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ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University celebrated academic excellence and innovative research during the 2024 David J. Beck Fellows ceremony on Nov. 15 in the Reaud Executive Event Space, recognizing senior Ryan Shugart and junior Mahima Verma. 

The fellowship, established by LU alumnus and attorney David J. Beck, provides full scholarships and up to $10,000 for summer research projects, empowering students to pursue unique academic endeavors.

“I couldn’t be more impressed with the students at ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University—their quality and achievements truly stand out. The fact that you two came out on top within such a competitive environment is a big deal,” ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University President Jaime Taylor said.

Shugart, of Pasadena, Texas, is working toward dual degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering, along with a mathematics minor. Over the summer, he conducted research at Emerson Automation Solutions in Round Rock, Texas, where he assessed how well engineering coursework equips students for the challenges they’ll face in the industry.

As part of the project, Shugart worked as an FPGA engineer and took a course in Field Programmable Gate Array Design and Architecture. He concluded that academic programs often focus on intricate details, while industry success relies on mastering fundamentals and problem-solving skills.

Shugart’s work at Emerson contributed to the development of next-generation APL CHARMs, and he plans to present his findings at the American Society for Engineering Education.

Verma, a computer science student from Chandigarh, India, conducted machine learning and deep learning research at Michigan Technological University. Her project centered on identifying lysine crotonylation sites in protein DNA, an area linked to cellular processes and diseases. Verma achieved a high level of accuracy in her predictions, outperforming recent studies, and aims to publish a research paper on her findings.

Additionally, Verma turned her focus to identifying DNA-RNA binding proteins using a multi-label learning model and convolutional neural networks (CNNs).

The David J. Beck Fellowship is awarded to up to two students annually who demonstrate exceptional academic performance and innovative thinking. Fellows are provided the financial support to pursue summer projects in research, internships, or international study.

Beck, a 1961 graduate of ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ University and a founding partner of the Houston-based litigation boutique firm Beck Redden, created the fellowship to give back to the institution that helped launch his career.

This year’s fellows join a distinguished group of past recipients who have used the fellowship to advance their academic and professional goals, exemplifying the legacy of excellence that Beck envisioned.

To learn more about the David J. Beck Fellowship, visit /forms/academic-affairs/david-beck-fellowship/index.html