Davis-Bahcall scholars draw inspiration during STEM focused globe-trot

The Davis-Bahcall scholars program is designed to help rising university freshmen and sophomores entering Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields develop an understanding of where their passions could take them. The program demystifies STEM subjects by exposing students to what professionals do every day.

The 2024 Davis-Bahcall scholars spent their first week exploring all aspects of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF). They next embarked on a journey that took them to universities, national laboratories, and other STEM facilities around the country and around the world. Their travels included a tour of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois before they hopped across the pond to visit Boulby Underground Laboratory in the United Kingdom. Along the way, they gained valuable insight into the world of scientific research while connecting with peers, mentors, and leaders across many science and engineering fields.

Beck Bruch, one of the 2024 cohort of eight scholars, grew up on a ranch near Whitewood, SD where the incredibly dark nighttime sky allows for frequent viewing of the Milky Way. “I was given a large telescope when I was young, and with such dark skies, it's no wonder that I have always been interested in astrophysics,” Bruch said.

Bruch is entering his second year of study in aerospace engineering at Georgia Tech, and he says Davis-Bahcall both affirmed his career choice in STEM and expanded his horizons for the future.

“Being chosen as a Davis-Bahcall scholar was an incredible opportunity. I was able to see some of the world's cutting-edge physics experiments up close and I learned that physics is a viable career option. It’s something I could have a real future in,” said Bruch. “This trip has shown me there are many, many people out there working in physics. This program might shift me more towards research and physics as a career.”

The Davis-Bahcall program also reinforced Ashley Tieszen’s passion for STEM. She grew up in Canistota, SD and will attend Colorado State University this fall where she plans to major in chemical and biological engineering. 

“It helped confirm that STEM is the right career path for me,” Tieszen says. “It also helped confirm my interest in engineering, because I really liked all the hands-on work underway at these different facilities. Davis-Bahcall was a great way for me to see what the future could hold even before going into college.” 

Another 2024 scholar, Mackenzie Hollenbeck, is also an incoming freshman. She will attend South Dakota State University in the fall. Hollenbeck grew up on a ranch near Edgemont, SD and plans to pursue studies in animal science. She says the travel experience and the chance to meet professionals across many fields further affirmed her career path in STEM, but this opportunity may also change her trajectory toward research.

“My original plan, going to college was to get into veterinary school eventually. Now I'm thinking I might want to try to go into research. We spoke with a lot of graduate students, doctoral students, and postdocs who were all conducting research at different facilities. They were all very excited about their work. They all talked about the process and their career paths. These experiences make me think this is what I want to do as well,” said Hollenbeck.

Hollenbeck adds that the chance to see science underway all over the world made her recognize the value of the work happening right here at home.

“I would say my biggest takeaway from this trip is that science is here in rural places, close to home,” she said. “And it's really important that people recognize that major scientific research is not just happening in really big cities and populated areas, it's out here too. We're every bit as important as any of the work happening elsewhere.”

For his part, Beck Bruch agrees.

“We met scientists from all over the world, and many of them had also worked at SURF here in the Black Hills. To me, this reinforced that we live in a pretty special place in South Dakota,” Bruch said.  “One benefit of this program was showing me that there is cutting edge research being done at home that I could have a future career in.”

The same sentiment is echoed by Ashley Tieszen, “There are so many opportunities everywhere in science, what is happening at SURF is a global effort,” Tieszen said. “It’s really interesting to see how the work we're doing here in the Black Hills reflects research happening all over the world, and it’s great to see that I can do science anywhere.”

More than 100 students have participated in the Davis-Bachall program since 2009 and many of these scholars have seen success in STEM careers. There is little doubt this latest cohort is on to great things, and thanks to SURF, some of them could even find future career opportunities right here in the Black Hills. 

Major sponsors of the program include First PREMIER Bank, Black Hills State University, the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium, and the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority.