Sophie Nguyen

Sophie Nguyen was drawn to Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University by the variety of resources available to help her succeed as a chemical engineering undergraduate student. 

Nguyen started her research journey in high school under the guidance of Nathan Newman, a former Lawrence Professor of Solid State Sciences and current emeritus faculty member at the Fulton Schools. Newman introduced her to the various opportunities at ASU, assisting her in selecting her major. 

Under the supervision of Julianne Holloway, a Fulton Schools assistant professor of chemical engineering, Nguyen was involved in research aimed at understanding how to control stem cell behavior for regenerative therapy applications. Her research also included working with Hakan Ceylan, an assistant professor at Mayo Clinic, to design novel magnetic microrobots for drug delivery through the Mayo Clinic Special Research Student appointment, a program offered through a collaboration with Barrett, The Honors College. 

Outside of her research, Nguyen got involved in a variety of extracurricular activities. She served as president of ASU’s Fulton Ambassadors, where she led campus tours for prospective students. 

“I’m proud to have been part of Fulton Ambassadors and of how far the organization has come in regaining its footing and reviving a sense of community and connection among its members after the pandemic,” she says. 

Nguyen also taught science to children every week through a community service student organization called Science Detectives. 

As a reaction lead for the Sun Devil ChemE Car, a club in which students use chemical engineering skills to create a small vehicle powered by a chemical reaction, Nguyen played a pivotal role in her team winning a second place poster award at the 2023 American Institute of Chemical Engineers, or AIChE, Western Regional Conference. 

She also served as part of the Maricopa County Public Health Department Youth Advisory Council and mentored underrepresented high school students through the Legend Scholars Program in Barrett.

Nguyen cherishes the personal growth and self-discovery she experienced at ASU.
“My four years at ASU have been filled with numerous opportunities and experiences,” Nguyen says. “I will continue to look fondly on these years and on the friends I made. I learned that I’m capable of achieving great things no matter where I am.”

After graduating from the Fulton Schools, she plans to attend medical school.  

“I aim to leverage my engineering background and skills to better the lives of numerous patients through innovations in medical therapeutics,” Nguyen says.

Read about other exceptional graduates of the Fulton Schools’ spring 2024 class here.