UGA names 5 Ph.D. students as 2026 ARCS Scholars

The University of Georgia Biomedical and Translational Sciences Institute has announced Monstera “Monsi” Brown, Zoe Griffin, Mira Le, Kristofer Meier and Joshua Weiss as UGA’s 2026 ARCS Scholars, joining a distinguished group of 45 current and former UGA ARCS Scholars.

The Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that supports promising scientists at leading research universities across the United States. Founded in 1958 by a group of women committed to strengthening American scientific leadership, the organization continues to be led by women.

UGA has partnered with the ARCS Foundation Atlanta chapter since 2000, and UGA scholars have received more than $2 million in awards during that time. Each 2026 scholar will receive $9,000 for the 2026–27 academic year and may receive funding for up to two additional years.

“We are delighted to welcome these five outstanding researchers to UGA’s community of ARCS Scholars,” said Brad Phillips, director of the Biomedical and Translational Sciences Institute. “Their work addresses important challenges across the life sciences, engineering and human health, and the flexible support provided by the ARCS Foundation will help them pursue discoveries with the potential for lasting impact.”

The five doctoral students were selected through a competitive, two-stage process. Graduate coordinators in eligible STEM programs first nominated outstanding students, and a multidisciplinary committee of UGA faculty evaluated the nominees’ academic accomplishments, research and potential impact. Finalists also submitted short videos explaining the significance of their research to a general audience.

To be eligible, students must be making successful progress toward a Ph.D. in one of UGA’s approved science, engineering or medical research programs. Learn more about the award, eligibility requirements and selection process.

The 2026 Scholar Awards Celebration will be held Nov. 11 at the Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta. UGA’s scholars will be recognized alongside scholars from Emory University, Georgia Tech and Morehouse College. UGA President Jere W. Morehead will deliver the keynote address.

Department/Program: Integrated Plant Sciences doctoral program; Department of Plant Biology

Advisors: Tanisha Williams and James H. Leebens-Mack (co-major professors)

Brown studies how climate change and destructive land-use practices have affected threatened and extinct pinweed species in Florida’s unique scrub ecosystem. By germinating historical seeds preserved in herbarium collections and comparing their DNA with that of present-day plants, she seeks to inform future conservation and land-management decisions.

Program/Department: Department of Genetics

Advisors: James Lauderdale and Douglas Menke (co-major professors)

Griffin uses reptiles, including anoles, chameleons and corn snakes, to investigate how pigmentation influences development of the fovea, the part of the eye responsible for sharp, detailed vision. By combining gene editing with advanced imaging and molecular techniques, she hopes to identify mechanisms that could improve vision for people with albinism and other developmental eye disorders.

Program/Department: Department of Chemistry

Advisor: Jason Locklin (major professor)

Le develops biodegradable plastics that balance the strength and protective qualities needed for applications such as food, medical and pharmaceutical packaging with the ability to break down after use. Her research includes a rapid, fluorescence-based method that reduces degradation testing from as long as a year to just three days, helping researchers develop and evaluate more sustainable single-use materials.

Program/Department: Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program, College of Veterinary Medicine

Advisor: Xiaoqin Ye (Major professor)

Meier investigates how disrupted progesterone signaling and ion channel activity contribute to uterine fluid retention and infertility in people with endometriosis. Using mouse models and human tissue samples, he aims to identify the mechanisms regulating uterine fluid and evaluate potential treatments that could improve embryo implantation.

Program/Department: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Advisor: Natalie Krahn (Major professor)

Weiss engineers cells to produce larger quantities and a wider variety of selenoproteins, whose unusual chemical properties offer potential applications in medicine, clean energy and climate-resilient agriculture. By redesigning the cellular pathways that incorporate the amino acid selenocysteine into proteins, he has already achieved a fourfold increase in selenoprotein production.Top of Form