Students Earn National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships

Students Earn National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships

Three UConn undergraduates, three graduate students, and six alumni have earned National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships (NSF-GRFP).

The oldest graduate fellowship of its kind, the NSF-GRFP recognizes and supports outstanding students in NSF-supported disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited institutions in the United States. In addition to a three-year annual stipend of $34,000, plus another $12,000 paid to the student’s home institution, fellows have access to a wide range of professional development opportunities over the course of their graduate careers.

The Graduate Research Fellowships are highly competitive, with annual acceptance rates of about 14% from among more than 12,000 applicants.

“The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship is the gold standard when it comes to federally-funded fellowships for aspiring scientists,” says Vin Moscardelli, Director of UConn’s Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships. “These fellowships are investments in both the science and the scientist. This national recognition reflects not only the quality and significance of the research the students are proposing to conduct, but on the potential of these students to make a mark in their chosen fields.”

The number of recipients from UConn has been on the rise over the years, with an average of 5.75 recipients from 2012-2015, and now an average of 11 in the years since.

“The best part of helping students with this and other fellowship applications is, most times after the student hits submit and then I get an email from the student stating no matter the outcome, they are really glad they did this,” says Rowena Grainger, the STEM Fellowship Advisor in the Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships. “This is when students recognize the value of the process itself. In applying for the NSF GRFP, among other things, students have the opportunity to clarify their research and academic goals, improve their writing skills, learn to manage the critical application feedback process. These are skills that they will continue to build on in their graduate careers and beyond.”

The three undergraduate recipients are:

Christopher Choi ’20 (ENG), of Storrs, is graduating with dual bachelor’s degrees in history and materials science and engineering. He has been involved in a range of research activities and labs at UConn, focusing on topics from thermoelectrics to archaeological materials. In addition to receiving the NSF-GRFP, Choi is a member of the honors program, a recipient of a Summer Undergraduate Research Fund award, and was one of the student speakers at the 2018 School of Engineering Scholarship Award Ceremony. Choi has been a member of UConn Model UN for four years, serving as a committee director from fall 2017 to fall 2019, and was involved in the Engineering Ambassadors for four years, serving as the group’s president from spring 2018 to spring 2019. In the fall of 2020, he will begin his doctoral studies at Stanford, where he hopes to contribute to biomaterials research.

Ariane Garrett ’20 (ENG), of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering. Throughout her time at UConn, she was an undergraduate researcher in the Hoshino Laboratory and benefited greatly from the mentorship of Dr. Kazunori Hoshino. She is a STEM Scholar, Honors Scholar, and University Scholar. Garrett was named a Goldwater Scholar in April 2019. She was the recipient of a Holster Scholarship, SURF grant and IDEA grant from UConn. Garrett interned at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine in Boston during the summer of 2019. She will pursue her doctorate in biomedical engineering at Boston University.

Brittany Smith ’20 (ENG), of Orange, is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with a minor in mathematics. Smith has been involved in a number of research activities, including interning through the Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program at the Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory in Groton. There she did nanotechnology research with Dr. Ali Gokirmak, and researched wearable biosensors with Dr. Ki Chon. Smith worked on an independent project with two other electrical engineering undergraduate students, during which they developed a robot that shoots candy into a person’s mouth using facial recognition and tracking. This work was published in a paper to the 2019 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers MIT Undergraduate Conference. Smith has been a member of the Women in Math, Science, and Engineering learning community for three years, holding mentoring positions during her sophomore and junior years. She has been an undergraduate teaching assistant, the vice president of the Navy STEM program at UConn, and the treasurer for Eta Kappa Nu, the electrical and computer engineering honor society, and the Women in Math, Science and Engineering clubs. Smith was involved with a number of outreach activities including serving as a UConn tour guide and a member of UConn’s Engineering Ambassadors. She will be pursuing her doctorate this fall at Duke with research focused on the development and application of biosensors.

