WKU News

With summer drawn to a close and fall officially beginning today, The Gatton Academy would like to highlight some of the varied activities that Gatton students pursued over the summer.

Envirothon
Envirothon is an “international environmental and natural resource problem-solving competition that builds leadership experience for high school students… incorporating STEM principles, hands-on learning, and outdoor field experiences” (Envirothon.org). After Gatton’s three Envirothon teams earned 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd overall at the state level, the 1^st place team traveled to Mississippi University in Starkville, MS, to participate in the National Conservation Foundation-Envirothon international competition. Coached by Penny Warwick, Education Coordinator & Program Technician with the Warren County Soil & Water Conservation District, the following students placed 10^th out of 42 teams from across the United States and Canada:

Rowan Bailey (’26, Bourbon County HS)

Harsh Gupta (’27, duPont Manual HS)

Charles Maddux (’26, Hopkinsville HS)

Sophia Mitchell (’27, Mason County HS)

Helen Rose (’26, Henry Clay HS)

Gatton Research Internship Grant

In its 17th year, the Gatton Research Internship Grant program funded summer research opportunities for rising seniors. The grants provide stipends, living expenses, and a small supplies fund. Nine students were chosen for Summer 2026, conducting research at WKU and the University of Kentucky.

Nishita Chaduvula (’27, Eastern HS) worked with Grace Dines, Service Climatologist for the Kentucky Climate Center at WKU, on her project “Climatology of Vegetation Phenology in Kentucky: Linking Normalized Difference Vegetation Index-Derived Green-Up and Brown-Down to Climate Variables.”

Leah Chen (’27, Bowling Green HS) worked with Dr. Liwei Fang of WKU’s Biological Sciences Department on her project: “Functional Characterization of Conserved MroQ Residues for Staphylococcus aureus Quorum Sensing via IVA Cloning Approach and Its Role in Cell Survival.”

Arthur Elliott (’27, duPont Manual HS) worked with Dr. Pallav Bera of WKU’s School of Engineering & Applied Sciences on his project: “Comparative Analysis of Machine Learning and Deep Learning Models for Transmission Line Fault Classification.”

Ismail Gilani (’27, Taylor County HS) worked with Dr. Bangbo Yan of WKU’s Chemistry & Biochemistry Department on his project: “Heterodinuclear Metal-Organic Coordination Polymers as Photocatalysts in the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Under Visible Light.”

Samuel Gordon (’27, Daviess County HS) worked with Dr. Ivan Novikov of WKU’s Physics & Astronomy Department on his project: “Development of a Low-Cost Particle Image Velocimetry System for WKU.”

Malleshwar Jayaraman Suresh (’27, Western Hills HS) worked with Dr. Richard Schugart of WKU’s Mathematics Department on his project: “A Nonlinear Mixed-Effects Approach to Modeling Diabetic Foot Ulcer Healing.”

Jiwoo Kim (’27, Model Laboratory School) worked with Dr. Robin Cooper of the University of Kentucky’s Biology Department on her project: “The mechanistic effects of isoflurane on crayfish synaptic transmission.”

Sophie Sandifer (’27, Christian County HS) worked with Dr. Joseph Marquardt of WKU’s Biological Sciences Department on her project: “Investigating the Cell Shape Regulation by Elm1 and Bud14 in Budding Yeast.”

Sophia Mitchell (’27, Mason County HS) worked with Dr. Joseph Marquardt of WKU’s Biological Sciences Department on her project: “Investigating the Regulation of the Polarity Kinase Cla4 by the Cell Shape Kinase Elm1.”

Mammoth Cave

Thanks to generous funding provided by Mr. Bill Gatton, Gatton was able to offer paid internships for two students to work at Mammoth Cave National Park.

