Lumen Scholars will work closely with their mentors during the next two years to pursue and complete their projects. Efforts traditionally include coursework, study abroad, research both on and off campus, internships locally and overseas, program development, and creative productions and performances.

“It was another very competitive year, and the Lumen Advisory Board saw many good applications,” said Michael Carignan, director of the Lumen Prize and professor of history. “These 15 represent truly special talent and engagement. We look forward to watching the projects unfold over the next two years.”

The name for the Lumen Prize comes from Elon’s historic motto, “Numen Lumen,” which are Latin words meaning “spiritual light” and “intellectual light.” The words, which are found on the 51±ŹÁÏÍű seal, signify the highest purposes of an Elon education.

2026 Lumen Prize Winners

Tajallah Amirkhil
Mentor: Molly Green
Major: Public Health & Biochemistry
Project: Barriers and Resilience: Exploring Mental Health among Afghan Refugee Women in North Carolina

Emma Briceño
Mentors: Dan Burns & Tita Ramirez
Major: English (Creative Writing)
Project: The Desert Lighthouse, a Novel: an Exploration of Queerness and Safety through Body Horror, Immortality, and Genre Reinvention

Kelley Calvillo
Mentor: Renay Aumiller
Major: Dance Performance and Choreography
Project: The Body Knows: Developing a Feminist Framework for Distributed Choreographic Authorship

Chloe Cone
Mentors: Eryn Bernardy & Ahlam Armaly
Major: Biochemistry
Project: Solutions in the Soil: Unearthing Novel Antibacterial Compounds from Soil Microbes to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance

Sanai Crosby
Mentors: Lauren Kearns & Matt Wittstein
Major: Exercise Science & Dance Science
Project: Dance and Neural Activity: Examining Neural Activity Across the Choreographic Process and Performance Environments

Fleur Helmantel
Mentor: Scott Wolter
Major: Biomedical Engineering & Chinese Studies
Project: Development of Tissue-Mimicking Phantoms for the Treatment of Breast Cancer

Anna Keller
Mentor: Scott Morrison
Project: Perceptions and Practices of Outdoor Literacy: a Two-Part Mixed-Methods Study

Nevaeh Kimmie
Mentor: Katrina Jongman-Sereno
Major: Psychology & Economics
Project: To Code-Switch or Not to Code-Switch: Authenticity, Psychological Outcomes, and Social Judgement of Black College Students in Predominantly White Academic Spaces

Lisa Kranec
Mentors: Hwayeon Ryu & Efrain Rivera-Serrano
Major: Biomedical Engineering & Applied Mathematics
Project: Mathematical Modeling of Excessive Collagen Production in Cardiac Fibrosis

Jordyne Lewis
Mentor: Steve DeLoach
Major: Economic Consulting & Data Analytics
Refugees, Emotional Wellbeing, and Financial Inclusion in Uganda

Kendall Lewis
Mentor: Jen Uno
Major: Biochemistry & Mathematics
Project: Can the Microbiome Heal the Brain?Evaluating Butyrate’s Efficiency in Reducing Stroke Severity within the Context of Obesity

Ja’Mir Parham
Mentor: Zack Hutchens
Major: Astrophysics
Project: RESOLVE, ECO, and eRASS: Probing Galaxy Growth through Cold and Hot Gas

Danny Stern
Mentor: Karl Sienerth
Major: Chemistry
Project: From Backlog to Breakthrough: Use of Fluorescence Quenching for the Development of an Explosive Identification Database

Ainsley Thompson
Mentor: Yuko Miyamoto
Major: Biochemistry
Project: Decreasing Platinum Chemotherapy Resistance by Downregulating STAT3 and Upregulating PTEN in the SKOV3 Cell Line

Scout Winter
Mentor: Bill Evans
Major: Exercise Science
Project: Effects of a Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet on Insulin Resistance and Inflammation in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes

The group visited UNC-Asheville’s Lookout Observatory. Student docents and Britt Lundgren from UNCA were the hosts. Even though it was cloudy at first, the sky cleared enough to observe Jupiter and its moons, some galaxies, and nebulae. The group managed to work on a hike to Catawba Falls before returning to campus. Elon faculty members Zack Hutchens and Martin Kamela accompanied the group.

Similar low-impact approaches are used in ice flow and climate research, including remote sensing, photography, and observational fieldwork of ice flows and glacier dynamics.

Hosted weekly by the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Physics & Astro Tea promises engaging discussions, thought-provoking ideas and a delightful spread of refreshments. Open to all students, faculty and staff, this gathering is the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow physics aficionados in a relaxed and informal setting. Meetings take place in the third-floor lounge of Innovation Hall at 3:20 p.m. on Wednesdays.

In a recent talk at the Physics and Astro Tea, CĂĄrdenas-Avendaño shared the historical development of this problem, starting with Isaac Newton’s deterministic laws of motion and moving through the n-body problem, a generalized question about the long-term motions of gravitationally attracted objects. This problem famously has no analytical solution and must be done computationally.