The three graduate student recipients are:

Rosalie Bordett ’17 (CLAS) of Simsbury, who is a second-year doctoral student in the biomedical sciences graduate program at UConn Health. She received her undergraduate degree from UConn in biomedical engineering with minors in material science and chemistry. During her undergraduate studies, she was both a Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation scholar and Health Career Opportunity Program scholar. Bordett received the UConn Chemistry Summer Fellowship and worked at UMass-Amherst under NSF funded project as a researcher. Prior to graduate school as the laboratory manager at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center-Innovation Center, Bordett conducted research on bioinstrumentation. Her graduate research work at UConn Health in Dr. Sangamesh Kumbar’s laboratory in the departments of orthopedic surgery and biomedical engineering is focused on the synergistic effects of physical and chemical stimulation in the regeneration of peripheral nerves. She is a co-author of multiple research publications in the areas of biomaterials and tissue engineering.

Matthew Howell of Boiling Springs, S.C., is a first-year doctoral student in the chemistry department, in the lab of Dr. Alfredo Angeles. Howell earned his undergraduate degree at Wofford College. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. Howell has conducted research at the European Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Tech, and Yale, with published research articles in Genome Research and The Journal of Biological Chemistry. This summer, he plans to continue working with undergraduates Ana Wenc ’23 (CLAS) and Rosanna Airo ’22 (CLAS) in exploring synergy between metals, peptides, and antibiotics as a tool to combat the problem of antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

Jackson Lautier ’11 (CLAS), is a native of Southington and currently resides in West Hartford. He is a first-year doctoral student in the Department of Statistics and his research concentrates on applications of statistics to economics, finance, risk management, and actuarial science.  He is particularly interested in using statistics to improve access of disadvantaged groups to the capitalist financial system.  Previously to his doctoral studies, Lautier spent more than eight years working Prudential Financial, Inc. as an actuary in various roles, including risk management, investment strategy, and quantitative finance.  He was also an adjunct instructor in the Department of Mathematics at UConn in the 2018-2019 academic year.  Lautier is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries, a Chartered Enterprise Risk Analyst, and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.  Lautier graduated with an undergraduate degree in mathematics/actuarial science from UConn.

Six additional UConn alumni who are now pursuing graduate studies elsewhere also earned NSF Graduate Research Fellowships:

Helen Belato ’18 (CLAS), who is studying structural biology at Brown University; Laurel Gibson ’18 (CLAS), who is studying social psychology at the University of Colorado; Celia Guillard ’15 (CLAS), who is studying social psychology at the University of Pennsylvania; Alexandra Oliveira ’19 (ENG, CLAS), who is studying chemical engineering at the University of Delaware; Nicholas Russo ’18 (CLAS), who is studying ecology at UCLA; and Margaret Webb ’15 (CLAS, BUS), who is studying cognitive psychology at Brown University.

by Mike Enright

Please visit https://today.uconn.edu/2020/04/students-earn-national-science-foundation-graduate-research-fellowship/ to view the original article.

Radford University’s Jeanne Mekolichick Elected as 2021–2022 CUR President

Radford University’s Jeanne Mekolichick Elected as 2021–2022 CUR President

Jeanne Mekolichick, associate provost of academic programs at Radford University in Radford, VA, has been elected as president of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR). Mekolichick will become president-elect in summer 2020, taking a seat on CUR’s Executive Board and succeeding 2020–2021 CUR president Silvia Ronco (Research Corporation for Science Advancement) in summer 2021.

Mekolichick’s diverse roles within CUR have included service as a member of the CUR Executive Board, as a councilor in the CUR Social Sciences Division, as chair and newsletter editor of the division, and as a member of the Advocacy Advisory and Program Review Committees. She also was a member of the Assessment Task Force and served on a subcommittee of the Executive Board on governance. In addition, she is active in the CUR Transformations Project, which seeks to infuse research into curricula. At her institution, she has served as professor and chair of the Department of Sociology, director of the Center for Social and Cultural Research, director of interdisciplinary studies in the liberal arts, interim director of the International Education Center, assistant vice provost for high-impact practices, and assistant provost of academic programs.