Charles Maddux (’26, Hopkinsville HS)

Helen Rose (’26, Henry Clay HS)

Study Abroad in England

The Gatton Academy partnered with Wroxton College in Oxfordshire, England for a three-week study abroad program focused on British Literature. The following students took the course with Drs. Nancy Dinan and Dawn Winters of WKU’s English Department:

Elika Amin (’27, duPont Manual HS)

Cecelia Amorim (’27, Warren Central HS)

Elizabeth Barnett (’27, Grayson County HS)

Lucas Brady (’27, Oldham County Senior HS)

Ainsley Brakefield (’27, Spencer County HS)

Hutch Brown (’27, Paducah Tilghman HS)

Natalie Buehler (’27, Oldham County Senior HS)

Alexander Bundrick (’27, Home School)

Wyatt Cecil (’27, Hart County HS)

Sai Charan Chouta (’27, Larry A Ryle HS)

Kohen Coffey (’27, Barren County HS)

Aron DeMarse (’27, Greenwood HS)

Suren Dhasarathan (’27, Greenwood HS)

Sam Dunlap (’27, Franklin-Simpson HS)

Nate Dyer (’27, Murray HS)

Ellie Evans (’27, Elizabethtown Senior HS)

Hudson Feinauer (’27, Saint Henry District HS)

Alex Francke (’27, Henderson County HS)

Brady Francke (’27, Henderson County HS)

Samuel Gordon (’27, Daviess County HS)

Jada Gray (’27, John Hardin HS)

Eli Hancock (’27, Mercer County Senior HS)

Claudia Johnson (’27, Owensboro HS)

Melina Kargarzadeh (’27, Marion County HS)

Jonas Lamb (’27, Larue County HS)

Garrett Lambert (’27, Muhlenberg County HS)

Tommy Le (’27, Great Crossing HS)

Anthony Lin (’27, Rowan County Senior HS)

Xander Makranszky (’27, Adair County HS)

Gwen May (’27, Graves County HS)

Westley McInteer (’27, Martha Layne Collins HS)

Noxie Melton ('27, Riverview Opportunity Center)

Sophia Mitchell (’27, Mason County HS)

CJ Moody (’27, Christian Academy of Louisville)

Sofia Orlova (’27, Atherton HS)

Burkley Owens (’27, Greenwood HS)

Anik Pansuria (’27, Greenwood HS)

Soham Patel (’27, Larue County HS)

Allyse Raymer (’27, Riverview Opportunity Center)

Addison Robertson (’27, University Heights Academy)

Brock Schreiner (’27, Great Crossing HS)

Khizar Sher (’27, Hazard HS)

Erin Simpkinson (’27, Model Laboratory School)

Colton Smith ('27, Central Hardin HS)

Joel Stec (’27, Larry A Ryle HS)

Kat Tellez (’27, Trigg County HS)

Zoey Van Zee (’27, Western Hills HS)

Arabella Wilkins (’27, Oldham County Senior HS)

Luke Willis (’27, Rockcastle County HS)

Noah Wodrig ('27, Owen County HS)

National Security Language Initiative-for Youth (NSLI-Y)

NSLI-Y Scholarships from the U.S. Department of State fund students for six to eight weeks of summer intensive study and immersion in a critical language. The programs are typically carried out through immersive study abroad with participants taking intensive language courses, living with a host family, and visiting sites of cultural significance in their host nation. The following students received NSLI-Y Scholarships for summer language study:

Flynn Cook (’26, Highlands HS) continued his Russian language studies in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Olivia Norris (’27, Elizabethtown Senior HS) continued her Mandarin Chinese studies in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Adelaide Ogilvy (’26, Hopkinsville HS) continued her Russian language studies in Daugavpils, Latvia.

Governor’s Scholars Program

The Governor’s Scholars Program (GSP) is a five-week residential experience designed to “enhance Kentucky’s next generation of civic and economic leaders” (gsp.ky.gov). The following students participated in GSP:  

Michelle Morttey (’27, Atherton HS)

Judah Thornton (’27, Lincoln County HS)

Divine Ezinma (’27, Calloway County HS)

Sydney Bromwell (’27, Allen County-Scottsville HS)

International Science and Engineering Fair

After winning Best in Fair awards at the Louisville Regional Science and Engineering Fair in March, the following Gatton students represented Team Kentucky at the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair in May in Phoenix, AZ, where more than 1,700 students from around the world gathered to share their research:

Leah Chen (’27, Bowling Green HS) presented her Chemistry research project titled “Bioinspired CO2 Capture: Mimicking Carbonic Anhydrase with a Zinc(II) Histidine Metal Organic Framework.”

