Since 1997 the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation has provided funding to colleges and universities to support the highest level of undergraduate student research. Each year, the foundation invites more than 150 universities to apply to the Beckman Scholars program, and selects only nine to 15 proposals to fund.
Richmond received a Beckman Scholars grant in 2006, and was selected again in 2009. As described on the Beckman website, each of these grants is intended to “provide scholarships that contribute significantly in advancing the education, research training and personal development of selected students in chemistry, biochemistry, and the biological and medical sciences. The sustained, in-depth undergraduate research experiences and comprehensive faculty mentoring are unique in terms of program scope, content and level of scholarship awards ($19,300 for two summers and one academic year).” Beckman Scholars present their research at the Beckman Scholars conference at the end of their second year.
Students who are chosen to represent Richmond as Beckman Scholars are exceptional. The Beckman Foundation outlines specific characteristics that institutions should consider when selecting scholars. Scholars should have already demonstrated a commitment to research, have strong academic records and have seriously considered their career trajectory. Scholars are typically selected during their junior year, have demonstrated leadership qualities and superior communication skills during their tenure at Richmond and are already preparing for advanced study at the graduate level.
Emily McFadden
Beckman Mentor: Dr. Michelle Hamm
McFadden has been working with Hamm since the fall of 2010 to study the mutagenic potential of the damaged deoxynucleotide 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine with different DNA polymerases.
Sarah Rhoads
Beckman Mentor: Dr. Lisa Gentile
Rhoads has been working since the spring of 2009 on a project geared at understanding the regulation of ionotropic glutamate receptors.
Ian Winters
Beckman Mentor: Dr. April Hill
Winters has been developing an RNA interference methodology for the knockdown of gene expression in sponges since the spring of 2009.
Sally Fisher
Beckman Mentor: Dr. Carol Parish
Dynamics and folding pathways of the tetratricopeptide repeat region in the cargo binding domain of Kinesin motor proteins
Read more about Sally in our newsroom.
Andrew Massaro
Trophic status of tropical marine sponges: the effects of symbiosis and temperature on feeding behavior
Beckman Mentor: Dr. Malcolm Hill
Will attend Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in the fall
Ben Giglio
The Application of Vinylogous Iminium Salts to the Synthesis of Biologically Active, Marine Natural Products of the Lamellarin
Beckman Mentor: Dr. John Gupton
Currently attending the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill to obtain a Ph.D. in chemistry
Kathryn L. Holstien
Unexpected Diversity of T-box Transcription Factors in Porifera
Beckman Mentor: Dr. April Hill
Currently studying developmental biology at Baylor University
Evan B. Wang
Conformational Analysis of Trans-fused Ether Rings in Brevetoxin A
Beckman Mentor: Dr. Carol Parish
Currently attending the University of California at Berkeley to obtain a Ph.D. in chemistry
Robert W. Contino
Effect of Maternal Reproductive Experience on Cytochrome c Oxidase mRNA Concentration in the Rat Brain
Beckman Mentor: Dr. Craig Kinsley
Currently attending Emory University Medical School
Sarah M. Remmert
Spin-Flip Studies of Diradicals
Beckman Mentor: Dr. Carol Parish
Currently studying at Oxford University on a Clarendon Scholarship
Dr. Laura Runyen-Janecky, Biology
Dr. Jonathan Dattelbaum, Chemistry
Dr. Amy Treonis, Biology
Dr. Kelling Donald, Chemistry
Dr. Aparna Telang, Biology
Dr. Wade Downey, Chemistry
Dr. Craig Kinsley, Psychology
Dr. Lisa Gentile, Chemistry
Dr. April Hill, Biology
Dr. Malcolm Hill, Biology
Dr. John Gupton, Chemistry
Dr. Michelle Hamm, Chemistry
Dr. Michael Leopold, Chemistry
Dr. Linda Boland, Biology
Dr. Carol Parish, Chemistry