Mekolichick earned a BA in sociology from Kent State University, where she graduated summa cum laude. She also earned an MA and PhD in sociology from Kent State.

Mekolichick said, “My experience as an undergraduate researcher altered the trajectory of my career and my life, compelling me to carry forward this opportunity to others. I am excited about the prospect of serving CUR, supporting a broader group of enthusiastic students, dedicated faculty, and committed institutional leaders to transform lives and society through undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry.”

Lindsay Currie, CUR executive officer, stated: “Jeanne Mekolichick’s commitment to and experience with key CUR issues such as assessment, curricula, diversity, mentoring, and support will provide invaluable benefits to the organization and the wider undergraduate research community. Her previous work within CUR has nurtured the Social Sciences Division, including an important collaboration with the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research, and the organization as a whole. Her leadership will be an asset as CUR continues its mission to advance undergraduate research.”

Hendrix Junior Gets Pick of Three Summer Research Programs

Hendrix Junior Gets Pick of Three Summer Research Programs

In the fall of 2017, Tristian Wiles ’21 arrived on a college campus more populous than his hometown. That’s probably a more common experience for students attending a flagship state university than for those enrolled at a small liberal arts institution like Hendrix College. But Wiles came from the northeastern Arkansas community of Ash Flat, which has a population of about 1,100.

As a first-generation student from a rural area, Wiles admits to being uncertain about whether he would be a good fit for college life. “But from the friendly housekeepers and caf workers to my dependable professors, everyone has always made me feel at home in the Hendrix community,” he says.

It’s evident that Wiles feels at home at Hendrix (a feeling so common among students that the campus has earned the name Homedrix). He’s excelled as a biochemistry/molecular biology (BCMB) major and added a philosophy minor to his academic pursuits. Outside of classes and labs, he has participated in the BCMB Club, the Hendrix chapter of the American Chemical Society, and Hendrix Naturalists Club. And drawing on his experience as a first-generation college student, Wiles connects with students following paths similar to his own by serving as a mentor for the IRIS Program: Increasing Retention and Inclusion in STEM.

This spring, he learned he’d been accepted into three summer research programs—at Yale, Duke, and UT Southwestern, all programs affiliated with the Amgen Scholars Program (funded by the Amgen Foundation, the principal channel for biotech company Amgen’s corporate philanthropy). He ultimately chose Yale, and was waiting to be matched with a research lab there when he learned that this summer’s program would be canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. He will be able to attend in the summer of 2021, though.

“Because of that delay, I still don’t know exactly what I’ll study, but it will be some type of biomedical science, likely to do with genetics and molecular biology,” he said.

By that time, Wiles will have his Hendrix degree, and plans to move on to pursue a Ph.D. in the biomedical sciences. His ultimate goal: teaching and conducting research at the college and university level. It’s one way he plans to pay forward the benefits of his own Hendrix education.

“I have found such a strong academic support group at Hendrix,” he says. “I would never have gained the qualifications for these programs without the help of my research advisors, and I certainly could not have written the essays necessary for strong applications without the guidance of my humanities professors and scholarship advisors.”

Wiles believes in the power of making research opportunities available to undergraduate students because he has benefited from it himself.

“I was able to start doing research as early as the end of my freshman year, and completed three projects by the time I was a junior. I started with research in ecology, and, thanks to the guidance of my research advisors, I had homed in on my passion for molecular biology by the end of my third project,” he says. “Hendrix opens so many doors for students interested in undergraduate scientific research.”

