Science & Society

10 early-career scientists tackling some of the biggest problems of today

In its ninth year, SN 10: Scientists to Watch is Science News’ list of up-and-coming researchers

Portraits of the SN 10 scientists. Top row, from left to right: Dionna Williams, Andrea Gomez, Bhavin Shastri, Jacqueline Gerson, Nicole Yunger Halpern. Bottom row, from left to right: Hawa Racine Thiam, Freek van Ede, Yotam Ophir, Chong Liu, Tracy Slatyer

IMAGE CREDITS: SEE INDIVIDUAL STORIES BELOW

By Science News Staff

Scientists are problem solvers. They devise ways to tap new resources for building electric vehicles and to track stealth movements of environmental contaminants. Scientists are also detectives. They investigate how rules of physics govern cells’ movements and how dark matter could have shaped the early universe.

These are just some examples of how the researchers recognized by this year’s SN 10: Scientists to Watch list are tackling some of the world’s thorniest challenges and most puzzling mysteries. For the ninth year, Science News is highlighting 10 early- and mid-career scientists whose talent and curiosity know no bounds — as acknowledged by their nominators. Anyone can recommend a researcher for next year’s SN 10. If you know of someone who is worth the honor, please send their name, affiliation and a few sentences about their work to sn10@sciencenews.org. — Karen Kwon, Research and Special Projects Editor

Andrea Gomez is standing in an office, softly smiling and staring at the camera. She has dark hair that comes just above her shoulders and is wearing off-white button-up jacket.
Brandon Sanchez Mejia, UC Berkeley

Andrea Gomez

Molecular and cell biologist Andrea Gomez wants to know what makes the brain flexible, but not too flexible.

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Bhavin Shastri stares into the camera while smiling widely. He's sitting in front of a laser table that has a microscope and other optical equipment on top. He is wearing a half-zip navy sweatshirt over a gray t-shirt. He is also wearing glasses.
Queen’s University

Bhavin Shastri

Physicist and engineer Bhavin Shastri is building a light-based computer modeled after the human brain.

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Chong Liu is standing to the right, facing the camera, in a lab. She is wearing a navy jacket and blue nitrile gloves. She has long black hair and wears glasses.
Courtesy of the UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, John Zich

Chong Liu

Materials scientist Chong Liu develops ways to tap unconventional sources of lithium.

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Dionna Williams is smiling at the camera. They have short, dark hair and are wearing orange-rimmed eyeglasses and white lab coat. They are standing in a lab with their arms crossed.
Jack Kearse

Dionna Williams

Neuroscientist Dionna Williams looks beyond prejudices to seek biological explanations of why HIV and illicit drugs are a bad mix.

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Freek van Ede is facing the camera with a slight smile on his face. He has brown hair and full brown beard. He appears to be wearing a collared button up shirt, but we can't quite tell because the photo cuts off at his shoulders.
Courtesy of Freek van Ede

Freek van Ede

Cognitive neuroscientist Freek van Ede tracks people’s eyes to understand how the brain selects information to plan for the future.

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Hawa Racine Thiam smiles at the camera. She has short, dark hair and is wearing blue rimmed eyeglasses, a turquoise shirt and a white necklace.
Michaela Go

Hawa Racine Thiam

Biophysicist Hawa Racine Thiam explores the mechanics of cell movement, which may allow scientists to someday manipulate immune cells.

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Jacqueline Gerson is staring at the camera with a wide smile. She has her dark brown hair pulled back in a half-up half-down. She's wearing earrings where each one has two spheres dangling on chains. The background is blurry, but it looks like she's standing in front of white and purple flowers.
Sam Wilson

Jacqueline Gerson

Biogeochemist Jacqueline Gerson uncovers the hidden movements of mercury to help reduce human exposure.

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Nicole Yunger Halpern is looking at the camera while smiling widely. She has long brown hair and wears glasses.
NIST

Nicole Yunger Halpern

Physicist Nicole Yunger Halpern connects thermodynamics to modern quantum technologies.

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Tracy Slatyer is staring at the camera, smiling. There is a black board with equations written on in the background. Slatyer is wearing a black jacket and silver watch. Her light brown (or dark blonde) hair is pulled back in a ponytail.
Bryce Vickmark

Tracy Slatyer

Theoretical physicist Tracy Slatyer proposes ways in which dark matter could show up in observations.

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Yotam Ophir looks at the camera with a slight smile. He is standing in front of a bookcase full of books of different sizes and colors. Ophir has short, dark hair and has short beard and mustache.
Douglas Levere

Yotam Ophir

Communications researcher Yotam Ophir investigates the disconnect between people’s beliefs and evidence.

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A version of this article appears in the October 5, 2024 issue of Science News.

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