Beckman Scholars
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 its first Beckman Scholars grant in 2006, and was selected again in 2009, in 2013 and in 2016. 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.
University of Richmond Beckman Scholars
2018-2019
Najwa Labban
Mentor: Julie Pollock
2017-2018
Arjun Jaini
Mentor: Michael Leopold
2016-2017
Hannah Small
Mentor: Linda Boland
Michael Pannell
Mentor: Michael Leopold
Pannell's research focuses on the use of nanoparticle networks as functional components of amperiometric biosensors designed for the detection of clinically relevant targets.
2015-2016
Adam Luxon
Mentor: Carol Parish
Scott Yeudall
Mentor: John Gupton
2014-2015
Tyler Heist
Mentor: Malcolm Hill
Heist's research involved Investigating Intracellular Symbiont Dynamics in Sponge:Symbiodinium Relationships.
Post-graduation activity: Quantitative and Computational Biology (QCB) graduate program at Princeton University
2013-2014
Caroline Braun
Mentor: Kristine Nolin
Braun's thesis focused on Addition Reactions of Electron-Deficient Cyclopropanes Catalyzed by Calcium(II) Complexes.
Post-graduation activity: Ph.D. in chemistry at Vanderbilt University
2012–2013
Emily McFadden
Beckman Mentor: Dr. Michelle Hamm
McFadden studied the mutagenic potential of the damaged deoxynucleotide 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine with different DNA polymerases.
2011–2012
Sarah Rhoads
Beckman Mentor: Dr. Lisa Gentile
Rhoads worked on a project geared at understanding the regulation of ionotropic glutamate receptors.
Brown University's Warren Alpert Medical School
Ian Winters
Beckman Mentor: Dr. April Hill
Winters' research focused on developing an RNA interference methodology for the knockdown of gene expression in sponges.
Post-graduation activity: Stanford University School of Medicine Biosciences PhD Program in Genetics
2010–2011
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
Beckman Mentor: Dr. Malcolm Hill
Trophic status of tropical marine sponges: the effects of symbiosis and temperature on feeding behavior
Post-graduation activity: Studies at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
2008–2009
Ben Giglio
Beckman Mentor: Dr. John Gupton
The Application of Vinylogous Iminium Salts to the Synthesis of Biologically Active, Marine Natural Products of the Lamellarin
Post-graduation activity: Studies University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill to obtain a Ph.D. in chemistry
2007–2008
Kathryn L. Holstien
Beckman Mentor: Dr. April Hill
Unexpected Diversity of T-box Transcription Factors in Porifera
Post-graduation activity: Studies in developmental biology at Baylor University
Evan B. Wang
Beckman Mentor: Dr. Carol Parish
Conformational Analysis of Trans-fused Ether Rings in Brevetoxin A
Post-graduation activity: University of California at Berkeley to obtain a Ph.D. in chemistry
2006–2007
Robert W. Contino
Beckman Mentor: Dr. Craig Kinsley
Effect of Maternal Reproductive Experience on Cytochrome c Oxidase mRNA Concentration in the Rat Brain
Post-graduation activity: Emory University Medical School
Sarah M. Remmert
Beckman Mentor: Dr. Carol Parish
Spin-Flip Studies of Diradicals
Post-graduation activity: Studies at Oxford University on a Clarendon Scholarship
