BME Graduate Student in First Class of Herbold Fellows

Bob Herbold, former chief operating officer of Microsoft Corp., and Patricia Herbold, who served as a U.S. ambassador to Singapore, started the Herbold Foundation in 2002 to provide college scholarships to students across the United States studying STEM subjects. This year, they are sponsoring the inaugural class of University of Arizona Herbold Fellows. The five graduate student fellows will each receive $10,000 for their work applying computer science and data sciences to a wide range of subjects.

Christa Sonderer, who began her PhD studies in fall 2020, is one of the first fellows. Her work is focused on improving MRI technology, a field she says perfectly blends her interests in biomedical applications and computer science.

“MRI can be used for many different applications, such as studying disease pathophysiology or a patient’s response to a particular treatment, and it can be used to find more in-depth answers to biomedical problems,” she said. “The advancements we make in this technology can, ideally, be translated to the clinic to directly help patients.”

After graduation, Sonderer plans to work in industry, integrating biomedical technologies into clinical environments. She is still contemplating a specific research focus, and she said the Herbold Fellowship lets her explore different areas without worrying about finances.