Text courtesy of Hendrix College Media Relations Team. To view the original article, please visit https://www.hendrix.edu/tristian-wiles-2020.aspx

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire to Host 2023 National Conference on Undergraduate Research

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire to Host 2023 National Conference on Undergraduate Research

Student-Faculty Research Projects Featured at Annual Event

The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) has selected the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire to host the spring 2023 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). At this annual three-day event, more than 4,000 students present scholarly research, network with peers and faculty mentors, and meet with graduate school and corporate recruiters.

CUR Executive Officer Lindsay Currie said, “The University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire’s strong commitment to diverse opportunities in undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry will provide an outstanding environment for NCUR attendees. The area’s many amenities will offer a congenial locale for NCUR 2023.”

UW–Eau Claire Chancellor James Schmidt said, “As the UW System Center of Excellence for Faculty and Undergraduate Student Research Collaboration for more than 30 years, we couldn’t be prouder to be named the 2023 host for the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. Undergraduate research is a 50-plus-year tradition for UW–Eau Claire and an integral part of who we are as a university, with more than 40 percent of our students engaging in a scholarly faculty-mentored research experience before they graduate. We can’t wait to open our campus and community to student researchers and faculty mentors from across the country for this important national event.”

This annual gathering of student scholars welcomes presenters from all higher education institutions and from all disciplines, providing a unique learning and networking opportunity. The conference has grown considerably since its inception in 1987, highlighting the increased importance of undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry to institutions and employers. UW-Eau Claire has had a substantial presence at NCUR in recent years: 62 UW-Eau Claire individuals participated in NCUR 2018, and 37 UW-Eau Claire representatives participated in NCUR 2019 (placing the university among the top-20 institutions sending undergraduates to the conference).  

Other upcoming hosts of NCUR include California State University, Long Beach (2021) and University of West Florida (2022).

Three Georgia State Faculty Honored for Commitment to Undergraduate Research

Three Georgia State Faculty Honored for Commitment to Undergraduate Research

For the first time in its 14-year history, the Georgia State Undergraduate Research Conference has awarded three faculty members for their commitment to mentoring student research.

The conference, also known as GSURC, is an annual showcase hosted by the Honors College of undergraduate research ranging across all disciplines and topics.

“Nominations for the 2020 GSURC Faculty Research Awards came from more than 10 different academic units, which highlights the breadth of outstanding undergraduate research being done at Georgia State,” said Amy Reber, a senior lecturer in biology and the Honors College Faculty Associate for GSURC. “The pool was incredibly competitive and the awards committee was impressed by the phenomenal work being done by all of the nominees.”

Jamae Morris, assistant professor of African-American studies, is the recipient of the 2020 Faculty Award for Undergraduate Faculty Mentored Creative Projects and Research in Fine Arts and the Humanities. Morris is the organizer of the university’s African-American Undergraduate Research Colloquium (AURC) and has mentored 25 undergraduate researchers.

Daniel Cox, professor of neuroscience and biology and director of the Center of Neuromics in the College of Arts & Sciences, is the recipient of the 2020 Faculty Award for Undergraduate Project or Laboratory-Based Research. Cox has mentored more than 50 individual student research projects over the last 15 years and dozens of his students have submitted conference abstracts, received prestigious national awards, and pursued graduate education and career paths related to the work they conducted under Cox’s supervision.

Frank Williams, professor of anthropology, is the recipient of the 2020 Faculty Award for Undergraduate Mentored Research in Policy, Entrepreneurship, Education and Social Sciences. Williams has mentored more than 30 GSURC presenters over the years and more than a dozen honors students who have written theses and presented at state-level conferences. He also works with undergraduates in Georgia State’s Dental Micro-wear Laboratory, which has led to many graduate school and career opportunities for students.

Each award is valued at $300 and winners were selected by a committee of faculty including last year’s recipient.

This is also the first year GSURC will be a virtual event, in keeping with public health and university system guidelines surrounding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

GSURC 2020 will take place later this month on an online video platform where students can record and upload their presentations to be judged by expert faculty. The winning presentations will be announced at the end of April and posted to the GSURC website.