So is the solar system stable? Will any planets suddenly be ejected? The best current answer is maybe, but not during our lifetime.

Hosted weekly by the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Physics & Astro Tea promises engaging discussions, thought-provoking ideas and a delightful spread of refreshments. Open to all students, faculty and staff, this gathering is the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow physics aficionados in a relaxed and informal setting. Meetings take place in the third-floor lounge of Innovation Hall at 3:20 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Since his 2023 arrival at Elon, Kelly has hosted a ‘listening tour’ and spent time with each department to hear directly from faculty and staff about what they value. Kelly said that common themes soon emerged from those conversations and the new statement reflects dozens of discussions.

Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences new vision statement reads: “The Heart of an Elon Education: Ignite Curiosity, Engage Challenges, Transform Worlds.”

The mission statement then declares:

“Upholding the centrality of the liberal arts, we explore and apply disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge for inquiry, creativity, discovery and problem solving in a complex and changing world.”

The statement lists core values that include accessibility, belonging, critical thinking, diversity, equity and inclusion, integrity, intellectual curiosity, problem-posing and respect for human dignity.

Community Reflections

• “There were several opportunities for different groups, departments, branches, interdisciplinary programs, to discuss versions on the table. It was in those conversations where we might learn how a word or phrase was heard within and across disciplines; where we found convergence, deeper awareness, and respect. The both-and of this process modeled what we value and genuinely captures our shared identity as Elon College.” – Caroline Ketcham, associate dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of exercise science
• “It was always important to us that this wasn’t a process where faculty were just asked to weigh in at the end, after the real decisions had already been made. From start to finish, it was grounded in listening to what faculty across the college say we do well and what values they believe guide our shared work. Our task wasn’t to invent a mission, vision and values, but to clearly articulate what faculty are already living and leading with. I think that’s why faculty can so readily see themselves and their departments represented in the final statements.” – David Buck, associate dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and an associate professor of psychology
• “Having shared goals and articulated values helps everyone in the college feel connected as a community, value each other’s work and prioritize our energies on initiatives that matter to us.” – Shannon Duvall, interim associate dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of computer science
• “I appreciated the collaborative nature of it all, not just between the dean’s office and department chairs, but also extending to faculty members across Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences. It really did involve all of us. What particularly stood out to me were the conversations in our chairs’ meetings with the dean where we came to agreements on core values. It’s inspiring to see that distinctly different types of disciplines uphold the same core values.” – Joel Karty, chair of the Department of Chemistry and 51±ŹÁÏÍű’s Sydney F. & Kathleen E. Jackson Professor of chemistry
• “I appreciated being part of a process that felt genuinely collaborative. Our participation was not merely symbolic. It felt meaningful, and I experienced the dean’s office as truly listening. The process itself was also inspirational, and I feel bolstered in leading my own department through similar work. It was powerful to see such a broad, collective effort take shape into something tangible.” – Samantha DiRosa, chair of the Department of Art and a professor of art and environmental studies
• “The process of creating a new vision statement, mission statement and core values for Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences was both thoughtful and deeply collaborative. Over many months, department chairs worked together to reflect on what makes us distinctive and how best to express those qualities in guiding statements. The process intentionally sought input from across departments, ensuring that everyone in the college had the opportunity to contribute their perspectives. Personally, the time spent reflecting with fellow chairs on what makes each of our departments special fostered a deeper sense of shared purpose and collective commitment.” – Carrie Eaves, chair of the Department of Political Science and Public Policy and associate professor of political science and public policy

Kelly said he was pleased the final language resonated with the faculty in the college.

“The true measure of a successful attempt to lead a group or an organization towards a renewed vision, mission and core values is whether the words and sentiments ‘sound like us’,” he said. “When I heard that some faculty believed my presentation of our vision, mission and core values at our spring faculty meeting ‘sound like us,’ I knew that our work together in small and large group settings was a huge success. It means that stakeholders were heard and that the words resonate so much so that the tune or melody is familiar. The vision, mission and core values reflect truly who we are and where we are going with much intention.”

Squire is currently a threat intelligence researcher for F-Secure, a Finnish company specializing in cyber security and privacy. Under the theme of “everything is always changing all the time”, Squire said that in her workplace, AI tools are not optional; they are a “power up” that can increase individual productivity several times over.

However, those “AI tools are kinda problematic and also kinda good”, and there is a lot of gray area of what is ethical or even authentic. Squire encouraged students to find ways to protect themselves, their identities, and their value as they graduate and enter the job market.

Hosted weekly by the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Physics & Astro Tea promises engaging discussions, thought-provoking ideas and a delightful spread of refreshments. Open to all students, faculty and staff, this gathering is the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow physics aficionados in a relaxed and informal setting. Meetings take place in the third-floor lounge of Innovation Hall at 3:20 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Crider presented the 2026 Stellar Society Lecture at GTCC, “The End of Science as We Know It: Lessons for Today from the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions,” which explored historical parallels between past technological revolutions and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.