Jiwoo Kim (’27, Model Laboratory School) was awarded 3rd place and $1,200 in the Cellular and Molecular Biology category for her research project titled “The Effects of Isoflurane on Crayfish Synaptic Transmission.”

Other Notable Individual Experiences

Ava Carver (’27, Rowan County Senior HS) participated in the Markey Cancer Center's Appalachian Career Training in Oncology program. During this residential summer program, Ava shadowed doctors, attended conferences, participated in college workshops, and studied the regenerative properties of planarians (flatworm).

Sai Charan Chouta (’27, Larry A Ryle HS) participated in WKU’s residential Personal Finance Summer Camp.

Ram Danturthi (’27, John Hardin HS) participated in the University of Louisville’s Brown Cancer Center Summer Research Program, where he researched the effects of tumor-derived mitochondria on macrophages in the tumor microenvironment.

Arthur Elliott (’27, duPont Manual HS) visited the following cities in Europe with his sending school: Berlin, Germany; Dresden, Germany; Prague, Czechia; Budapest, Hungary; Vienna, Austria; Munich, Germany; Heidelberg, Germany; Salzburg, Austria; Munich, Germany; Lucerne, Switzerland.

Ryan Goins (’27, Saint Mary HS) participated in the Purchase Area Health Education Center’s Health Career Academy at the Mercy Health – Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, Kentucky. Among his many activities, Ryan toured various departments in the hospital, learned how to suture, and watched a surgeon perform a mock surgery.

Malleshwar Jayaraman Suresh (’27, Western Hills HS) participated in the Summer Science Program (SSP) at The College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio, where he conducted biochemistry research focused on finding an anti-fungal target protein and designing an inhibitor for it.

Maggie Lynch (’27, Warren East HS) participated in the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Girls State, where students elected officials for a mock state government that they ran themselves. Maggie also represented Kentucky at the National Judicial Competition in Austin, TX, traveled to North Carolina for the YMCA Youth Conference on National Affairs, volunteered on a Y-Corps Service trip, and interned at Minix Law, PLLC, in Bowling Green, KY.

Anik Pansuria (’27, Greenwood HS) conducted research with Dr. Noah Ashley of WKU’s Biological Sciences Department studying how sleep fragmentation affects pro-inflammatory gene expression in the brain of mice. The ultimate goal of this work is to understand why sleep apnea presents differently in women than in men, particularly after menopause.  

Evan Self (’27, Larue County HS) participated in WKU’s residential Personal Finance Summer Camp.

Joel Stec (’27, Larry A Ryle HS) served as a delegate to American Legion Kentucky Boys State held at WKU, where Joel ran for and was elected as State Attorney General. Joel also attended the US Naval Academy Summer Seminar and the US Air Force Academy Summer Seminar.

Noah Wodrig (’27, Owen County HS) participated in the American Legion Boys State of Kentucky and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. Through the latter, Noah met with government officials, including the lieutenant governor, and participated in a mock senate session in Frankfort, KY, and traveled to Washington, D.C., where he toured the nation’s capital and met with Senator Rand Paul, as well as staff for Representatives James Comer and Thomas Massie.

About The Gatton Academy: Established in 2007, The Gatton Academy is Kentucky’s first residential two-year program for gifted and talented juniors and seniors. The Gatton Academy’s students enroll as juniors and are full-time WKU students pursuing their interests in advanced science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The Gatton Academy is a recipient of the 2022 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from Insight Into Diversity Magazine and the Innovation Partnership Award from the National Consortium for Secondary STEM Schools.