Satyavrata Samavedi receives memorial scholarship to pursue studies in chemical engineering
Satyavrata (Satya) Samavedi, of Madras, India, a doctoral student in chemical engineering in the College of Engineering, has been awarded a David W. and Lillian Francis Research Fellowship from the Virginia Tech Graduate School.
The David W. and Lillian Francis Memorial Scholarship Fund was established to provide graduate fellowships in research emphasizing longer, safer, and healthier lives.One such fellowship is awarded annually.
Samavedi’s research focuses on regenerating tissue interfaces using graded electro spun scaffolds and stem cells. Using different approaches, he investigates the potential of scaffolds with gradients in architecture, mechanical, and biochemical properties in influencing stem cell behavior for the regeneration of ligament-bone transitions.
He has given presentations at national and international conferences for groups such as the Society for Biomaterials, the Biomedical Engineering Society, and the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society annual meeting in Granada, Spain, at which he also served as session co-chair. His work was recently published in the journal, Acta Biomaterialia.
Samavedi’s research advisors are Abby Whittington, of Christiansburg, Va., assistant professor of materials science and engineering, and Aaron Goldstein of Blackburg, Va., associate professor of chemical engineering, both in the College of Engineering.
Samavedi has served as vice president of Alpha Epsilon Lambda graduate honor society, cultural secretary of the Indian Students' Association, graduate student representative to the Commission on Research, and as an active volunteer with the YMCA at Virginia Tech. He has also been involved in outreach activities organized by the university’s C-Tech2 and NASA-Inspire programs for middle- and high-school students.
After graduation, Samavedi says he intends to pursue post-doctoral stem-cell research.