“We know how much time and energy our students have invested in their research projects, and so the GSURC faculty advisory board is pleased to offer everyone the opportunity to present and be recognized for their work in a virtual conference,” Reber said.

Test courtesy of Georgia State University, News Hub.

Please visit https://news.gsu.edu/2020/04/06/gsurc2020facultyawards/ to view the orginal article. 

Divisions – Biology Small Research Grant Award

Divisions – Biology Small Research Grant Award

Call for applications

The Biology Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) is pleased to announce a limited number of research supply grants, up to $250 each, to members of the Biology Division. These awards are intended especially for projects with undergraduates in which a small grant will make a big difference. Award funds will be given as a stipend and do not need to be used during this fiscal year. Award recipients are required to acknowledge CUR for support of their research in publications and presentations of work stemming from the support.

Application Materials

Selection criteria

1. The proposal describes a clear plan for mentoring undergraduate research.

2. The proposal describes a clear role for undergraduates in the research project.

3. The proposal describes specific outcomes for the project.

4. This small grant will make the research more likely to move forward.

5. How would you rate this proposal’s funding priority?

Deadline: Applications must be received by 8:00 pm ET Monday, May 11, 2020. Awardees will be notified by the end of May.

Questions: Please direct questions to Lance BartonKaren Lee or Gretchen Edwalds-Gilbert

CUR’s First Virtual Posters on the Hill Showcases Undergraduate Research to Policymakers, Scholars, and the Public

CUR’s First Virtual Posters on the Hill Showcases Undergraduate Research to Policymakers, Scholars, and the Public

On April 21, students from colleges and universities across the nation will participate in the 2020 Posters on the Hill event, sponsored by the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) with support from the American Chemical Society (ACS) and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-USA. This year, because of COVID-19 challenges, undergraduate researchers and faculty mentors from institutions such as Butler University, California State University–Fullerton, and University of Chicago will come together online to share their research on topics ranging from archaeological findings providing insight into Sicily’s indigenous peoples and a courageous theologian’s defiance of the Nazis to the relationship of probiotics and the human gut, and a method in chemistry that shows promise for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (visit the poster abstracts). The poster session will take place on Twitter on April 21, 2020, at 12 pm EDT (use hashtags #POH2020 and #POHGoesVirtual).

CUR, in collaboration with ACS and other organizations, holds the annual Posters on the Hill event to highlight the work of undergraduate researchers from across the country to Members of Congress, congressional staffers, federal government officials, academics, and others, demonstrating the value of federal investment in undergraduate research. The event is highly selective—institutions’ most gifted researchers are judged by a national panel of experts in their fields, and only the best teams are chosen. Past participants have gone on to contribute significantly to the research enterprise, such as Sarah Caudill, a scientist at Nikhef who was part of the team that discovered gravitational waves.

“CUR’s first virtual Posters on the Hill presents many exciting opportunities,” said CUR Executive Officer Lindsay Currie. “Not only will congressional representatives and their staff members be able to learn about innovative research, scholarship, and creative inquiry by exceptional undergraduate researchers but national and international scholars, journalists, and members of the public will be able to interact with these students and their work. Posters on the Hill powerfully demonstrates the benefits of investment in undergraduate research for students, faculty, institutions, and communities around the world.”

A sample of the Posters on the Hill participants:

  • Lauren Bergeron, Albion College (MI). Read about her project that uncovered some surprising aspects of white Union soldiers’ perceptions of white Southerners during the Civil War.
     
  • Sara Heridia, Trinity University (TX). Read about her project that examined US presidents’ leadership opportunities and constraints, which were affected by their political era.
     
  • Ethan Naquin, Nicolls State University (LA). Read about his project that analyzed antibiotic-resistant genes in southeastern Louisiana waterways.
     
  • Grace Ostermiller, Montana Technological University (MT). Read about her project that sought to increase the efficiency of an air compressor/vacuum pump, which has implications for a wide array of industries.
     
