"Becoming an ARCS Scholar truly changed my graduate career.  It gave me the opportunity to connect with my current advisor, Dr. Andrea Armani, and the freedom to focus on expanding my research.  My work is very multi-dimensional, spanning topics ranging from nonlinear optics to biology to virtual reality.  These types of investigations require collaborations across disparate departments and are very difficult to complete without external support.  Recently, because of this research, I was named one of the top five PhD students in the Electrical Engineering department at USC, the only American this tear to receive the honor.  As a result of this award, I will have a leadership role within the department, encourage students and be a resource for expanding innovation.  It is a powerful illustration of the influence the ARCS Foundation has on its scholars."