Crider described how exponential improvements in technology have often disrupted traditional career pathways and said jobs in science are no exception.

“When you’re looking at jobs and AI, it’s important to think about where you are in your lifetime,” Crider said, noting that older employees may have different concerns than those who are mid-career or about to enter the workforce. He advised college students to diversify their educational interests and goals to maximize future opportunities.

He said artificial intelligence is already automating several aspects of science and industry and that these changes are likely to continue in the foreseeable future.

Associate Professor of Physics Martin Kamela spoke to a Physics & Astro Tea audience about the singing, whistling, squeaking and barking sounds that some sands can make. Researchers have found that, in order to make these sounds, sand granules need to be nearly spherical, small, and nearly uniform in size. These sounds seem to come from the friction between granules arranged in slip planes and are unrelated to other surface effects.

But sound is not the only trip up sand’s sleeve. Like some other granular materials, the empty volume between granules of sand will expand under shear deformation, explaining why sand seems to dry out when it is stepped on.

Hosted weekly by the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Physics & Astro Tea promises engaging discussions, thought-provoking ideas and a delightful spread of refreshments. Open to all students, faculty and staff, this gathering is the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow physics aficionados in a relaxed and informal setting. Meetings take place in the third-floor lounge of Innovation Hall at 3:20 p.m. on Wednesdays.

In a panel discussion led by Professor of Astrophysics Tony Crider, Associate Professor of Astrophysics Chris Richardson, Morgan Micharski, Cayden Tirak and Jonathan Berkson shared reflections from their time at the national conference. Discussion topics ranged from announcements of cutting-edge research, the tenor of academics and researchers under the current state of science funding and policies, and the experience of presenting scholarly work on a national stage.

Hosted weekly by the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Physics & Astro Tea promises engaging discussions, thought-provoking ideas and a delightful spread of refreshments. Open to all students, faculty and staff, this gathering is the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow physics aficionados in a relaxed and informal setting. Meetings take place in the third-floor lounge of Innovation Hall at 3:20 p.m. on Wednesdays.

The $300,000 grant as part of a NASA Research Initiation Award will help Associate Professor Chris Richardson in the Department of Physics and Astronomy to continue his ongoing scholarship into intermediate mass black holes, which fall between small and supermassive black holes.

Such black holes help astronomers gain a better sense of why supermassive black holes became supermassive. Because intermediate mass black holes are elusive and not many have been found, researchers are working on ways to detect them in smaller galaxies, called dwarf galaxies.

“Intermediate mass black holes are good for a holistic understanding of how galaxies evolve since we know that black hole – galaxy co-evolution is necessary to explain the Universe we see today,” said Richardson, who focuses his scholarship on active galactic nuclei, extreme emission line galaxies, starburst galaxies, and galaxy chemical evolution. “One of the big picture questions for NASA, at least, is how did we get here? And to answer that question, we also have to ask how the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way became supermassive?”

The award will fund national and international travel for Richardson and a team that includes 51±ŹÁÏÍű undergraduate researchers. The group will have the opportunity to attend astrophysics conferences and meet in person with collaborators, experiences that are often cost-prohibitive.

Richardson said that this is especially valuable for the undergraduates who will broaden their network in the field of astrophysics.

“So many of the students that are working with us in our group want to go on to graduate school, and more than ever before, graduate school is about the connections that you make,” Richardson said. “This grant will allow us to make those types of connections for each of the students and make them more competitive when they put in their applications.”

By discovering how many dwarf galaxies have intermediate mass black holes, Richardson said, he hopes the astrophysics field can make progress in solving the mystery of how the black holes at the centers of galaxies first formed in the early Universe.

Undergraduate students on the project will create new models for detecting these medium-sized black holes. Students will also have the opportunity to present results at national conferences such as the American Astronomical Society, a gathering of more than 3,000 astronomers.

“It’s a different deal to go to international or national conferences and present in front of experts,” Richardson said. “These students will be able to make fruitful connections, network and practice presenting their research. I am excited for the opportunities our undergraduate students will have through this grant and for the possibilities of what is to come next.”

Jonathan Berkson ’27, an astrophysics major and Lumen Prize scholar from Philadelphia, P.A., is conducting undergraduate research under Richardson’s mentorship.

“It’s amazing that Dr. Richardson provided us with the groundwork to explore the most fundamental question: how has the universe evolved to the point where it is today,” Berkson said. “My project is challenging me on so many different levels. I’ve also grown immensely working with friends in the research group and collaborators outside of Elon.”

Jaylem Cheek ’27, an astrophysics major, Lumen Prize scholar, Odyssey Fellow, and Elon College Fellow from Burlington, N.C., described his undergraduate work with Richardson as “one of the best decisions I have made since coming to Elon.”

“Not only have I fulfilled my dream on researching black holes in astrophysics,” Cheek said, “but Dr. Richardson is also giving me all of the tools I need to succeed in astrophysics after attending Elon.”