  • Jordan Teng, Mercer University (GA). Read about this collaborative project that created 3D yearbooks for blind high school students.
     
  • Madison Wojciechowski, Penn State Berks (PA). Read about her project that developed more water-resistant and adaptable arm casts for patients.
     

For further information about the event, contact Liz Fray Hains, manager of student programs.

CUR Statement on COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

CUR Statement on COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

CUR 2020 Biennial In-Person Goes Virtual

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and with the safety of our members uppermost in mind, the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) has regretfully decided to cancel the in-person 2020 Biennial Conference. However, please mark your calendars for a virtual 2020 Biennial Conference to take place during a similar timeframe. The Executive Board, Biennial Committee, Conference Host, and National Office recognize that the power of the CUR community is in our ability to support each other and share knowledge and resources to help us through these trying times. We are working on converting our in-person conference into a virtual one and will be excited to interact with all of you in this new space. 

Details, schedule, and registration will be released on Monday, May 4, 2020. For those who are currently registered for the in-person conference, please watch out for further communications on your registration within the next 7 business days. For any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to cur@cur.org. 

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The CUR national office and leadership team continue to keep updated on what our health authorities are advising. We understand that you still may have reservations about committing to attend a conference given the evolving situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

We encourage all of our undergraduate research community to check out our member resource page. We are making daily updates to bring you the latest resources to help navigate your way through these times. From online webinars that help us understand how to move forward in this time of change to ‘how to’ videos on converting to virtual teaching and learning, this page was built for our evolving undergraduate community. 

From all of us at CUR’s National Office, we sympathize with everything you’re going through right now. We know the pain of cancelled events, graduations, research presentations, and time cut short with friends, students, mentors, and colleagues. Remember to take care of yourself. CUR is here for you. 

I AM CUR. YOU ARE CUR. WE WILL ALWAYS BE CUR. 

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Posters on the Hill

The Council on Undergraduate Research regrets to inform you that we have cancelled our in-person event, Posters on the Hill, originally set to take place April 20-21, 2020. After much consideration, it is within the community’s best interest, the health of attendees, and to our national office staff, that we do not proceed with our scheduled event and remain compliant to the guidelines of the District of Columbia Department of Public Health, CDC, and WHO at this time.

UPDATE: The CUR National Office has been researching ways to honor the many students’ achievements of being accepted to the 2020 Posters on the Hill celebration. Though the in-person event has sadly been cancelled, we are organizing a virtual poster session to take place on April 21 via Twitter. Accepted students and faculty were notified on March 25 of this change. We hope our community can gather around them and celebrate by following #POH2020 and #POHGoesVirtual on Twitter. If you have any questions, please email Liz Hains

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National Conference on Undergraduate Research

As of March 11, 2020, Montana State University, in conjunction with the Council on Undergraduate Research, regretfully has canceled the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) to have taken place on March 26-28, 2020. In working with local and state COVID-19 task forces, we take this step out of an abundance of caution. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

For registrants and graduate fair representatives who withdrew their registrations prior to the event cancellation on March 11, the registration fee will be refunded after the $50.00 cancellation fee is assessed in accordance with the refund policy states on the NCUR 2020 website. 

For registrants and graduate fair representatives whose registration was voided by the cancellation of the event, a full refund will be provided. Fees paid for excursions through the “Extras Store” will be refunded in full. Refunds will be processed within approximately two weeks.

For additional questions and information, please refer to the NCUR 2020 website. 

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Information on COVID-19

Three Vanderbilt STEM students named Goldwater Scholars for 2020

Three Vanderbilt STEM students named Goldwater Scholars for 2020

Vanderbilt University sophomores Ashwin Kumar and Abinaya Ramakrishnan and junior Amelia Taylor are among the 2020 recipients of the Goldwater Scholarship—awarded to undergraduate STEM students who show exceptional promise of becoming the nation’s next generation of research leaders.

