Rachita Sumbria, PhD, is the 2025 recipient of the Valerie Scudder Award, an award that recognizes outstanding achievement in teaching, research, scholarly or creative activities, and exemplary service to Chapman University. Selected from the group of Unit Faculty Excellence Award winners, Sumbria was recognized by her peers for her research impact and accomplishments.

Sumbria’s extensive contributions to Alzheimer’s disease research and the industry’s understanding of the brain-barrier were one of the many reasons for her nomination for the Unit Faculty Excellence Award. Currently, Sumbria serves as either a Principal Investigator or a Multiple Principal Investigator on four significant NIH-funded research projects, including three R01 grants and one R21 grant, all seeking to further identify the underlying mechanisms and advancing treatment strategies for Alzheimer’s disease.

Chapman University celebrated Sumbria’s achievements during the Faculty Awards Ceremony held on May 9th at the Orange campus.