Brothers in Science
When he was a first-year Spider, Justin Airas, ’20, never imagined he would one day pursue a Ph.D. in theoretical chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“I really wasn’t fond of chemistry in high school,” he said. “But UR’s incredible professors and undergraduate research opportunities made me fall in love with the subject.”
A Richmond native, Justin was a Gupton Science Fellow during his time at UR. He used the summer funding to research computational chemistry — specifically, he conducted simulations to study the behaviors of protein molecules and their potential for treating certain diseases. His work was published in several academic journals.
“That summer was one of the most enjoyable, academically enriching times I had at UR,” he said. “The experience helped me have a better understanding of chemistry beyond the classroom. I truly believe it’s why I got accepted to MIT — the research experience helped distinguish my application and made me a stronger candidate.”
Justin’s doctoral research extends the work he did at UR but focuses on machine-learning methods to improve the speed and accuracy of his simulations. In 2023, he received a competitive National Science Foundation Graduate Research fellowship, which provides three years of financial support to aid outstanding graduate students who have demonstrated the potential to be high-achieving scientists and engineers.
“The NSF grant will take me through the rest of my Ph.D., and I should graduate in 2026,” he said. “After that, I would like to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship and eventually get a position doing full-time pharmaceutical research.”
Justin’s brother, Jacob Airas, ’22, was also a Gupton Fellow and a recipient of the F. Dewey Gottwald Scholarship for the Sciences. His journey at UR began with his participation in the URISE program for underrepresented students with a passion for STEM, inclusion, and diversity. As a Gupton Fellow, he researched the strength of halogen bonding interactions in helping law enforcement officials detect opioids more quickly and effectively.
“The opportunity to conduct this research was incredibly impactful for me personally and professionally,” Jacob said. “Our research was very well supported, and I was fortunate to be in the same lab group as my brother, which was a really special experience.”
A graduate of UR’s biochemistry and molecular biology program, Jacob completed a post-baccalaureate fellowship at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, investigating how molecular machines involved in ribosome biogenesis are regulated. He is now a medical student at Wayne State University in Detroit.
“I’m thinking my top choice for my medical specialty will be diagnostic radiology,” he said. “I’m also interested in looking at family medicine.”
“I’m very proud of my younger brother,” Justin said. “We are taking different paths but staying within the sciences, and it all stems from the amazing experiences we had at UR. Our family is very grateful for the opportunities we’ve been given.”
The Gupton Science Fellows program was established in 2019 by the Gottwald family in honor of Dr. John Gupton, professor of chemistry emeritus, former Floyd D. and Elisabeth S. Gottwald Chair in Chemistry, and former department chair. The program funds a summer research fellowship for up to 15 students annually.