WASHINGTON — The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has announced the inaugural cohort of 10 fellows in its new Biotechnology Regulatory Fellowship Program, launched in 2025 to engage early-career professionals in developing the evidence basis needed to meet future regulatory challenges presented by novel products of biotechnology.

The fellows — who will be in residence at the National Academies from February to July 2026 — will identify possible regulatory frameworks for the cutting-edge products expected to emerge over the next several decades and provide government agencies with options for effective regulation.

Fellows will participate in a series of seminars led by subject-matter experts, conduct horizon-scanning activities to find potential biotechnology projects that lack existing or have conflicting regulatory risk assessment pathways, and identify, with assistance from an expert consultant, foci for capstone projects that will be undertaken by pairs of fellows.

Final capstone projects will be presented as part of a public event to be convened at the end of the fellowship.

The new fellows are:

• Alekhya Govindaraju, University of California, Berkeley

• Alicia Johnson, Rice University

• Ashley Kim, University of California, San Diego

• Hayley McCausland, University of California, Berkeley

• Ruby Miller, University of Michigan

• Nicholas “Cole” Mueth, Washington State University

• Sammy Mustafa, Northwestern University

• Shatha Salameh, The George Washington University

• Kaitlyn “Katie” Schroeder-Spain, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi

• Nolan Speicher, North Carolina State University

The new cohort is supported by an ad hoc committee that was appointed to review and rank fellowship applications, assist with the identification of key topical areas to be covered by subject-matter experts during the fellowship program, and engage with fellows on final capstone projects.

The National Academies are private, nonprofit institutions that provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions related to science, engineering, and medicine. They operate under an 1863 congressional charter to the National Academy of Sciences, signed by President Lincoln. For more information, visit nationalacademies.org.

Media Contact:
Solomon Self, Media Relations Officer
Office of News and Public Information
202-334-2138; email news@nas.edu