Science fiction can inspire the future, becoming the basis for many scientific and technological advances. For one ARCS Scholar, it ignited a passion.

ARCS Scholar Ashley Kroll credits the world of science fiction with starting her passion for Nanoengineering. “I learned about this field when I started reading science fiction in high school, especially the works of Michael Crichton,” said Kroll. “I found out how material properties can change at a very small scale from reading these books and now I am studying the use of nanoscale materials for biomedical applications.”

As a graduate student at the University of California San Diego, Ashley is currently investigating how immunostimulatory nanoparticles can be coated with the membrane from cancer cells to provoke the immune system to form strong and specific immunity against tumors. She is constantly inspired to continue her work by the potential lives it could change, “Nanoparticles and nanoparticle properties have so much untapped potential for interacting with the human body in ways current medicines cannot,” said Kroll. “With proper engineering and design, I can envision nanomedicine as having a huge impact in improving many diseases. I specifically feel driven to work on cancer treatment as it has a devastating impact on so many families. In fact, in the middle of my graduate career, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer — which brought a whole new meaning to my work and inspired me to work harder than before.”

Ashley is grateful for the opportunity the ARCS Scholar Award provides her, allowing her to offset her living costs and audit additional courses to further her research. “As an ARCS Scholar, I have been able to audit courses related to my research which has significantly improved and sped up my project progress. Without the award, I would not have had time to supplement my immunology background, and I have no doubt it would have made my research much more challenging!”

Fund scholars, like Ashley, who are changing the world with their passion for science with a donation to ARCS Foundation.