What makes Greater Phoenix so great: Nikhil Dave

Published: 10/12/2022
Updated: 10/14/2022

Tell us a little about yourself:

I was born and raised in Greater Phoenix and am a proud Arizonan who is keenly focused on giving back to the communities that gave so much to me. I graduated from Arizona State University under the Flinn Scholarship with undergraduate degrees in Innovation in Society and Neuroscience, and a Masters Degree in Biology. I began working in Alzheimer’s disease research at ASU at the age of 14, and have been closely engaged with the space ever since, completing my Masters degree in the same field. Outside of research, I served on the Arizona Board of Regents as a Student Regent, and led ASU’s Luminosity Lab to win the $1M XPRIZE Next-Gen Mask Challenge.

What city or town do you live in?

I recently moved out of Arizona and currently live in Chicago.

How long have you lived in Greater Phoenix?

My entire life, 21 years.

Where do you currently work and what is your job title?

I currently volunteer as a GPEC Fellow where I provide insight to GPEC’s biomedical strategy.

What’s your favorite thing to do in Greater Phoenix on the weekends?

Nothing beats spending time outside in the pool with friends and cooking or grilling a nice meal.

What’s your favorite local restaurant?

Pizzeria Bianco

What’s something that has surprised you about Arizona?

Growing up, something surprising about Arizona was how tight-knit and accessible the communities within Arizona are. People are incredibly friendly and, regardless of how busy they are, always delighted to meet for coffee.

Please include anything else you would like to add.

Some of my hobbies include scuba diving, cooking (and eating) and DJing.