They are among 396 college students across the United States who were selected as Goldwater Scholars from a field of 1,343 nominees. The Goldwater Scholarships are one- and two-year scholarships that contribute up to $7,500 per year toward educational expenses.

Ashwin Kumar, of Irving, Texas, is enrolled in the School of Engineering with a triple major in computer science, neuroscience and applied math.

“Ashwin works with three faculty members in two departments on impactful research projects while also leading one student organization and serving as an officer of another,” said Philippe Fauchet, Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of Engineering. “Goldwater Scholars are extraordinary students, and I congratulate Ashwin on the award of this prestigious scholarship.”

As an undergraduate, Kumar has been conducting interdisciplinary research between the Human Imaging Lab, directed by Seth Smith, associate professor of radiology and radiological sciences; the Medical Analysis and Statistic Interpolation Lab, directed by Bennett Landman, associate professor of electrical engineering, computer engineering and computer science; and with Kurt Schilling, research assistant professor of radiology and radiological sciences.

“I am pursuing collaborative image acquisition and analysis research to create and analyze pediatric spinal cord maps for detecting pediatric pathologies,” Kumar said. “Specifically, I have conducted random effects modeling to better understand pediatric spinal cord development through Jacobian analysis.”

A Vanderbilt Chancellor’s Scholar, Kumar aspires to earn a doctorate in biomedical engineering, with a specialization in imaging science. He plans to study the intersection among image analysis, high performance computing and statistical optimization. Conducting research on biomaterial optimization and teaching at the university level are among his career goals.

Kumar serves as president of Vanderbilt Project RISHI, which works to provide financially sustainable solutions to core problems within Indian villages. He is also secretary of the Vanderbilt Biomedical Engineering Society.

The other two recipients, Abinaya Ramakrishnan and Amelia Taylor, are enrolled in the College of Arts and Science.

“Having two students from Arts and Science selected for one of the nation’s intensely competitive STEM scholarships is a testament to the quality of our undergraduate research experience,” said John Geer, Ginny and Conner Searcy Dean of the College of Arts and Science and professor of political science. “We are extremely proud of Abinaya and Amelia and look forward to seeing the impact of their discoveries in the years to come.”

Ramakrishnan, of Lisle, Illinois, is a double major in biological sciences and medicine, health and society. Her research experiences include working with Dr. Miklos Kertai, professor of anesthesiology, to understand postoperative complications following cardiac surgery.

“Since my freshman year, I have been investigating how mean platelet volume can be used to predict postoperative risk for acute kidney injury following cardiac surgery and minimally invasive procedures, like the transcatheter aortic valve replacement,” Ramakrishnan said. She has also contributed to basic sciences research on mosquito heart physiology under Julián Hillyer, associate professor of biological sciences.

“Being a Goldwater Scholar validates the efforts I have put into research starting from my sophomore year of high school and further motivates me to continue my research journey,” Ramakrishnan said. As an Ingram Scholar, Ramakrishnan has a strong commitment to community service. She volunteers with Hope Clinic, NAMI Tennessee and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and serves on the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Young Adult Leadership Council.

Ramakrishnan plans to earn a doctorate in epidemiology and clinical investigations and pursue a research-based career devoted to understanding and predicting postoperative complications following surgery. “I hope that through these clinical investigations, we can reduce the number of postoperative complications after surgery and pave a path to a faster recovery,” she said.

Taylor, of Bristol, Tennessee, is a double major in chemistry and philosophy. She is affiliated with the McLean Research Group Laboratory for Structural Mass, led by Stevenson Professor of Chemistry John A. McLean.

“It is so gratifying to be named a Goldwater Scholar and to be recognized for my research ability and potential to complete a doctorate in chemistry, because it is something I am so passionate about,” Taylor said. “It confirms my notion that this is the correct career path for me.”

She plans to pursue a doctorate in chemistry followed by a clinical chemistry fellowship. Her career goals include conducting interdisciplinary research in bioanalytical chemistry and teaching at the university level.

