The Washington Research Foundation recently announced a $500,000 grant to the University of Washington’s Undergraduate Research Program, continuing its robust support of the Washington Research Foundation Fellowship for the next five years.
Category: Research
Posts that relate to undergraduate research as well as UAA programs that lead research.
Congratulations, Class of 2023!
On June 10, over 7,000 graduating seniors celebrated their academic accomplishments with 40,000 Husky families, friends and guests at the University of Washington’s Husky Stadium. Among the scholars who walked across the stage to receive their diplomas were those who connected to, deepened and expanded their Husky experience with Undergraduate Academic Affairs’ opportunities and programming. We recognize the hard work and dedication of each graduating senior, who now embark on pathways to create a better world. Every single one of these graduates has left a lasting impact on the UW, our community and on us. Congratulations to the class of 2023!
Here are a few examples from the Class of 2023!
Revolutionizing Alzheimer’s care: Undergraduate research in public health
In this video, undergraduate researcher Varuna Ravi, ’23, shares what motivated her to pursue research focusing on Alzheimer’s disease. Ravi’s firsthand experience of the devastating impact Alzheimer’s has on millions of individuals and their families drove her to reimagine how we perceive, comprehend and treat age-associated cognitive decline.
Junior medalist Olivia Brandon
Olivia Brandon, who twice received the President’s Medal, said, “I am constantly inspired by the impact — small or global — an individual can have in the medical and scientific world.” Brandon majored in public health–global health and hopes her future research helps improve global health challenges like infant mortality.
Five UW students named 2023 Goldwater Scholars
Nuria Alina Chandra is one of five undergrads selected for the Goldwater Scholarship, a competitive scholarship that supports students in STEM fields. Chandra plans to pursue a Ph.D. in computer science and then work at the intersection of machine learning, computational biology, and algorithms research. “I will research machine learning, computational biology, and algorithms to develop tools that prevent, treat, and cure disease. My research career will span from theory to clinical application,” says Chandra.
Undergraduates at the intersections of research: from blueprints to breakthroughs and visual arts to virtual reality
Out of the 1,000+ undergraduate researchers who presented their work at the 26th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, hundreds of them were seniors. Class of 2023 graduate and neuroscience major Shannon Hong reflected: “It was a valuable experience to present my own research and to learn about the work my peers are doing. The Symposium showed me that students can be at the forefront of change.”
Spring CELEbration event recognizes student and community partnerships
UAA’s Community Engagement and Leadership Education (CELE) Center held the 2023 Spring CELEbration, a forum showcasing student service, leadership and activist work. Presenter Greta Fehlan, ‘23, shared her internship experience from the Pike Market Senior Center and Food Bank. Fehlan said, “I loved this experience so much that it solidified for me that this is what I want to be doing with my life — community-based, community-focused work.”
UW students, alumni selected for Fulbright awards and a world of opportunities
Among this year’s group of students and alumni selected for Fulbright Fellowships are seniors Jessie Cox, Mia Filardi, Auden Finch, Kennedy Patterson and Lillian Williamson. 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.
UW senior Casper Suen selected for China’s Yenching Academy
Casper Suen, ’23, was recently selected for the competitive Yenching Academy Scholars program at Peking University. One of two scholars from the UW, both of whom majored in international studies, will join 115 scholars hailing from 31 countries as the 2023 cohort participating in the interdisciplinary China Studies master’s program. Through his coursework at the UW, Suen developed his interest in China’s policy institutions and international relations.
Revolutionizing Alzheimer’s care: Undergraduate research in public health
In this video, undergraduate researcher Varuna Ravi, ’23, shares what motivated her to pursue research focusing on Alzheimer’s disease. Ravi’s firsthand experience of the devastating impact Alzheimer’s has on millions of individuals and their families drove her to reimagine how we perceive, comprehend and treat age-associated cognitive decline.
