A UCLA associate professor will receive nearly a million dollars to fund her research as part of a new scientific fellowship program.
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation recognized electrical engineering associate professor Mona Jarrahi on Wednesday as a Moore Inventor Fellow for her invention of an imaging tool. The foundation gives the title to researchers making progress in scientific research, according to the foundation’s website.
Jarrahi will receive $825,000 over the next three years to support her inventions and research. UCLA will also award her $50,000 a year.
[Related: A closer look at Jarrahi’s research on terahertz waves]
Her discovery helps researchers understand the behavior of biological molecules and answers physical questions that were not previously possible, according to a UCLA press release.
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation aims to support selected fellows’ research. The program is in its first year and expects to continue supporting inventors with nearly $34 million over the next 10 years.
Jarrahi joined UCLA in 2013. She researches various electrical engineering aspects, including ultrafast electronic devices, imaging and innovative optical concepts.
In September, Popular Mechanics magazine awarded Jarrahi its Breakthrough Award for her research on terahertz radiation. Her findings in increasing sensitivity of terahertz scanners will help researchers see deeper into tissues, and potentially detect early signs of cancer.