Featured Scholar
Cindy Beard
Cindy Beard, PHD Cynthia Beard earned the Toffler Scholar Leadership Award in 2021 at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health, Epidemiology Department. Biography Cindy Beard was born in Darnestown, Maryland, a suburb of Washington D.C. The daughter of two mechanical engineers, Beard grew up exploring and enjoying the outdoors with her parents and her brother.…
Read MoreLara Yoon
Lara Yoon, PHD Lara Yoon earned the Toffler Scholar Leadership Award in 2021 at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health FIND ME ON Biography Lara Yoon grew up in Norcross, a suburb just north of Atlanta, Georgia. Her parents’ work in public health inspired her, and her eighth-grade science teacher was influential in her pursuit…
Read MoreVijaya Kolachalama
Vijaya Kolachalama Vijaya Kolachalama earned the 2022 and 2020 Toffler Scholar Award at Boston University. FIND ME ON Biography Vijaya Kolachalama was born in Hyderabad, a city in South India, to a close-knit family. He feels that growing up he had three parents: his mother, his father, and his grandmother, and he credits his grandmother…
Read MoreDaniel Tward
Daniel Tward, PHD Daniel Tward earned the Toffler Scholar Award in 2021 at the University of California Los Angeles. FIND ME ON Biography Dr. Daniel Tward was born in Toronto, Canada. Growing up, Dr. Tward’s family encouraged him to pursue interests in multiple areas, and he developed a love of visual art and music. This…
Read MoreStephen Beesley
Stephen Beesley, PhD Stephen Beesley earned the Toffler Scholar Leadership Award in 2021 at Florida State University College of Medicine. FIND ME ON Biography Stephen Beesley was born in Bolton, a city in the northwest part of England near Manchester. He attended the University of Leeds, where he studied biochemistry and molecular biology. From a…
Read MoreAdithya Gopinath
Adithya Gopinath, PHD Adithya Gopinath earned the Toffler Scholar Award in 2025 and 2020 at the University of Florida. FIND ME ON Biography Adithya was born in California and lived all over the country throughout his childhood. His father, a computer engineer, worked for different companies, which meant frequent moves for the family. From a…
Read MoreSilvia Fossati
Silvia Fossati, PHD Silvia Fossati is the 2021 inaugural Toffler Scholar at Temple University. FIND ME ON Biography Born and raised in a small town in Tuscany, Italy, Dr. Silvia Fossati describes her childhood as idyllic. From a very young age, she loved discovering new things and experimenting. She knew early on that she wanted…
Read MoreSruti Rayaprolu
Sruti Rayaprolu, PHD Sruti Rayaprolu earned the Toffler Scholar Leadership Award in 2018 at the University of Florida FIND ME ON Biography Dr. Sruti Rayaprolu was born in India and moved with her family to the United States when she was 9 years old. Being an immigrant was challenging, but by the time she entered…
Read MoreLatoya Allen
Latoya Allen, PHD Latoya Allen earned the Toffler Scholar Leadership Award in 2018 at the University of Florida. FIND ME ON Biography Dr. Latoya Allen was raised in Madison, Wisconsin. After graduating high school, she attended college at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, a satellite school of the University of Wisconsin. The small, liberal arts school…
Read MoreIra Hofer
Ira Hofer, MD, PHD Ira Hofer earned the 2022 and 2020 Toffler Scholar at UCLA. FIND ME ON Biography Dr. Ira Hofer was born and raised in New York. As an undergraduate, he earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Materials Science and a Bachelor of Science in Finance and General Management from the University…
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