7 Indian American Sophomores Win UW-Madison Research Fellowships

The 2026 Sophomore Research Fellowships, supported by the Brittingham Wisconsin Trust, the Kemper K. Knapp Bequest, the UW System, and the Chancellor’s and Provost’s Offices, provide each student and their mentor with a stipend to cover research costs.

Sohan Alleshwaram, a computer sciences and mathematics double major, is running forward-in-time simulations of the Colorado potato beetle under faculty adviser Sean Schoville to predict agricultural gene flow patterns.

Adit Bhootra, a biology major on the pre-med track, is studying DNA repair deficiency and radiosensitivity in TSC-mutant cancer cells with Dr. Pippa Cosper in the Department of Radiation Medicine. Bhootra said his academic path reflects a focus on healthcare, leadership, and a broad campus involvement.

Ishpreet Dang and Anikait Patel, both molecular and cell biology majors, are working with Audrey Gasch and Portia Smith, respectively. Tejas Dahiya, an undeclared major, is mentored by Saurabh Gupta.

Agastya Rathee, double majoring in computer sciences and data science, is collaborating with Rogerio Jorge, while Tirth Mihirbhai Patel pairs data science with economics under Matteo Camboni. The program pairs second-year students with established researchers to apply classroom knowledge to real-world scientific questions.