Two students selected for Beckman Scholars Program
LAWRENCE — University of Kansas students Claire Dopp and Sarah Noga have been selected to participate in the 2021 Beckman Scholars Program.
The KU Beckman Scholars Program is funded by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, which was established in 1977 with a mission to support leading-edge research. Since 2015, the foundation has supported research activities of outstanding KU chemistry and biology majors who strive to become leaders in their respective fields.
KU Beckman Scholars receive a stipend totaling $18,200 along with $2,800 for travel and supplies, while their faculty mentors receive a separate $5,000 stipend to help support their research goals. During summers 2021 and 2022, Dopp and Noga will be expected to perform a minimum of 40 hours of research per week as well as 10 hours per week during the intervening academic year. Both scholars will present the results of their research at the annual Beckman Symposium in August 2022, held in California, and at the KU Center for Undergraduate Research Annual Research Symposium. Find out more about the KU Beckman Scholars Program here.
About the scholars:
Claire Dopp is from Olathe and attended St. James Academy. She is majoring in chemistry with a minor in environmental studies. Dopp’s passion for research is driven by her desire to better understand the chemistry of alternative energy. Her work in the research group of James Blakemore, associate professor of chemistry, involves the preparation and study of chemical compounds containing multiple metals. In this work, Dopp is using precisely tailored structures to hold vanadium together with other metals, with the goal of mapping influences of the metals on electron transfer. Her work could contribute to improved nuclear fuel recycling technologies and complements ongoing studies of uranium chemistry. Following graduation, Dopp aspires to attend graduate school to earn a doctorate in chemistry.
Sarah Noga is from Des Moines, Iowa, where she graduated from Waukee High School. She is majoring in biochemistry with a minor in health information management. Noga was inspired to pursue a career in research by her passion to help others and her love of learning. Her work in the laboratory of Joanna Slusky, associate professor of molecular bioscience, focuses on investigating the structure and folding pathways of antibiotic resistance proteins. A more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms behind these proteins will aid in the development of techniques to slow antibiotic resistance. After graduation, Noga plans to attend graduate school and earn a doctorate in pharmacology.