Georgia Tech associate professor Vinayak Agarwal is the recipient of the Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA) Bridge Award, earning up to $100,000 in funding to help sustain his research program. He is one of 11 Cottrell Scholars nationwide chosen for the award, which supports outstanding early-career scientists whose research has been affected by recent disruptions in federal funding. Agarwal holds joint appointments in Georgia Tech’s Schools of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Biological Sciences. He has led a research program focused on natural products, the small molecules produced by living organisms. His lab investigates how these compounds are synthesized and how they can be harnessed for applications ranging from the development of new antibiotics to a better understanding of environmental toxins and pollutants. In 2021, Agarwal was named an RCSA Cottrell Scholar for his research on marine natural products and his efforts to develop innovative undergraduate curricula. His other honors include the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the Sloan Research Fellowship, the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, and the ACS Academic Young Investigator Award in Organic Chemistry.