Apprentice to begin graduate school at Hopkins

Congratulations to Akrita Bhatnagar, spring 2009 apprentice, for being accepted to the doctoral program in pharmacology at Johns Hopkins University!

BRAIN gets a Mason neuroscience undergraduate

Congratulations to neuroscience major Brandon Anjuwon-Foster who will participate in the Behavioral Research Advancements in Neuroscience (BRAIN) summer Pathways to Science program at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

Graduating senior to be a Brigham-Women's STAR

Congratulations to Alex Sims, who will graduate from George Mason University this May en route to George Washington University School of Medicine. Prior to starting at GW, Alex -- who spent last summer in South Africa with the MRRC's Building Bridges Project -- will participate as one of 10 scholars in a research and clinical mentoring program at Brigham Women's Hospital in Boston (next to Harvard Medical School). A member of the University Scholars and Undergraduate Apprenticeship Programs (spring 2009), she was also a finalist for the Truman Scholarship last year.

GMU students recognized as Goldwater Scholar and Honorable Mention

I'm very happy to let you know that Philip Naudus, a Mason junior and double major in physics and math, has just been named a 2009 Goldwater Scholar. He has further distinguished himself as Mason's first Goldwater Scholar. Philip was home schooled here in Fairfax, where his family lives. He has undertaken substantial research, both as an undergraduate apprentice with Dr. Nathalia Peixoto as a mentor, and also with Dr. Indu Satija and Dr. Karen Sauer. He has also worked at the National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST), plays the Bass in the Mason Chorale, volunteers in the community, and is active in other campus organizations.

Erica Porter, a Chemistry major with a Biochemistry concentration, received an Honorable Mention this year. In addition to her work with Monique van Hoek in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Erica was selected last summer to attend the AMGEN summer scholars program at the University of Washington, and she will be pursuing a summer clinical research opportunity at Harvard Medical School this summer.

We had two other strong candidates for this award this year. All four had impressive undergraduate research experience either on campus or elsewhere, and in some cases, both.

--- Deirdre Moloney, Director, Office of Postgraduate Fellowships and Scholarships

SACNAS abstracts 5/1/09

Website: http://www.sacnas.org/confNew/confClient/current/register/attendee/abstract_call.asp?att_type=3

CALL FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT, GRADUATE STUDENT, AND POSTDOC ABSTRACTS
Submission Deadline: 5/1/2009

Oral and poster research presentations are a fundamental component of the SACNAS National Conference. Year after year presenters from community colleges to major research institutions continue to impress their audiences with the quality of their research and presentation. The professional scientific setting provides undergraduate and graduate students, along with postdoctoral fellows, an opportunity to share their research and receive feedback from renowned scientists, peers, and judges. First time and returning presenters will find their experience an invaluable one. Submission of abstracts in all science, mathematics, and engineering disciplines is encouraged.