Kaarthic is a rising senior at Dunlap High School in the Peoria area. He is planning on enrolling in college in Fall 2026 and majoring in the biological sciences. In his free time he enjoys listening to music and podcasts.

Jacob Lindgren is pursuing a B.S. in chemistry with ACS certification. Previous undergraduate research included fabrication of low-cost optical etalon biosensory devices. They plan to graduate in Spring 2026, and look to further their education in graduate school.

Eric Chow is majoring in biochemistry and minoring in data science. Previous research included analyzing carbodiimide conjugation chemistry using fluorescence spectroscopy through various crosslinker concentrations. He plans to graduate in spring of 2025.

KC is pursuing her B.S. degrees in chemistry and music, estimated to graduate Spring 2025. Previous undergraduate research projects include synthesis and characterization of NIPAm-based nanoparticles as well as fabrication of low-cost optical etalon biosensory devices. She also works as a planetarium educator in the Peoria Riverfront Museum. 

Matthew Gerontes is working on his B.S. in Chemistry at Bradley University. His previous undergraduate research project was to study the effect of nanoparticle morphology on solar-cell efficiency. After graduation in Fall of 2024 his future plans are to stay in Peoria to find work and possibly pursue further education.

Gabe Putman is working on his B.S. in Chemistry at Bradley University. Previous undergraduate research projects included investigating compositional and physical properties of silica, ceria, and ceria coated silica abrasive nanoparticles used in chemical mechanical planarization processes utilizing fluorescence of dyes. He is also currently interning at Precision Planting in Tremont, IL doing soil analysis.

Caraleigh Smith is pursuing a B.S. in Chemistry with a concentration in Engineering and a minor in Anthropology, estimated to graduate in the spring of 2024. She has worked as a laboratory teaching assistant for Bradley's Chemistry and Biochemistry department for 3 years. 

Chris graduated from Lyons Township High School in LaGrange, Illinois in 2023 and is currently a freshman at Bradley University. He is majoring in biomedical sciences and plans to continue his studies in graduate school. Chris’s goal is to eventually attend medical school and become a physician. He is very passionate about his academics and is excited to pursue research with his peers and mentor!