Jana Carpenter, a Ph.D. candidate in Chemistry, is among five University of Georgia doctoral students who were recently named 2022 ARCS Scholars by the Office of Research. Ms. Carpenter will receive $7,500 for the next three years to support their dissertation research. UGA hosted the 30th annual ARCS Awards Ceremony on November 17th. At the event, the scholars were able to meet donors and ARCS leadership, as well as connect with other scholars from across the state. Ms. Carpenter, a third-year Ph.D. student in bioanalytical chemistry, is a member of the Hines Lab under the direction of Dr. Kelly M. Hines. She is exploring the relationship between bacterial metabolism and antibiotic resistance. Her goal is to determine phenotypes of resistance in antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a type of germ that up to 30% of people carry in their noses, which will advance understanding of these pathogens and predict outcomes in drug therapies. “My immediate reaction to being named an ARCS Scholar was just overcome with joy,” Carpenter said. “I was just really glad to know that what I do is important, and that I get to be a part of a community of other scholars who make research like this a priority.” The ARCS Foundation is a nationally recognized nonprofit started and run entirely by women. To address the country’s need for new scientists and engineers, the foundation provides unrestricted funding to help the country’s brightest Ph.D. students create new knowledge and innovative technologies.
