Five Occidental College students collaborating with faculty in the fields of 生物化学, 化学, 物理, 地质 and 运动机能学 have been named 2019-20 Science Scholars and presented with research grants funded by the Kenneth T. 和艾琳·L. Norris and Fletcher Jones foundations.
The scholars selected by Oxy faculty to receive the prestigious award are: Ian 1月 ’20, 生物化学, Norris Scholar; Michael 关颖珊 ‘20, 物理, Norris Scholar; Elena 丹尼尔 ’20, 运动机能学, Fletcher Jones Scholar; Mark Kawada ’20, 化学, Fletcher Jones Scholar; and Fiona Pedrick ’20, 地质, Fletcher Jones Scholar. Each Science Scholar receives $15,000 in support to carry out research from the spring of their junior year through graduation.
“We had a very strong applicant pool this year and were fortunate that we had funding to support five awardees, beyond our usual four,” says 1月et Morris, director of Occidental’s Undergraduate 研究 Center. Outstanding students in the fields of 生物化学, 生物学, 化学, cognitive science, computer science, 地质, 运动机能学, 物理 and psychology (neuroscience emphasis) are eligible to apply for the annual award.
1月, a 生物化学 major and 物理 minor from Milpitas, is working with Joseph Schulz, associate professor of 生物学. His project is entitled "The Cone Snail Strikes Back: A Kinematic Study of an Ultrafast Prey Capture," what Schulz stated in his recommendation is a "completely novel area of research." He has already collaborated with Schulz on a journal manuscript (currently under review).
关颖珊, a double major in 物理 and music from San Francisco, is working with 1月et Scheel, associate professor of 物理 and department chair. His project is entitled "Energy spectra of turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection." 关颖珊 is also a National Science Foundation COSMOS scholar and serves as an Academic Mastery Program coordinator at Occidental.
丹尼尔, the first 运动机能学 major to be selected as a science scholar, is working with Marci Raney ‘01, associate professor of 运动机能学. 丹尼尔’s project is entitled "Effects of Playground Greenspace on Health-Related 结果 among Urban Schoolchildren: A Longitudinal Study." 丹尼尔, from Annville, Penn., will be conducting her research at nearby Buchanan Elementary School in Highland Park. Last summer she conducted research on access to Medicaid dental benefits in 洛杉矶 County.
Kawada, a 化学 and philosophy double major from Musashino, 日本, is working with Jeff Cannon, assistant professor of 化学. His project is entitled "Radical Addition of 1, 3-Dicarbonyls to Olefins via Photoredox Catalysis." When not researching, he is an Academic Mastery Program coordinator and a general and organic 化学 tutor and lab TA.
Pedrick, a 地质 major who attended high school in North Carolina, is working with Professor of Geology Margi Rusmore. Her project is entitled "Bracketing Extension of the Pioneer Metamorphic Core Complex." She will be doing fieldwork in south-central Idaho for this project and will return to campus for lab analysis. Last summer she worked as field assistant for Jim Vogl, senior lecturer in geological sciences at the University of Florida, and will continue her collaboration with him this year.
