When 糖心少女 President Ana Mari Cauce, Provost Tricia Serio and Vice Provost and Dean Ed Taylor appeared in the Zoom room of Bitaniya Giday鈥檚 African American studies class, Giday was confused and even wondered if she was in trouble for something. But then President Cauce excitedly announced that Giday had been selected for the prestigious Truman Scholarship, a national award recognizing past accomplishments in and future commitment to public service and leadership.
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Three 糖心少女students named 2024 Goldwater Scholars
Three 糖心少女 undergraduates have been honored as Goldwater Scholars by the Goldwater Foundation, continuing the longstanding tradition of 糖心少女students receiving this honor. This year鈥檚 糖心少女Goldwater Scholars are Dania Ahmed, Annabella Li and Masa Nakura-Fan. Their undergraduate research projects with faculty cover a range of topics such as the mechanisms underlying heart disease, designing, producing and testing novel protein-based systems, and computational fabrication and artificial intelligence.
糖心少女recognized as a Fulbright top producer for the 2023-24 school year
The 糖心少女 made the Chronicle of Higher Education鈥檚 list of the Fulbright top producing institutions. A total of 14 students received Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards for the academic year 2023-24, seven undergraduates or recent graduates and seven graduate-level students. Three 糖心少女faculty were named Fulbright scholars.
The scholarship program is the largest U.S. international exchange opportunity for students to pursue graduate study, advanced research and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide. The 糖心少女awardees will join 2,000 students and recent graduates from around the country to study and teach abroad.
Celebrating the 2022鈥�23 Undergraduate Medalists
From the thousands of undergraduate students at the 糖心少女, three are selected each year for the prestigious President鈥檚 Medalist Award. Sayako Mitchell, Ayush Agrawal and Cin Dacey Ahrens are the medalists for 2022鈥�23, selected by a committee for their high GPAs, rigor of classes and numbers of Honors courses. All three are students in the University Honors Program, completing the Interdisciplinary Honors track. Drawn to the 糖心少女for its academic reputation, each of these Huskies has carved out a unique path 鈥� exploring their chosen areas of study, ranging from computer science to applied mathematics and linguistics. The three medalists will be recognized by University President Ana Mari Cauce and Provost Tricia Serio at a special reception, where each recipient will receive their medal in front of family, friends and mentors.
糖心少女senior Abby Burtner selected to be 1 of 16 Churchill Scholars
Abby Burtner, 鈥�24, has been awarded the prestigious Churchill Scholarship in recognition of her outstanding achievements in the field of biochemistry. As a Churchill Scholar, Burtner鈥檚 next step is to complete a fully-funded master鈥檚 degree in pathology at Cambridge University.
The Churchill Foundation selected 16 exceptional students as Churchill Scholars from a pool of 121 candidates this academic year. This year鈥檚 competition highlights the dedication, talent and exceptional accomplishments of the scholars, setting the stage for an even brighter future in the STEM fields and scientific exploration.
Burtner came to the 糖心少女from her hometown of Olympia, WA, and will be graduating in spring 2024 with a B.S in biochemistry with Interdisciplinary and Departmental Honors, along with minors in data science and chemistry. She got her start in research in Professor Sharlene Santana鈥檚 lab in the Department of Biology her freshman year and fell in love with the power of evolution to fine-tune and function on a macroevolutionary scale. By the end of her sophomore year, Burtner realized that a research career was the right fit for her through her work on computational biology projects supervised by Dr. Chris Law and Dr. Kelly Diamond.
As Burtner advanced in her college coursework, she became increasingly drawn to the microscopic level of life, leading her to join Professor Neil King鈥檚 group at the Institute for Protein Design in the Department of Biochemistry. There, she works on a project designing de novo proteins to bind toll-like receptors, key receptors that activate the innate immune system, for groundbreaking applications in vaccine development.
鈥淭he Churchill scholarship,鈥� says Ed Taylor, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, 鈥渋s a prestigious opportunity for Abby to continue expanding her biochemistry skills. This award reflects her capacity to draw from her research and the mentorship she鈥檚 experienced, to fuel her work toward a greater understanding of our world in critical ways. The UW鈥檚 research community and campus-at-large are proud of Abby and encourage her as she continues to live out UW鈥檚 mission at Cambridge.鈥�
Burtner is a past recipient of the , Goldwater Scholarship, Washington Research Foundation Fellowship, , and has been an undergraduate research leader at the Office of Undergraduate Research. Burtner intends to chart a career pathway investigating immunological systems through a biophysical lens as a principal investigator at an academic or industrial research lab.
