The Institute for Underground Science at SURF Announces 2026 Davis-Bahcall Scholars
The program is named in honor of experimental physicist Ray Davis Jr. and theoretical physicist John Bahcall.
The Institute for Underground Science at Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) has selected the 2026 cohort of Davis-Bahcall Scholars. The scholars, who come from across the state of South Dakota, will take part in a once-in-a-lifetime, all-expense-paid opportunity that connects science-curious students with peers and mentors while exploring the modern world of STEM research.
“This program helps students imagine what a future in science could look like,” said Stacie Granum, Program Manager of The Institute for Underground Science at SURF. “By visiting world-class laboratories, meeting leading researchers, and experiencing real research environments, these students gain a firsthand look at discovery in action. Inspired by the legacy of Ray Davis Jr. and John Bahcall, the program encourages students to follow their curiosity and see themselves as part of the next generation of scientific discovery.”
The 2026 Davis-Bahcall Scholars are Ellie Erbentraut from Sioux Falls who is attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Emma Plamp, from Mitchell, who will graduate from Mitchell High School this year; Ethan Oolman from Sioux Falls who is attending the University of South Dakota; Joshua Wolfe from Flandreau who will graduate from Flandreau Indian School this year; Lewis Carlyle, from Rapid City who will graduate from Stevens High School this year; Sannah Windy Boy from Worden, MT who is attending South Dakota Mines; Quinn Kellar from Mandan, ND, who is attending Black Hills State University; Zachery Conway from Rapid City who will graduate from Stevens High School this year.
The Davis-Bachall Scholars program is designed to help students who are considering a career in STEM to develop an understanding of where their passions could take them. The program demystifies STEM careers by exposing students to what professionals do every day.
For Ellie Erbentraut, the program offers a chance to pursue a passion for physics first sparked in middle school, when an educator from SURF visited her classroom in Sioux Falls with hands-on learning exercises exploring dark matter.
“I’m deeply interested in learning more about the day-to-day lives of scientists, so obtaining insight into the careers and facilities of leading researchers and academics would be invaluable. Knowing what a career in science could look like would inform my future ambitions. Touring world-class facilities and seeing with my own eyes potential workplaces would only refine my vision of what lies ahead for me," said Erbentraut who is now studying electrical engineering and physics at MIT.
Another 2026 Davis-Bahcall Scholar, Joshua Wolfe, hopes to leverage his fascination with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) subjects into a career that can help make the world a better place.
"Understanding the processes and environments of working on a team of researchers would challenge me to develop high-level professional communication and collaboration skills needed for a successful future in nuclear physics. Getting to immerse myself in a scholarly cohort to learn and discuss nuclear physics in the country’s top labs would be the education I’ve always wished for,” said Wolfe who will graduate from Flandreau Indian School this year.
The 2025 Davis-Bahcall Scholars Program will run from Sunday, June 13 through Sunday, July 12. Scholars will spend this time exploring leading STEM industries, universities, and laboratories including the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois, and Boulby Underground Laboratory in the United Kingdom.
The program is named in honor of experimental physicist Ray Davis Jr. and theoretical physicist John Bahcall. Davis built a Nobel Prize-winning neutrino experiment at the 4850-foot level of the former Homestake Mine that is now home to America’s Underground Lab. The experiment was grounded on Bahcall's solar neutrino theory. More than 150 students have participated in the Davis-Bahcall Scholars Program since 2009.
The Davis-Bahcall Scholar Program is sponsored by the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority, Black Hills State University, First PREMIER Bank, and the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium.