“My research focuses on better understanding the link between diet and Alzheimer’s disease through quantitative metabolomics,” Taylor said. “Currently, I am studying the changes that occur in amino acid metabolism in a mouse model of familial Alzheimer’s disease and obesity/diabetes.”

Taylor serves as president of the Vanderbilt University QuestBridge Chapter, a scholarship organization for high-achieving, low-income students. She is also a student fellow in the SyBBURE Searle Undergraduate Research Program.

Taylor encourages sophomores to apply for the Goldwater even if they are unsure if they will be competitive. “I applied my sophomore year and was not selected as a nominee, but because I had experience with the process, I was able to re-apply my junior year as a stronger candidate,” Taylor said. “Writing and communicating are skills you have to practice to learn, and the Goldwater application provides valuable practice in scientific communication for other fellowships, grad school applications and beyond.”

The Goldwater Scholarship Program, established by Congress in 1986 in honor of the late Sen. Barry Goldwater, seeks to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue research careers in the fields of the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics. Vanderbilt is among 461 institutions whose institutional representatives submitted nominations for 2020.

The following faculty served on this academic year’s nomination and review committee: Beth Bowman, assistant director, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine; Lauren Buchanan, assistant professor of chemistry; Craig Duvall, professor of biomedical engineering and director of undergraduate studies; Todd Peterson, faculty director of the Office of Honor Scholarships and associate professor of radiology and radiological sciences; and Paul Sheldon, professor of physics and astronomy.

by Ann Marie Deer Owens

Please visit https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2020/04/02/three-vanderbilt-stem-students-named-goldwater-scholars-for-2020/ to view the original article. 

CUR’s Chemistry Division Selects 2020 Outstanding Mentorship Awardees

CUR’s Chemistry Division Selects 2020 Outstanding Mentorship Awardees

The CUR Chemistry Division has announced the 2020 recipients of its Outstanding Mentorship Award, which recognizes excellence in mentoring of undergraduate researchers:

•    Geneive Henry, Susquehanna University
•    James A. Phillips, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire
•    Aimée Tomlinson, University of North Georgia

Geneive Henry is Charles B. Degenstein Professor of Chemistry and head of the Department of Chemistry at Susquehanna University. She earned her BS in chemistry with first-class honors and her PhD in organic chemistry at the University of the West Indies. Henry focuses her research projects on producing derivatives of essential oil components that have anticancer, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties and has mentored more than 50 students in biochemistry, biology, biomedical sciences, and chemistry. She also has been involved in efforts to mentor students and faculty from underrepresented groups as well as nurture cross-disciplinary and interuniversity collaborations.

James A. Phillips is professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. He earned his BA in chemistry at Middlebury College (graduating cum laude) and his PhD in physical chemistry at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities. Phillips’s research examines condensed-phase effects on the structural properties of molecular complexes. His mentoring efforts have involved research with 45 undergraduates, including at-risk and nontraditional students; development of course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) in partnership with early-career colleagues; and participation in the Molecular Education and Research Consortium in Undergraduate Computational Chemistry (MERCURY). He has served as a councilor in CUR’s Chemistry Division and as a member of the NCUR Oversight Committee.

Aimée Tomlinson is professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of North Georgia. She earned her BS in mathematics and her BS in chemistry at Purdue University, and her PhD in theoretical/computational chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University. Her research interests involve computational chemical physics and quantum theory. She has mentored more than 40 undergraduate researchers and early-career faculty members, with attention to supporting women in STEM and individuals from the LGBTQ community, and participates in the MERCURY consortium.

The Outstanding Mentorship Awards of CUR’s Chemistry Division honor exceptional mentoring and advising by higher education faculty across all subdisciplines of chemistry. Each award consists of a $500 cash prize to the recipient, a certificate of recognition, a one-year individual membership to CUR funded by the Chemistry Division, and a letter of commendation from CUR sent to the recipient’s institution.