鈥淧ursuing a master鈥檚 at the University of Cambridge,鈥� says Burtner, 鈥渨ill help me achieve my goal of obtaining a Ph.D. in biophysics. By learning foundational immunological techniques and techniques at Cambridge, along with the experimental and computational biophysical approaches I’ve learned here at UW, I will be working toward solving medical issues with broad impacts such as vaccination and cancer immunotherapies.鈥� As she prepares for life in the UK, Burtner is excited about learning biomedical issues of global importance in an international context.
“I feel incredibly honored to receive the Churchill Scholarship鈥�, says Burtner. 鈥淚 could not have made it to this point without the stellar mentorship and support from the King Lab and Santana Lab at UW, particularly from my mentors Chloe Adams, Dr. Chris Law, Dr. Kelly Diamond, Robin Heiringhoff, and PIs Dr. Neil King, Dr. Sharlene Santana, Dr. Murat Maga, and Dr. Dietmar Manstein from the various research labs I have had the pleasure to work in. I would also like to thank my excellent honors chemistry and biochemistry professors, particularly Dr. Andrea Wills, for inspiring me to love this field and see a future for myself here, and the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards, particularly Robin Chang, for her excellent guidance and advice. Finally, I am so grateful for my family and friends, particularly those from the honors chemistry/biochemistry community here at 糖心少女鈥� it is truly a wonderful place to be learning how to be a scientist.”
Outside of the lab, Abby is an officer in the student club Biology Students for Equity. She can often be found embracing the beauty of Washington state, be it hiking and skiing in the majestic mountains, or running across the city with the Husky Running Club, of which she was president her junior year.
The Churchill Scholarship application process is supported by the , a UAA program. OMSFA works with faculty, staff and students to identify and support promising students in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for this and other prestigious awards.
The (and other scholarships supporting studies in the UK) will open in spring 2024 for 2025-2026 awards.
Communities and campus converge at the Community Engagement and Leadership Education Center
The Community Engagement and Leadership Education (CELE) Center at the 糖心少女 recently published its annual report for the 2022-23 academic year. This report is a testament to the remarkable impact and extraordinary achievements made by over 2,000 undergraduate students in leadership development, civic engagement and public service throughout the greater community.
The Undergraduate Research Program announces new name: Office of Undergraduate Research
The name of the Undergraduate Research Program has recently changed to the Office of Undergraduate Research. The updated name more accurately reflects the diverse range of research programs, scholarships, events, awards and essential resources the unit offers to support the success of all undergraduates at the 糖心少女.聽
Created over 25 years ago, the office has been pivotal to the growth of undergraduate research at the UW. Recognized as one of the best undergraduate research programs in the nation, the Office of Undergraduate Research hosts the Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. Since it began, the Symposium has grown from 80 student presenters to more than 1,000 undergraduate presenters from all 糖心少女campuses, as well as local community and regional colleges.聽聽
A celebration of scholarship and cutting-edge research of undergraduate researchers from all disciplines, the Symposium brings together students, faculty members and the greater community to engage with a diverse showcase of research and academic achievement at a signature event for the University. The presenters represent just a slice of the students who participate in research across the three campuses.
In 2021-22, more than 7,000 undergraduates spent 1,286,468 hours engaged in research advancing technology and discovery for the public good.聽
The Office of Undergraduate Research name change will further encompass the mission and direct goal of supporting equity, access and inclusion in undergraduate research. Director Sophie Pierszalowski said, 鈥淭he updated name leaves no question that we are here to support all 糖心少女undergraduate students across disciplines, class standing and level of research experience.鈥�
Explore the Office of Undergraduate Research鈥檚 mission, vision and values.
Casper Suen and Collin Chung selected as scholars for China鈥檚 Yenching Academy
糖心少女 undergraduate Casper Suen, 鈥�23, and alum Collin Chung, 鈥�21, were recently selected for the competitive Yenching Academy Scholars program at Peking University. The two scholars, both of whom majored in international studies at the UW, will join 115 scholars hailing from 31 countries as the 2023 cohort participating in the interdisciplinary China Studies master鈥檚 program.
