Kennesaw State University Student Wins Top Prize at 2026 Birla Carbon Scholars Symposium
KENNESAW, Ga. | Sep 4, 2026
Kennesaw State University biology student Pedro Santos has been awarded the top prize at the 2026 Birla Carbon Scholars Symposium for his research on muscular degeneration in fruit flies.
Now in its 13th year, the symposium marks the culmination of an intensive summer research program, allowing students to work on sponsored projects under the guidance of Kennesaw State faculty.
Heather Koopman, Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics (CSM), emphasized the importance of undergraduate research opportunities, highlighting their role in integrating learning and developing students’ professional identities at KSU.
Santos worked in the lab of Professor Anton Bryantsev to explore the mechanisms of age-related muscle degeneration, conducting physical tests on fruit flies to measure exercise’s effects on muscle health and lifespan. This research has potential applications for understanding similar issues in humans.
“We want to understand the mechanisms of muscle deterioration with aging, known as sarcopenia,” said Santos. “Our goal is to connect findings in fruit flies to human health, emphasizing the importance of exercise in preventing muscular degeneration.”
This year’s scholars, along with their majors and faculty mentors, included:
- Sienna Bennett, Biochemistry; Justin Varholick, Assistant Professor of Biology
- Levi Brigham, Biochemistry; Soon Goo Lee, Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology
- Dakota Carey, Physics; Kiran Prasai, Assistant Professor of Physics
- Lawrence Harmon, Physics; Mahmoud Asmar, Associate Professor of Physics
- Kai Ives, Physics; Andreas Papaesthathiou, Associate Professor of Physics
- Aldair Palma, Physics; Chetan Dhital, Associate Professor of Physics
- Austin Salehi, Biology; Michael Stollenz, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry
- Skylor Seetaram, Biochemistry; Carl Saint-Louis, Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry
- Eva Simpson, Biochemistry; Eric Albrecht, Associate Professor of Biology
- Madeline Smith, Biology; Whitney Preisser, Assistant Professor of Ecological and Organismal Biology
- Pedro Santos, Biology; Anton Bryantsev, Professor of Developmental Biology
- Kylie Speer, Biology; Dongyu Jia, Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology
Additionally, the symposium introduced the inaugural cohort of Birla Carbon International Scholars, supported by a $184,000 donation from Birla Carbon. Nine students participated in a six-week summer study abroad program at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Goa, India.
“The partnership between Birla Carbon and Kennesaw State is crucial for developing future scientific leaders,” stated Jing Pan of Birla Carbon Americas. “This collaboration provides exceptional research opportunities for talented students.”
The Birla Carbon International Scholars and their mentors included:
- Raphael Nelson and Lucas Ruth, Physics; Chetan Dhital, Associate Professor of Physics
- Sanaa Harden, David Roque, Emilio Mesa, Biology; Nyriah Johnson, Biochemistry; Dongyu Jia, Associate Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology
- Samya Doggett, Biology; Joshua Lee and Bennett Robertson, Biochemistry; Bharat Baruah, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Since 2014, Birla Carbon has funded 129 scholars in research endeavors. This year marks the 13th cohort, with anticipation for continued collaboration and the annual symposium showcasing young scientists.
Alongside the $4,500 stipend awarded to each scholar, Santos received an additional $2,000 to present his research at a national or regional conference.
– Story by Dave Shelles
Photo by Matt Yung
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Kennesaw State University offers a broad range of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs to its more than 51,000 students. As a Carnegie-designated research institution (R2), Kennesaw State represents a prestigious segment of U.S. colleges and universities. For more details, visit kennesaw.edu.
