2026 STEM Scholarship Recipients Announced by the RESPEC Foundation

April 29, 2026

The RESPEC Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 STEM Scholarships. This program recognizes students in the United States and Canada who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, and a passion for innovation, and is awarded to students pursuing higher education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The scholarship is part of RESPEC’s commitment to helping support the next generation of problem-solvers and community leaders. Congratulations to this year’s talented recipients!

A person wearing a blue jacket, shorts, hiking boots, and a knit hat sits on the edge of a rocky outcrop, with cloudy skies and green landscape in the background.Marais Anderson

Marais Anderson lives in Fairbanks, Alaska. She loves the outdoors and spends her weekends camping, skiing, and dog mushing. Marais also loves sports—she came in second place at the state tennis championships last season and competed at the state cross-country running and Nordic skiing championships. She runs track and also recently began bouldering and top roping, and wants to expand that to climbing some traditional routes this summer. Marais loves learning, but recognizes the need to balance academic pursuits with real-life ones that push her body and problem-solving skills. Whether navigating a new boulder route, taking photographs, or bringing her dog team on a trail she has never been on before, she always looks for fulfilling things to do in her free time. For college, she plans to pursue a 5-year master’s degree in mechanical engineering, most likely at the Colorado School of Mines. In college, she hopes to continue playing tennis, running, hiking, climbing, and taking pictures. Marais is unsure of her plans after college, but she knows she wants to return to Alaska and probably work in energy.

A woman in a black jumpsuit and heels leans against a stone wall in a sunlit garden with greenery and decorative stone urns in the background.Farrah Berry

Farrah Berry is a freshman at Stanford University, where she is studying mechanical engineering and has a passion for aerodynamics. Farrah is a goal-oriented student, sports enthusiast, and musician who performs tasks with efficiency and grace. She spends her free time with the Stanford Solar Car Project, Themed Entertainment Association, and Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band. She also volunteers at Jasper Ridge Farm; science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM)-related events on campus; and the Science Museum of Virginia, when at home. Farrah is also a student manager of the Stanford Women’s Basketball Team, for which she provides data analytics and video analysis. Farrah plans to pursue a master’s degree in management science and engineering, as well as establish an engineering-based business that can solve future global obstacles.

A young woman with wavy dark hair smiles softly. She is wearing a navy blue top and a necklace, posed against a blurred blue and gray background.Veronica Gao

Veronica Gao is an incoming engineering student at Princeton University. A lifelong learner, she has dabbled in everything from watercolor painting to segmenting white matter lesions in the brain. Veronica currently serves as the National Secretary for the Technology Student Association and has spent the last two summers as a research intern for a radiology laboratory and a biomechanics laboratory at the University of Utah. In addition to her passion for STEM, Veronica has earned numerous awards in local, state, and national art competitions. Veronica aspires to better the world around her through science and engineering.

A young man with curly brown hair and a beard, wearing a blue suit, light blue shirt, and navy tie, smiling at the camera against a plain gray background.Braden Kiesel

Braden Kiesel is a mining engineering student at West Virginia University, working towards a bachelor’s degree, with a minor in agribusiness management. He has gained industry experience through internships at Core Natural Resources and Martin Marietta, where he worked across engineering, production, and safety operations. Braden’s experiences in both underground coal and surface aggregate mining have strengthened his technical skills and confirmed his commitment to the industry. On campus, he leads the Mine Rescue Team, serves as the president of the Powerlifting Club, and stays involved in the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, Women in Mining, and Residence Life. These roles have pushed him to grow as a leader, mentor, and problem‑solver. Braden is driven to keep building his skills and contribute to the future of mining through hands‑on work and service‑focused leadership.

A young man with short dark hair and glasses, wearing a white and blue plaid shirt, poses in front of a blue textured backdrop.Ryan Mehrian

Ryan Mehrian is a senior at AY Jackson Secondary School in Toronto, Canada. He prides himself on his commitments to his community and academics and has a strong passion for the arts and sciences. Ryan leads a variety of student groups aimed at bettering his community. As the president of his school’s Physics Club and vice president of the Chemistry Club, Ryan has helped spread passion and enthusiasm for academic subjects among younger peers. He has also helped struggling students by founding a tutoring network within his school. Ryan is also the co-founder of a neighborhood volunteer group aimed at promoting eco-initiatives, such as planning community park cleanups and ultimately leading his school toward an EcoSchool Gold Environmental Certification. Ryan enjoys music as a hobby, volunteering as a pianist in public spaces during his free time, performing as a violinist in his school’s orchestra, and leading the tenor section of his school’s choir. Ryan plans to study electrical engineering at the University of Toronto next year and aspires to one day be able to use his love of physics and the sciences to make the world a better place through research and innovation.

Rafayel Sargsyan

Rafayel Sargsyan is an incoming student at New York University’s College of Arts and Sciences, where he plans to pursue a joint major in mathematics and economics. He was born in Yerevan, Armenia, and moved to the United States at the age of 5. He has since lived in Virginia, and he currently attends Landon School. Rafayel has won multiple awards in math and science, and serves as the president of his school’s STEM Club. Beyond academics, he volunteers at his local Armenian church and enjoys coding in his spare time. With a strong foundation in mathematics and a passion for problem-solving, Rafayel hopes to apply his skills to create a meaningful impact within his community and beyond.