The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation supports undergraduate students in STEM to pursue research or advancing their field upon completion of their final degrees. The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation awards more than 70 scholarships valued up to $15,000 to each selected scholar. UW sophomores and juniors are eligible to apply for nomination, and 2 nominees will be selected to move to the national competition.
Learn more about the UW application process and the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. View the Astronaut Scholars directory for a comprehensive list of scholars.
2024 – 2025 UW Nominees
Sofia Dahlgren
Chemical Engineering: Nanoscience & Molecular Engineering major
Sofia is a junior in Chemical Engineering pursuing the Nanoscience and Molecular Engineering program and minoring in Data Science. Since freshman year, Sofia has worked in the Nance Lab at the University of Washington to develop nanoparticle-based therapies for brain injury and disease. Her recent work extends the polymeric nanoparticle platform to encapsulate drugs for neurodegenerative disease. Sofia was a REU student at Duke University in the Payne Lab investigating the role of DNA-nanoparticle interactions in autoimmune disease.
Outside of the lab, Sofia serves as an Undergraduate Research Leader and actively mentors K-12 students through the Culture and Science Exchange program. She is passionate about increasing access to undergraduate research and developing culturally sustaining STEM curricula for diverse students. In her free time, Sofia enjoys reading, swimming, hiking, and learning different languages.
Sofia’s near-term and long-term goals: I plan to pursue a Ph.D. in chemical engineering after completing my undergraduate studies. In the long term, I aim to pursue research in nanotechnology for biomedical applications. I hope this work will improve health outcomes for those suffering from complex and chronic conditions.
Shivani Kottantharayil
Bioengineering major
I’m a junior majoring in Bioengineering with a focus on Nano and Molecular Engineering, and a minor in Music. I have been conducting research on protein-based hydrogels for drug delivery in the DeForest Lab since my freshman year. My projects have included researching a novel recombinant-protein based injectable hydrogel system that could be used for delivery of small protein drugs. My current project focuses on developing a stimuli-responsive, Boolean-logic based hydrogel that can respond to multiple inputs and be used for targeted drug delivery. Outside of research, I enjoy baking, reading, and playing the piano, violin, and sitar.
Conducting research for the past two years has led me to want to pursue a career in research, researching novel protein engineering methods with regenerative medicine applications. To achieve this goal I plan to pursue a PhD in Bioengineering or a related field after my undergraduate studies. I would like to thank all my research mentors for encouraging me to pursue a career in research.
Shivani’s near-term and long-term goals: After graduating, I plan to pursue a PhD in Bioengineering or a related field. Long term, I hope to lead my own lab and conduct research on novel tissue engineering and regenerative medicine techniques to develop biomaterials with clinical applications.
Scholarship Archive
Browse our archive for scholar and nominee history.