Undergraduates at the intersections of research: from blueprints to breakthroughs and visual arts to virtual reality
On May 19, over 1,000 undergraduates will present their research and scholarship to the public at the 26th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. Celebrating scholarship and cutting-edge research of undergraduate researchers from all academic 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 of Washington.
Making marine biology fun
Samantha-Lynn Martinez, ‘25, is a marine biologist on a mission.
An undergraduate in the Honors Program at the University of Washington, Martinez not only studies marine biology, but is also pursuing evolution, ecology and conservation biology. Add in her videography, photography and design work, and it’s easy to see how Martinez is making waves innovating science impact communications. With a unique perspective as both a scientist and an artist, Martinez communicates in an informative, engaging and visually stunning manner.
The environment has always been close to Martinez’s heart and her home. Growing up in the Philippines and then moving to Seattle, she has lived in cities with close ties to their marine and terrestrial resources. “Although they are practically polar opposite climates, there is a palpable sentiment towards the preservation of the natural environment and working with the resources that surround us,” said Martinez.
Martinez already has an extensive history in youth education. From her role as a youth ocean advocate at the Seattle Aquarium to her curriculum development for the Salish Sea School, Martinez has seen children light up with excitement from discovering something new countless times. “I think getting people properly excited about science is what helps it stick and drive further curiosity or compassion for the subject at hand,” said Martinez.
Martinez was recently featured by HiHo Kids in their “Kids Meet a Marine Biologist” series, where she shares her passion for marine biology with a new generation. The Burke Museum loaned Martinez fish collection specimens for the filming, much to the fascination of the kids.
On educational outreach Martinez shared, “So much of what drives people to do what they love, and do it well, is the ability to feel that they belong and are welcome to explore their field of interest. In my opinion, this starts early. If science education can utilize the natural curiosity that kids, teens, and young adults already have and encourage this to stay strong throughout their academic years, I feel like people would be much more inclined to chase after what they’ve always wanted to do.”
Martinez continues to do just that, clearing new pathways for women of color in the industry. Martinez is intent to become the first Filipina wildlife camerawoman and host on mainstream media, telling wildlife stories from the States to the Philippines and beyond.
Five UW students named 2023 Goldwater Scholars
Five University of Washington undergraduates have been honored as Goldwater Scholars by the Goldwater Foundation, marking 2023 as the first time five students from the UW were named in a single year.
The Goldwater Foundation awards undergraduate scholarships to students who show exceptional academic promise pursuing research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering. The five UW nominees were selected from a pool of 5,000 students nominated by 427 institutions across the country. A total of 413 scholars were announced from the 2023 competition, bringing the number of scholarships awarded by the Goldwater Foundation since 1989 to 10,283.
This year’s UW Goldwater Scholars are Abigail Burtner, Jan Buzek, Nuria Alina Chandra, Meg Takezawa and Peter Yu. All scholars hail from Washington state, spanning across Pullman, Duvall, Olympia and Seattle. Their undergraduate research projects with faculty include a range of topics such as transportation engineering, immunology, cryptology and chronic pain.
“We are so proud of these five Goldwater Scholars. These are talented and devoted students and have already accomplished a lot — as undergraduates,” said Ed Taylor, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs. “When you combine their intellect and enthusiasm for making the world a better place with the UW’s world-class researchers and scientific leaders who support undergraduate research, remarkable outcomes happen. As they progress in their studies and careers, we can all look forward to the ways their work will benefit people and the planet.”
Meet the 2023 UW Goldwater Scholars
Abigail Burtner
Hometown: Olympia, WA
Burtner is a junior in the Honors Program majoring in biochemistry and minoring in data science and chemistry. Broadly interested in immunology and protein design, she works in the King Lab at the Institute for Protein Design designing de novo proteins to bind toll-like receptors, key receptors that activate the innate immune system, for applications in vaccine development.