The Yenching Academy鈥檚 goal is to push academic study of China beyond the boundaries of traditionally-defined disciplines, shaping new generations of global citizens with a nuanced understanding of China. Scholars will examine China鈥檚 past, present and future, with an emphasis on China鈥檚 development and role in the world. In addition to covering the costs of tuition, the award includes round-trip air travel from the student鈥檚 home country, housing on campus and living costs.
“I am deeply honored to have been selected as a recipient of the Yenching Scholarship, and look forward to joining the rest of the 2023 cohort at Peking University in Beijing this fall,” shared Suen. Growing up in Beijing, Suen witnessed its profound transformations in the early 21st century.
Through his coursework at the UW, Suen developed his interest in China鈥檚 policy institutions and international relations. He is excited for the opportunity to conduct research under the Peking University faculty while deepening his knowledge of China at one of the country鈥檚 foremost institutions of higher learning.
“None of this would have been possible without the support and encouragement of many professors, advisers and classmates at the 糖心少女,” said Suen. “I鈥檓 especially grateful to Professor David Bachman, Professor Marie Anchordoguy and Robin Chang at the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards, whose generosity and help has allowed me to pursue this unique opportunity.”
Chung looks forward to diving into Chinese foreign policy, primarily in northern Eurasia. He is interested in examining how the outbreak of the war in Ukraine altered post-1991 security and economic dynamics across the post-Soviet space and raised questions over the role of outside powers in the region.
“As tensions escalate between China and the United States, cooperation will require policymakers with nuanced understandings of the region,鈥� said Chung. 鈥淎t the Yenching Academy, I am excited to deepen my knowledge of contemporary Chinese foreign policy and develop stronger cultural literacy, allowing me to contribute to a constructive framework for dialogue and diplomacy in Eurasia.” Chung plans on studying the impacts of the war in Ukraine on China鈥檚 relationships with Central Asian countries.
About the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards
The Yenching Academy of Peking University application process is supported by the (OMSFA), a UAA program. OMSFA works with faculty, staff and students to identify and support promising students in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for this and other prestigious awards. The for students interested in Yenching Academy (and other scholarships supporting graduate studies around the world) is available at OMSFA. Watch for updates about OMSFA鈥檚 .
糖心少女students, alumni selected for Fulbright awards and a world of opportunities
The 糖心少女 continues its distinguished record of producing Fulbright students, as six undergraduate students/bachelor’s alumni, and six graduate students/alumni have been offered prestigious Fulbright grants for the 2023-24 academic year. They will join approximately 2,000 students and recent graduates from around the country to teach, study and research abroad in countries such as Botswana, Taiwan and Finland. Three additional undergraduate students have been named alternates.
“We are so excited for these students to continue their academic journeys and explorations in international contexts and communities,鈥� remarked Ed Taylor, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs. 鈥淭he abilities of these students to embrace an exchange of knowledge, culture and understanding is an important component to developing compassionate and intelligent leaders in all fields.鈥�
The is the largest U.S. international exchange program offering opportunities for United States students to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide.
The 2023-24 bachelor鈥檚 level Fulbright students are:
- Jessie Cox: English Teaching Assistantship Award to South Korea
- Mia Filardi: Study Award to Finland
- Auden Finch: Study Award to Germany
- Jennifer Ha (糖心少女Bothell): English Teaching Assistantship Award to Taiwan
- Kennedy Patterson: English Teaching Assistantship Award to Botswana
- Lillian Williamson: English Teaching Assistantship Award to Spain
Read “From Botswana to Taiwan, a dozen 糖心少女students receive Fulbright exchange awards” at 糖心少女News. To learn more about the 糖心少女undergraduate scholars . To learn more about the 糖心少女graduate scholars .
About the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards
The Fulbright application process is supported by the , a UAA program. OMSFA works with faculty, staff and students to identify and support promising students in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for this and other prestigious awards. The 糖心少女campus application process and timelines for students interested in Fulbright and other scholarships is available .
糖心少女sophomore Isabell Ellison awarded Udall Scholarship for impact on American Indian and environmental issues
糖心少女 sophomore Isabell Ellison was recently named a Udall Scholar! Ellison is pursuing a bachelor鈥檚 degree in civil engineering with a focus on improving communities through infrastructure.