Moonshots launch here
Ever wondered what happens when dreams meet determination? Take a stroll through UC Davis where students aren’t just hitting the books—they’re soaring to greater heights.
These future trailblazers are proof that with a mix of passion, hard work and a touch of Aggie ingenuity, anything is possible. Whether it’s revolutionizing sustainable farming, curing rare diseases or exploring the outer reaches of space, these students are turning “what if” into “what’s next.”
But there’s more to their individual journeys than raw talent and perseverance: Each of these students has been supported by the generosity of donors. Scholarships and other awards have not only eased financial burdens but are empowering them to achieve the extraordinary.
Meet the next generation of innovators and change makers to discover how UC Davis is a launchpad for dreams that reach far beyond the stars.
Sky’s the limit
Shreya Chandra’s ambitions are as vast as the cosmos itself. The third-year aerospace and mechanical engineering student dreams of becoming an astronaut so she can explore the universe and experience life on another planet.
“I’ve been fascinated with space since I was a little girl, and I’ve always wanted to live on the moon,” Chandra said.
Inspired by a lineage of engineers, she follows in the footsteps of her father and grandfather but is the first in her family to pursue a career in aerospace.
As an undergraduate researcher in the Bioastronautics and eXploration Systems Laboratory at the UC Davis Center for Spaceflight Research, Chandra is on a team developing a mock space ambulance and testing how the cardiovascular system is impacted upon reentry into Earth’s orbit.
“My favorite thing about studying engineering at UC Davis is the Center for Spaceflight Research,” she said. “There are so many exciting projects underway that could change the future of space travel.”
In her first two years at UC Davis, Chandra has received nearly a dozen scholarships, including the Karim Abou Najm Memorial Change-Makers Prize and the Dean Keith Simonton Creativity in Undergraduate Research Award.
And with each new day, Chandra’s dreams of propelling humanity into the cosmos moves closer to becoming reality.
“I’m going to keep pushing myself out of my comfort zone and see how much I can accomplish,” she said.
A farm-to-table future
Jacob Spooner ’24 is on a mission for all humans to have access to fresh, organic, sustainably grown food.
Before coming to UC Davis to study sustainable agriculture and food systems, Spooner worked in the culinary world. He shifted his career path after working at a restaurant in the Pacific Northwest that offered a farm-to-table experience, fueled by fresh-caught fish and locally grown produce.
“Seeing the interconnectedness of agricultural practices and the food industry was eye-opening,” he said. “Circular food systems are crucial for making a positive impact on the planet.”
While pursuing his undergraduate degree, Spooner interned at 21 Acres, a farm distribution hub and education center that connects local farmers with markets and restaurants, fostering a sustainable and regenerative food system.
“In agriculture, the true stars are the unsung heroes—the farmers and sustainable food system innovators,” he said.
Donor support, like the Emil M. Mrak Student Award and the Nancy Rupp Tibbits Scholarship Fund, gave Spooner unique opportunities to study abroad and gain hands-on experience in the field.
“My dream is to establish more micro-ecosystems to support local farmers and expand access to fresh, organic food in communities around the world,” he said.
Community health for all
Aron King, M.S. ’21, envisions a world where every person can access quality health care. That begins with a community-focused approach.
“I want to meet people where they are, in places they already go,” King said. “A network of clinics that offer wraparound services—maternal care, dental, mental health—all integrated into the community would make health care more accessible and impactful.”
An assistant nurse manager at UC Davis Health and doctoral student at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, King recently led an initiative that brought health education and services to a trusted community space: the barbershop.
“We talked about fatherhood, mental health, hypertension, diabetes and more,” explained King.
The program’s success led to the development of “Cut to the Chase,” a continuation of the initiative that brings licensed therapists and mental health services into barbershops and beauty salons.
“We know that connections are made in health care with people that look like you, and having representation matters,” he said.
As a recipient of the Brunner Family Endowed Scholarship for Nursing Leadership, King’s graduate education has been funded by grants and philanthropic awards, which he said really “lightened the load” as the sole provider for his family.
Through his leadership role at the Capitol Black City Nurses Association, King champions community education, leadership development among Black nurses and pathway programs for pre-nursing students in underserved communities.
Cures for rare diseases
Alex Neupauer ’23 was always curious about how things worked, particularly the human body.
Neupauer’s passion for biological science became even more personal at age 8 when he learned he had a rare genetic condition, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).
“I started noticing physical changes, and that’s when my parents told me I had DMD,” he said. “It was a shock, but it fueled my interest in biology even more.”
Now a UC Davis graduate student in the Integrative Genetics and Genomics Program, Neupauer dreams of working in gene therapy so he can contribute to finding cures for rare diseases.
“I know what it’s like to live with something where there isn’t really a cure yet, and I know how happy I would be if somebody were to discover something that truly changed my life,” he said.
But, he continued, “As cool as it would be to cure my own condition, it would be equally rewarding to do that for anyone.”
A recipient of the Floyd and Mary Schwall Fellowship and Lurie Graduate Student Award, Neupauer says financial support allowed him to dive deeper into studying gene therapy.
Developing better ways to deliver replacement genes to people in an efficient way, without causing unfavorable immune responses for patients, is going to be key, he said.
“Funding for rare disease research is limited,” Neupauer said, pointing to the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines as a prime example of the power of funding. “Imagine what we could do with more financial support for this work.”
Call of the wildlife
Jessica Coe’s dream is to create a ripple effect of positive change in the world of wildlife medicine.
“I want my impact to reach beyond direct animal care, influencing community efforts to support wildlife,” Coe said.
Becoming a veterinarian is what Coe refers to as her “second career.” She previously pursued an undergraduate degree in environmental policy and worked in environmental consulting for 12 years, focusing on habitat restoration and waste management.
“I saw so much of what people were doing to alter the habitat that these animals have available to them, which affects their chances to survive,” she said. “I felt a moral obligation to support all of the animals that we have impacted.”
Now in her final year at the School of Veterinary Medicine, Coe loves working with animals, especially the large birds at the California Raptor Center.
“It’s exhilarating to work so closely with these magnificent creatures and contribute to their recovery,” said Coe, whose duties at the Center range from conducting intake exams on injured birds to caring for resident birds like a Swainson’s Hawk named Grasshopper. “The support from donors has been a profound vote of confidence. It’s given me a feeling that someone else is behind me, helping me pursue a dream I never thought was possible.”
As the recipient of many donor-funded awards, including the Ruth M. Coffin Endowed Scholarship and Joseph and Maria Schaeffer Scholarship, Coe is interested in helping others from non-traditional backgrounds navigate financial barriers to education.