Burtner aims to obtain a Ph.D. in biochemistry to pursue research on medical issues at the biochemical scale. Following her graduate work, she intends to pursue a research career aimed at vaccine or drug development to address major public health issues with cutting-edge technology and methods (e.g., deep learning in protein design and computational modeling).
Jan Buzek
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Buzek is a junior studying computer science and mathematics and is interested in cryptography, number theory and computational complexity.
In sophomore year, he did a research project on twin smooth integers that began at the Washington Experimental Mathematics Lab and continued for a year independently. The project focused on finding very large consecutive integers with as small prime factors as possible, a task for which no effective algorithms are known. Buzek’s five person team found new, more efficient algorithms for locating such integers, which have applications in cryptography. This year, Buzek has been studying cryptography and discrete mathematics abroad at the University of Heidelberg and ETH Zürich. He intends to go to graduate school to study cryptography.
Nuria Alina Chandra
Hometown: Olympia, WA
Chandra is a senior in the Honors Program majoring in computer science and minoring in global health. She began her UW research journey with Dr. Jennifer Rabbitts at Seattle Children’s Hospital studying the development of acute and chronic pain after surgery and traumatic injury. Chandra is currently part of the Mostafavi Computational Biology Lab, where she uses deep learning to study regulatory genetics in immune cells. The long-term goal of this research is to be able to predict the effect of genetic mutations on immunological diseases. She has also explored theoretical research through a geometric combinatorics research project with Dr. Rekha Thomas on graphical designs.
Chandra plans to pursue a Ph.D. in computer science and then work at the intersection of machine learning, computational biology, and algorithms research. Chandra wants her research to have an impact spanning from theory to clinical applications.
Meg Takezawa
Hometown: Duvall, WA
Takezawa is a junior majoring in biochemistry. Since she joined the Theberge Lab in her first year at the UW, she has been using microfluidics to innovate a salivary diagnostic device and analyze cellular responses in allergic inflammation through her past research projects. In the summer of her second year, she had an internship at Coburg University, Germany, where she fabricated microfluidic devices for separation techniques. These experiences inspired her to pursue an interdisciplinary research career to analyze the underlying chemistry that drive diseases and symptoms.
Takezawa plans to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry, ultimately pursuing research to develop microscale technologies and chemical tools for bioanalytics. Takezawa aspires to make globally accessible novel technologies to further improve therapeutics.
Peter Yu
Hometown: Pullman, WA
Yu is a junior majoring in civil and environmental engineering with a focus on transportation engineering. He is passionate about highway transportation engineering, with interests in highway design, traffic operations and simulation, traffic signal control and intelligent transportation systems. Since his freshman year, he has been a member of the Smart Transportation Applications and Research Laboratory led by Dr. Yinhai Wang. In the lab, he has developed and tested novel highway geometric designs, traffic control schemes, and intelligent transportation systems to increase safety and mobility for all roadway users.
Yu has developed several new alternative intersection/interchange and freeway designs and novel traffic control schemes for them. He has been analyzing their safety and operational performance with traffic microsimulation. Yu aims to obtain a Ph.D. in civil engineering and make meaningful contributions to the transportation engineering field globally through research and innovation.
About the Goldwater Foundation
The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established in 1986. The Scholarship Program honoring Senator Barry Goldwater was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue research careers in the fields of the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics. The Goldwater Scholarship is the preeminent undergraduate award of its type in these fields. Learn more at Goldwater Scholarship.
Learn more about scholarship opportunities at the UW
The Goldwater Scholarship application process is supported by the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards (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 UW’s Community College Research Initiatives receives $449,535 grant to increase rural educational equity
The University of Washington’s Community College Research Initiatives announced it received a $449,535 grant from Ascendium Education Group for research to increase rural learner success.
Community College Research Initiatives (CCRI) conducts research to facilitate the advancement of equity in higher education. Ascendium invests in research that helps to build a body of evidence about how to ensure rural learners from low-income backgrounds can achieve their postsecondary education and career goals. Ascendium expects this investment in CCRI’s research will catalyze action affecting policies and practices grounded in high-quality evidence and research.
