Growing up, Chloe Nyhart witnessed the anguish of breast cancer again and again.
Many of her close relatives carry the breast cancer gene mutations BRCA1 and BRCA2, and Nyhart watched as her cousins and aunts underwent painful, stressful procedures to manage their risk.
But witnessing wasn’t enough for Nyhart. Now a senior, she knew as early as high school that she wanted to be involved in cancer research — specifically, minimally invasive approaches to cancer diagnostics and treatment.
“I want to emphasize quality of life when I do my research,” Nyhart said. “I want to help people going through treatment and lessen the pain and the fear of that process.”
In Virginia Tech’s nanomedicine major, Nyhart found a path toward this goal. In Carla Finkielstein’s Integrated Cellular Responses Lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, she set forth on it.
Nyhart spent the summer and previous year studying how to use hair follicle cells to gain insight into chronic diseases — as opposed to relying on traditional blood samples, which can be painful and stressful.
Her work in this realm contributed to her selection as a 2024 Astronaut Scholar.
The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation has awarded 71 scholarships this year to students from 48 universities across the nation. The scholarships are awarded to students in their junior and senior years of college studying science, technology, engineering, or mathematics with the intent to pursue research or advance their field upon completion of their final degrees. The scholarship is designed to “launch” students to positively change and influence society through innovation.
Chemistry is that launchpad for Stephen Argauer, a senior also selected as a 2024 Astronaut Scholar.
After spending a semester at the Air Force Academy through Virginia Tech’s Air Force ROTC exchange program, Argauer took on a research position in Associate Professor Caroline Saouma’s lab in the Virginia Tech Department of Chemistry. He spent the spring semester investigating methods to use hydrogen as a more sustainable fuel.
Unlike most fuels, hydrogen does not produce the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide when burned. However, it is difficult to use hydrogen as a fuel since it is a gas at room temperature.
“If hydrogen could be stored as a liquid, it would be significantly safer and easier to use,” said Argauer. “Formic acid offers an avenue to achieve this, as it can be used as a hydrogen storage medium.”
In Saouma’s lab, Argauer is analyzing how this works.
“I’m definitely interested in conservation when it comes to different fuels and reducing greenhouse gases,” Argauer said. “If we can figure out how to use hydrogen as a fuel, then we can cut back on carbon dioxide emissions overall.”
Argauer will be commissioned into the Air Force in May. He aspires to serve as a chemist in the Air Force, teach at the Air Force Academy, get a Ph.D., and eventually become a professor.
The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation recognized Argauer, Nyhart, and the rest of the class 2024 Astronaut Scholars during its Innovators Gala in Houston in late August. In addition to receiving financial support of up to $15,000, the scholars benefit from networking and mentoring opportunities with astronauts, alumni, and industry leaders.
Lon Wagner for Virginia Tech
