{"id":489,"date":"2024-11-14T22:46:21","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T22:46:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/student-research\/?page_id=489"},"modified":"2026-05-11T18:30:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T18:30:28","slug":"beckman-scholars-program","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/student-research\/funded-summer-experiences-for-students\/extended-research-programs\/beckman-scholars-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Beckman Scholars Program"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Beckman Scholars Program<\/h2>\n

The Beckman Scholars Program supports two Beckman Scholars per year in immersive, 15-month mentored research experiences for exceptional undergraduates in chemistry, biochemistry, and the biological and medical sciences. The Macalester Beckman Scholars Program is currently seeking renewal.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \"\"\n \n \n <\/span>\n \n

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How the Program Works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Macalester is currently seeking funding for a renewed Beckman Scholars Program; the description that follows reflects how the program has worked historically and will be updated when funding is secured.<\/strong> Students interested in becoming Beckman Scholars identify a mentor from the list of eligible faculty, discuss potential projects, and \u2014 if the fit is right \u2014 develop an application. A review committee selects the top two applicants, who receive funding for a continuous 15-month research experience at Macalester. Specific expectations of Beckman Scholars will vary by grant cycle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Apply<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Macalester Beckman Scholars Program is not accepting applications currently. This page will be updated with application information and a list of eligible faculty mentors once the Program is renewed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022\u20132024 Cohort<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Haley Heine<\/strong> (2022) \u2014 Biology (Evolution & Population Biology)
Using ultraconserved elements to delimitate cryptic species in New Zealand harvester<\/em>
Faculty mentor: Prof. Sarah Boyer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniela Castellanos<\/strong> (2022) \u2014 Chemistry
[2+2+2] Cycloaddition toward ortho-diimides<\/em>
Faculty mentor: Prof. Dennis Cao<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joseph Madell<\/strong> (2023) \u2014 Chemistry
Improved computational modeling of the kinetics of the acetonylperoxy + HO2<\/sub> reaction<\/em>
Faculty mentor: Prof. Keith Kuwata<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zade Alafranji<\/strong> (2023) \u2014 Biology (Plant, Ecology & Environmental Sciences)
Molecular Clock Approach to Dating New Zealand Mite Harvester Rakaia<\/em>
Faculty mentor: Prof. Sarah Boyer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Renee Nicholson<\/strong> (2024) \u2014 Chemistry
Isoprene Ozonolysis<\/em>
Faculty mentor: Prof. Keith Kuwata<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ryan Brush<\/strong> (2024) \u2014 Chemistry
Aromatic Dihydrazides<\/em>
Faculty mentor: Prof. Dennis Cao<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2014\u20132016 Cohort<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Charles Benck<\/strong> (2014) \u2014 Biology
Repeated oxazolone exposure provokes persistent vulvar mechanical sensitivity and labial T cell accumulation in previously sensitized ND4 mice<\/em>
Faculty mentor: Prof. Devavani Chatterjea<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brandon Hinrichs<\/strong> (2015) \u2014 Biology
Characterization and Determination of the Structure of a Stabilized DNA Packaging Enzyme of the Lambda Bacteriophage<\/em>
Faculty mentor: Prof. Marcos Ortega<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marla DeVault<\/strong> (2016) \u2014 Chemistry
A Computational Investigation of Acetyl Peroxy Radical Reacting with Hydroperoxy Radicals in the Atmosphere<\/em>
Faculty mentor: Prof. Keith Kuwata<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beebie Boo<\/strong> (2016) \u2014 Biology
Establishing a novel murine model of contact allergy-provoked genital pain using the hapten dinitrofluorobenzene<\/em>
Faculty mentor: Prof. Devavani Chatterjea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2007\u20132009 Cohort<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Erica Schultz, PhD<\/strong> (2007) \u2014 Chemistry
Mechanistic Studies on the Alkyne Zipper Reaction<\/em>
Faculty mentor: Prof. Ronald Brisbois<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zainab Mansaray (Storms), PhD<\/strong> (2008) \u2014 Biology
A Biochemical and Genetic Approach to the Effects of A4 on Auxin-Mediated Responses in Arabidopsis thaliana<\/em>
Faculty mentor: Prof. Ronald Drewell<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jamal Malik, PhD<\/strong> (2008) \u2014 Chemistry (Organic)
Synthesis of an Azaspirene Precursor<\/em>
Faculty mentor: Prof. Ronald Brisbois<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kelsey Speer, PhD<\/strong> (2009) \u2014 Biochemistry
Development of Asymmetric Bivalent Peptides that Target Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins<\/em>
Faculty mentor: Prof. Ronald Brisbois<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2003\u20132004 Cohort<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nicholas Ball<\/strong> (2003) \u2014 Chemistry (Synthetic)
Scope and Limitations of a Modified Sonogashira Cross-coupling Protocol: Development of Synthetic Orthogonality<\/em>
Faculty mentor: Prof. Ronald Brisbois<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kara Manke<\/strong> (2004) \u2014 Chemistry (Physical)
Rotational and Hyperfine Structure in the Spectra of TaO and ReO<\/em>
Faculty mentor: Prof. Thomas Varberg<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dustin Covell<\/strong> (2004) \u2014 Chemistry (Organic)
Faculty mentor: Prof. Rebecca Hoye<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sarah Miller<\/strong> (2004) \u2014 Biology<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How the Program Works Macalester is currently seeking funding for a renewed Beckman Scholars Program; the description that follows reflects how the program has worked historically and will be updated when funding is secured. Students interested in becoming Beckman Scholars identify a mentor from the list of eligible faculty, discuss potential projects, and \u2014 if […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":701,"featured_media":0,"parent":79,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-489","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/student-research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/489","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/student-research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/student-research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/student-research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/701"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/student-research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=489"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/student-research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/489\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1303,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/student-research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/489\/revisions\/1303"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/student-research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/79"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/student-research\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=489"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}