Sydney Hummel

2024 Churchill Scholar, 2023 Astronaut Scholar

Hometown

Nolensville, TN

College

College of Engineering

Major

Chemical Engineering

 

Recipient of the 2023 Astronaut Scholarship, Sydney Hummel embodies the relentless curiosity that is intrinsic to the history of scientific exploration. Since enrolling as a freshman who already achieved the academic honors of Nolensville High School Valedictorian and National Merit Finalist and Scholar, Sydney continued to challenge herself, while she worked through three different lab experiences. In fact, she credits her first research experience with opening her mind to how much is still unknown about the human body and how she could make a tangible impact on the lives of others.

For Sydney, discovery was not limited to lab findings, but also revealed in a heartfelt motivation to pursue a career in oncology therapeutics and drug development research. With a spirit of exploration, Sydney is set on a professional trajectory that goes beyond the scope of her training as a chemical engineer. And yet, the systems-based approach that is the foundation of her training as a chemical engineer together with her inquisitiveness uniquely prepares her to approach the unknown with creative solutions. Even before she arrived on campus, Sydney received support from her Astronaut Scholarship recommender, Sangtae Kim, Distinguished Professor and Jay and Cynthia Ihlenfeld Head, Davidson School of Chemical Engineering.

Sydney grew as a scientist through her Boilermaker experience by communicating with her mentors while tackling setbacks and writing the results of her work, which she eventually saw published. Working independently on a protocol in Dr. Xiaoping Bao’s lab, Sydney performed differentiation to immune cells as targeted cancer therapeutics. While testing drugs that are currently in the clinical trials process, Sydney discovered a personal motivation to impact people from her role in a large-scale murine model in Dr. Philip Low’s lab. In addition to becoming co-author through her work in Dr. Kristi Anseth’s lab at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Sydney co-authored together with Dr. Bao a manuscript that is currently In Press.

Sydney’s motivation to help others is not limited to seeking answers as a scientist, but also evident in her daily life.

Familiar with walking backwards across campus, Sydney engaged with prospective students and families as an Admissions Ambassador. She also invested in those around her by supporting their academic achievement and participation in intramural sports as Academic Development Director and Intramural Chair of the Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity.