an orthopedic physician-scientist. As a physician, he hopes to one, inspire other underrepresented minorities to enter the medical field and two, mediate the health disparities gap experienced both nationally and internationally by disadvantaged urban citizens. As a scientist, Keron plans to actively pursue his own research developments to make valuable contributions to the field. His ultimate goal is to combine these methodologies to treat patients translationally, utilizing his future research discoveries to directly influence patient outcomes through interventions delivered via a bench-to-bedside approach.

Amanda Klingler graduated with a degree in biology from Illinois State University in 2020 and is currently a first-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UCLA. Amanda is broadly interested in investigating how animals' genes interact with their environment to affect their behavior, which are research interests she developed in research labs at Illinois State, and summer research programs at Georgetown University and UC Berkeley. During her undergraduate career, Amanda founded the student organization Women in Technology and Science (WITS), coordinated professional development events for the School of Biological Sciences, and served as a student representative on three university curriculum committees. 

Since beginning her graduate career, Amanda has shifted her focus towards disability advocacy, serving as platform organizer for the online community Disabled in Higher Education, and a graduate student co-chair on the University of California System Disability Ad Hoc Committee. During her time at UCLA, Amanda hopes to facilitate disabled undergraduate students' participation in research and develop disability awareness training for STEM professors and teaching assistants. After completing her Ph.D., Amanda plans to pursue a career where she can engage in full-time mentorship of early-career scientists.

A medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai received the Spring 2021 Scholarship for Scientific Excellence. He has asked to remain anonymous, as the culture of medicine still stigmatizes against those with disabilities. He is an accomplished researcher who has conducted grant-funded research and presented his findings at international conferences. However, he struggled with the standardized test and board exams necessary on the path to becoming a physician. He was told that people like him should consider dropping out and pursuing another field altogether. However, because of his excellent clinical performance, ability to build communities, and commitment to using science to serve historically underserved populations, he will graduate this year as the first doctor in his family. 

He is grateful for the IAFAIS Scholarship for Scientific Excellence in supporting his continued growth and path toward becoming a physician-scientist-leader who uses clinical care, education, advocacy, and research to empower marginalized patient communities.