Outstanding Undergraduate Researchers Nominated for 2021 Churchill Scholarship

Northeastern University is proud to have nominated two seniors who embody the university’s ethos of cutting-edge research applied to pressing global challenges as the institution’s nominees for the Churchill Scholarship. The Churchill Scholarship is a highly competitive national award that funds a year of post-baccalaureate study in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics at the University of Cambridge’s Churchill College. The program, which seeks young researchers of exceptional promise, was set up at the request of Sir Winston Churchill in order to fulfill his vision of US-UK scientific exchange with the goal of advancing science and technology on both sides of the Atlantic, helping to ensure our future prosperity and security. A small set of America’s top colleges are universities are invited to nominate up to two students for the Churchill Scholarship each year. Northeastern’s nominees for the 2021 Churchill Scholarship are Shellaina Gordon COS’21 and Ishaan Lohia COS’21.

Shellaina Gordon chose to major in biochemistry at Northeastern because the program blends biology and chemistry in way that encourages mastery of the separate disciplines while also providing a clear understanding of their interplay. Drawing on knowledge from both domains, Shellaina says that she has learned to apply her skills to diverse challenges and answer complex questions in a variety of research settings. Shellaina’s research achievements, which have led to three peer-reviewed publications, were recognized with the 2020 Goldwater Scholarship. These included investigating the role of transition metals, particularly manganese, in cell development at the University of Massachusetts Medical School; analyzing how oxidative stress-relieving compounds contribute to antibiotic resistance in A. buamannii at Northeastern; and proving and implementing the use of a human naive library for use as a selection tool in discovering high-affinity antibodies while on co-op at Visterra, a clinical-stage biotech company. Shellaina intends to earn the MD/PhD in order to bring basic research into a translational setting, with a focus on proteomics and a commitment to increasing equity both in the medico-scientific professions and in clinical research and care.

Ishaan Lohia aims to use experimental condensed-matter physics to drive developments in clean energy technology. A physics major with minors in chemistry, mathematics, and theatre, Ishaan has made significant contributions to several research groups, with a particular emphasis on creating research infrastructure and overcoming obstacles in order to advance the mission of the entire team. At Northeastern, Ishaan has worked with Professor Darien Wood on the Compact Muon Solenoid experiments at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. Ishaan next undertook a global co-op in the nanophotonics group at the University of Milan. Exploring applications of nanoparticles for increasing the light absorption (and therefore energy-generation efficiency) of solar cells, Ishaan focused on magnesium and palladium particles in particular. Ishaan also analyzed nanoparticles from the skin of a deep-sea dragonfish. On a summer exchange at the University of Ferrara, Ishaan tackled signal induced noise that was a central concern of the group. Ishaan is an engaged citizen-scientist, an advocate for more inclusive and equitable science education, and a dedicated mentor and teacher of younger physicists.