The CCRI project will address mentorship program gaps through a multisite, three-stage study of mentorship programs at public rural community colleges across the United States. Drawing upon institutional websites, in-depth interviews and student survey responses, this project will benefit both scholars and practitioners by producing a database of mentoring strategies at rural community colleges.
“We at CCRI are excited for the opportunity to learn how rural two-year institutions across the country are supporting students from low-income backgrounds with mentorship programs,” shared CCRI director, Lia Wetzstein, Ph.D. The CCRI data will advance the understanding of how the evidence-based solution of mentoring is being implemented at rural colleges while gauging the student experience with a primary focus on students from low-income backgrounds and racially minoritized students.
“We are grateful to Ascendium Education Group for their support,” Wetzstein continued. Ascendium is interested in generating evidence about practices and programs that increase the completion of high-quality postsecondary education and training and successful transition to high-quality jobs. Through the CCRI analysis of the nationwide landscape of rural community college mentorship and mentorship experiences, this project will produce models of mentorship to specifically address the rural community college context and rural students’ experience.
Last year CCRI was awarded a $1.2 million grant from Ascendium to work toward equity in STEM education for low-income learners across Washington state. CCRI, a program within Undergraduate Academic Affairs at the UW, is an influential contributor in community college and transfer partnership research identifying strategies that help students transfer to four-year institutions and complete their bachelor’s degrees.
To learn more about CCRI, visit their website.
UW grad Daniel Chen named prestigious Marshall Scholar
Daniel Chen ’22, has been named a Marshall Scholarship recipient. Chen graduated last spring with majors in microbiology and informatics, and will be pursuing a master’s degree in biological sciences and genomic medicine and conducting genomic medicine research at the Sanger Institute at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
This autumn, let us begin again
It’s the beginning of another academic year. The leaves on the iconic cherry trees in the Quad are turning red, orange, gold. We often focus on these trees in the spring — and with good reason, the blossoms are spectacular and represent a kind of joyful renewal — but autumn and the start of classes brings its own beauty and renewal through this specific time and place.
The leaves change together, just as our students transform together through a common experience of learning at this point in time and at this public institution. The turning of the leaves, a new school year, new students coming to campus: It is hopeful and gives us all an opportunity to begin again.
In Undergraduate Academic Affairs, we create opportunities and programs that enable students to connect to, deepen and expand their undergraduate academic experiences. As a result, students are able to be fully present and be the lead protagonists in their own educational journeys.
As we all begin this new academic year, full of possibility and hope, I think of James Baldwin, who wrote, “The world is before you and you need not take it or leave it as it was when you came in.”
Many students in the UW’s history did not leave the UW as it was when they entered. They gathered, learned, organized and changed the way this very University operates and has made us a better institution. We are better today because of the people who have come through here.
The people make the institution, and students develop capacities for leadership, community engagement and scholarship that make it so they are not just at the UW, but are able to be the UW.
Emily Dickenson wrote, “Hope is the thing with feathers / That perches in the soul, / And sings the tune without the words, / And never stops at all …”
With all the challenges our local and global communities face, when I meet students, I am filled with hope anew. The UW provides students with both common academic experiences and vast opportunities to choose and create their own academic adventures. Hope perches in our souls and sings no matter what.
This class of more than 7,200 entering students is filled with new Huskies, parents, families, mentors and supporters who are here because they’ve been hopeful.
My hope for all our students is that, by finding a sense of belonging at the UW, they develop the habits of heart, grow their intellectual capacity and discover their own drive to create the world anew.
15 Seconds at a Time: Undergraduate Research Program [video]
In this video, Undergraduate Research Program Director Sophie Pierszalowski takes on the challenge of explaining the Undergraduate Research Program in less than 15 seconds at a time. “15 Seconds at a Time” is a series in which various Undergraduate Academic Affairs programs explain their work in bite-sized bursts.