Congratulations to Rachel Harmon on being selected as a 2026 Diamond Research Scholar

Congratulations to Rachel Harmon, a Mechanical Engineering student in the College of Engineering, on being selected for the highly competitive 2026 Diamond Research Scholars Program at Temple University. Her project, titled “Development of a Thermal Stimulation Device for Assessing Vascular Reactivity in Functional Microvascular Diagnostics,” focuses on designing and evaluating a device to better understand vascular function through controlled thermal stimulation. This work aims to advance diagnostic capabilities in microvascular health, contributing to improved detection and monitoring of vascular conditions.

Rachel will conduct her research under the mentorship of Dr. Osman Sayginer. In addition, the project will involve close collaboration with Dr. Michael Autieri, at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine’s Lemole Center for Integrated Lymphatics and Vascular Research, helping bridge engineering innovation with clinical expertise and supporting future clinical translation of the technology.

As part of the program, Rachel will dedicate full-time effort to her project over the summer research period, participate in regular progress meetings, and present her findings at a summer research presentation event. She will also continue her work into the fall semester through independent study and complete her project by December 2026.

In recognition of her achievement, Rachel will receive a $4,000 stipend to support her research. This honor reflects her strong academic commitment and her drive to contribute to impactful, interdisciplinary innovation at the intersection of engineering and medicine.

Congratulations to Rachel on this outstanding accomplishment and exciting opportunity!