Riley Gillis walked across the commencement stage last week after an achievement-filled undergraduate experience. Gillis received his B.S. summa cum laude in microbiology and immunology and earned 192 credits, including many in public health and chemistry courses. He was named a Westfall Scholar for having the highest graduating GPA in his program, is a Senior Scholar in the Honors College and in 2025 was named the Sam Lieberman Regents’ Scholar.

After graduating, Gillis won’t stray far from the campus he’s called home for the past four years. Gillis is starting a Ph.D. this fall at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine in the interdisciplinary cell and molecular biology graduate program, where he will continue working with his advisor, David AuCoin.

Gillis was awarded the Graduate Dean’s Fellowship to pursue his Ph.D. The fellowship awardees receive $50,000 to support their research goals. Gillis was nominated by the cellular and molecular biology graduate program director, Subhash Verma.

“Riley represents the best of what we hope to develop in young scientists: intellectual curiosity, technical excellence, and a strong commitment to serving the broader community,” Verma said. “His research accomplishments and ability to work across disciplines have already distinguished him at this early stage in his career, and the Graduate Dean’s Fellowship will help support what I believe will be a very promising future in biomedical research.”

Gillis applied for and was admitted to the Maximizing Access to Research Careers Program in 2023. The program is designed to support undergraduates pursuing research and helping them transition to advanced degrees in the biomedical sciences. As part of the program, Gillis worked with AuCoin to develop rapid diagnostic tests and investigate novel treatments for fungal diseases. Gillis published two research articles in 2023 and is the first University of Nevada, Reno undergraduate student to complete Biosafety Level 3 training.

“Riley was an engaged and motivated MARC Nevada scholar who reflects the program’s success in fostering confidence, advancing research skills, and preparing the next generation of scientists,” Mary Burtnick, a professor and co-Principal Investigator of the MARC Nevada Program, said.

Gillis also founded the Nevada Medical Research Consortium on campus, an organization for undergraduates to engage with and mentor one another about medical research across the University campus.

“My hope is that, for the years to come, that will be a meaningful impact,” Gillis said.

The success Gillis has achieved makes it hard to believe that there was a point in time where he didn’t enjoy or work hard in school. Until about third grade, he said he didn’t apply himself in his classes.

“There were some really impactful schoolteachers that I think really supported me and fostered an environment for me where I actually wanted to learn and apply myself,” Gillis said.

He credits his third-grade teacher, Mrs. Jones, with motivating him to start trying. Now, Gillis will be graduating with a 4.0 GPA with Honors.

“My career here has definitely been characterized by research, that was my primary extracurricular endeavor, that shaped what I'm pursuing for the rest of my life,” Gillis said. “But there have also been other experiences, too, that I found really meaningful.”

As a talented concert pianist, Gillis has taken piano lessons for years with James Winn, professor emeritus of piano and composition at the University. Gillis has played piano to earn money, to volunteer, to destress and for enjoyment. Over time, Gillis has found a balance with his playing, and it has become “all of those things for me, and none of them at the same time.”

He plans to continue playing, including by volunteering his time at Renown Hospital providing music therapy.

“That's something that's had a pretty profound impact on me,” he said.

He added it was nice being able to see the direct impact he could have by volunteering this way. It can take years before a treatment or cure becomes available through biomedical research, but playing the piano at Renown gives Gillis an opportunity to help people and see the fruits of that labor in real time.

Gillis also made use of the one-credit weekend courses at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe, and enjoys spending time outside.

“I’ve always loved the outdoors, and it’s one of the reasons I’m staying in Reno,” he said. “I just super love Tahoe and the surrounding environments.”

One path Gillis sees himself taking in the future is pathogen hunting, which involves going out seeking out novel or emerging pathogens in the wilderness.

“Having the experience of going up, hiking Mount Rose and snowshoeing and stuff as part of a class has been really awesome to kind of reinforce that,” Gillis said.

Gillis has achieved a lot during his undergraduate years, but it didn’t always come easily. Sometimes, it came with self-doubt and overwhelm, which he said he was surprised to learn many students experienced.

“You're not alone,” Gillis said. “And I know that sounds cliche, but even your professors at some point in their life, or even currently, are going through something that you've gone through too. And so, I feel like communication, even when it's awkward, or when you feel like you might be a burden on other people, I think it's really important for fostering connection.”

He mentioned there are resources, including Counseling Services, available to the University community. He also emphasized that feeling overwhelm and fear are natural and almost inevitable.

“The first time that you do something, it's going to be scary, it’s not going to feel natural, maybe,” he said. “But you don't have to take everything on all at once. If you fail one time, it doesn't mean that you're going to fail for the rest of your life. And so, you kind of just have to seize the day and get through it.”

Gillis said that many mentors, including AuCoin, Vanessa Berner, Sujata Pande and Josh Baker have been great supporters of him through ups and downs, and hopes to continue his trajectory. Over summer, Gillis has some projects in the research lab he’s looking forward to completing before he starts his next adventure.