Emma Biskie '27 (physics and mathematics) and Tara Armas '27 (physics and geology) were awarded the prestigious Rossing Scholarship for Physics.
Friends share a passion for physics, and now a $5,000 scholarship
For Tara Armas ’27 and Emma Biskie ’27, studying physics at Augustana College has meant much more than mastering equations and theories. It has led to research opportunities in places far and near, connections with scientists and, along the way, a close friendship.
Now, they have another accomplishment to celebrate together: Armas and Biskie were awarded a Rossing Scholarship for Physics for the 2026-27 academic year. Scholarships are given annually to 12 outstanding physics students from Evangelical Lutheran Church in America-affiliated schools across the nation.
“Being selected for this scholarship as a young woman in physics is very meaningful to me. I hope that other women and girls who are interested in physics can see themselves in Tara and I, and that they are encouraged to keep pursuing their passion for physics.”
“Being selected for this scholarship as a young woman in physics is very meaningful to me,” Biskie said. “Even more meaningful is the fact that one of my best friends in physics was awarded, too. I hope that other women and girls who are interested in physics can see themselves in Tara and I, and that they are encouraged to keep pursuing their passion for physics.”
The prestigious $5,000 award recognizes the two women’s accomplishments as undergraduate physics students and comes as both prepare for careers in research, though their interests point in different directions.
Biskie is majoring in physics and mathematics and minoring in astronomy. After graduation, she will work toward a Ph.D. in astrophysics, with the goal of becoming a professor so she can teach while conducting research.
Armas is a physics and geology double major who plans to pursue a master’s in environmental science with a concentration in water resources and quality. She wants to research pollution and ecosystem health.
Their friendship began through one of the experiences that has helped shape both of their academic journeys: attending the American Physical Society Conference for Undergraduate Women and Gender Minorities in Physics at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, near Chicago.
Dr. Nathan Frank
Armas attended the conference her sophomore year after Dr. Nathan Frank encouraged her, Biskie and other students to apply. At the time, Armas was beginning to feel the effects of imposter syndrome as a woman in physics. The conference introduced her to accomplished scientists, including Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist Dr. Andrea Ghez, as well as graduate school students in physics.
“Because of that networking opportunity, I decided that after graduating from Augustana, I would pursue a master's, and I realized I wanted to stay in a research field and work in a lab setting,” Armas said.
Since then, Armas has sought out research connecting physics with environmental and geological questions. She has worked with Augustana’s Upper Mississippi Center for Sustainable Communities, studying macroinvertebrates as a proxy for stream health in the Quad Cities. She also conducted marine fieldwork in the Caribbean island of Bonaire to collect data for mapping coral reefs.
Because of the rigorous coursework and field/research experience she has had at Augustana, Armas was selected for a National Science Foundation-funded Northern Illinois University (NIU) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). The two-month summer program focused on water resources and quality in the Riviera Maya, Mexico, where she researched microplastics.
“Tara is enthusiastic about connecting physics to ideas from different disciplines,” said Dr. Frank, professor of physics. “We have frequent advising conversations about her interests in physics, geology and environmental sustainability. We discuss how problem-solving and physics principles are useful, especially in environmental topics. Her enthusiasm when talking to her about using physics to positively impact the health of people and the planet is palpable.”
Dr. William Peterson, associate professor of physics, introduced Biskie to the MACRO (Macalester-Augustana-Coe Robotic Observatory) Consortium, which operates the Robert L. Mutel Telescope in Sonoita, Ariz., early in her Augustana career. He has watched her take on increasingly ambitious research challenges.
“Emma has always shown a high interest and enthusiasm for research, from presenting research with Augustana’s Robert L. Mutel Telescope at the American Astronomical Society Conference, to working on a paper submitted to Nature Astronomy, to participating in Washington State University's REU summer program,” Dr. Peterson said. “She's pursued all these research goals on her own, and fully deserves the Rossing Scholarship award.”
Dr. Frank describes Biskie as “a top-notch student who is consistently at the top of the class. She can learn anything due to her academic ability, determination and grit."
For both students, the scholarship is a recognition of the hard work they have put into their studies and research — and the encouragement they say they have received from the Augustana community, specifically Dr. Frank, Dr. Peterson, Dr. Stacey Rodman, Dr. Lee Carkner and Dr. Wendy Hilton-Morrow ’94.
About the award
Dr. Thomas D. Rossing, a Luther College alumnus and professor emeritus of physics at Northern Illinois University, created the scholarship fund through the Foundation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).