News

Alexander "Sasha" Frolov – Endowment Scholar
2nd Year Scholar, PhD Candidate

Computer Science
University of Maryland

Research: 
My research area is cryptography, which is the mathematical study of secure communication and computation. I am interested in making cryptographic systems faster and more capable. I currently work on Zero-Knowledge Proofs, which...

Isaac Bilsel – Barbara Luchsinger Memorial Scholar
2nd Year Scholar, PhD Candidate

Computer Engineering
George Washington University

Research: 
Modern large language models use a Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) approach to scale to massive sizes by activating only parts of the model at a time. While this reduces computation, it creates complex communication...

Kieran Barvenik – Angie Delaney Memorial Scholar
2nd Year Scholar, PhD Candidate

Mechanical Engineering
University of Maryland

Research: 
My research seeks to explore the development of novel soft hemispherical robots, which utilize a flexible hemispherical shell coupled with pneumatic or hydraulic loading to produce a complex “Pac-Man” grasping shape. Because...

Dear ARCS MWC Members,

As summer begins to wind down, board members have been hard at work preparing another exciting year for ARCS Metro Washington. We have been planning our upcoming events, including this fall's Scholar Awards Reception (SAR) on Nov 5, while also beginning preliminary planning for our 2027...

Dear ARCS MWC Members,

ARCS MWC has had a successful year, and we'd like to recap some of the highlights. We have enjoyed outstanding programs and events with increased member attendance throughout the year. Our Eagle Celebration was particularly successful, raising enough funds to support several future scholars. Our University...

The 2026 Eagle Award Celebration, attended by members of the ARCS® Metro Washington Chapter (ARCS MWC) and other ARCS chapters, donors, Scholars, Scholar Alums, and guests, was held on May 1 at The Army and Navy Club in Washington, DC.

The Honorable Deborah Wince-Smith, Founder and CEO of the Council on...

ARCS MWC Membership hosted a New Member Orientation on Fri, Apr 10 at the home of Jane Riddle. New members who have joined in the past three years gathered for social time and then an orientation to the ARCS MWC councils and committees, including time for Q&A. Huge thanks to co-VP...

Nicole Crumpler – Michelle & Julian Francis Scholar
1st Year Scholar, PhD candidate

Physics and Astronomy
Johns Hopkins University

Research: 
My research combines theoretical physics and observational astronomy to explore unknown physics, such as dark matter and quantum gravity, by using black hole mergers and white dwarf stars to search...

Clara Stahlmann Roeder O’Connor – MWC Chapter Scholar
1st Year Scholar, PhD candidate

Biology & Biomedical Engineering
University of Virginia

Research: 
My research studies how age and prior social experience affect the perception and response to social environments, focusing on fighting behavior in the long-lived forked fungus beetle, including how...

Dear ARCS MWC Members,

What a month it's been! We began with a wonderful New Member Orientation, where 15 new and current members gathered for an engaging evening. Hilary Sparrell (co-VP Membership) provided an excellent overview of the ARCS MWC mission, our university partnerships, chapter structure, and calendar.

We also...