Home  » Honors » News

Honors News

---

Katherine Mincey wins Goldwater Scholarship

Two Honors students were honored by the Barry M. Goldwater Foundation this past spring. Biology major Katherine Mincey won a Scholarship from the Barry M. Goldwater Foundation for her research into the relationship between plants and insects, and Chemistry major Stephen Crooke was recognized with an Honorable Mention by the foundation.

The Barry M. Goldwater Foundation provides scholarships to undergraduate students who are developing promising research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). The Foundation made 275 awards to sophomores and juniors from the United States out of a pool of 1,095 applicants. The scholarship awards up to $7,500 over up to two years to cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board.

Bret Danilowicz, Dean of the Allen E. Paulson College of Science and Technology, said, "Katherine and Stephen's awards also reflect the quality of the instruction and mentoring they have received from their supervisors and other faculty in the College. Given that these awards are the most prestigious honor an undergraduate science, technology, engineering or math student can receive, we cannot help but be proud and inspired by their achievements."

Mincey, a 1906 Scholar who is majoring in biology, is researching whether plants can be used to draw potentially harmful metals from the soil without having a negative effect on the ecosystem.

"My current research is to determine the effects of the nickel levels in certain plants on caterpillars' growth and reproduction. The purpose of this research is to determine if using these plants as a method to clean up heavy metal pollution is an effective yet safe technique. The caterpillars are the first step in the food chain and we want to make sure that the nickel will not be passed to other species in the environment," Mincey said.

Last summer participated in a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates at the University of Virginia. On campus, she works closely with Dr. Bill Irby. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology and research and teach in a university.

Crooke is a Paulson Scholar and his research is focusing on a more efficient and cost effective way of creating certain chemical compounds in synthetic sponges that have the same properties as sea sponges. His research will be used in the fight against cancer.

"The natural products that have been isolated have displayed a promising amount of activity in biological testing, and my research lab will eventually be sending our synthetic "natural" products to the National Cancer Institute for testing as anti-cancer treatments," Crooke explains.

He works closely with Dr. Christine Whitlock and Dr. Michele McGibony and already has a published one paper as a lead author in Molbank, a peer reviewed journal. He intends to pursue his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and work in the pharmaceutical field. Crooke says Georgia Southern's strong support of research by undergraduates has been key to his success. "I feel that my close relationships with my advisers, Dr. Michele McGibony and Dr. Christine Whitlock, helped in progressing my research through the years. I feel that this close relationship with my professors here at Georgia Southern is a major advantage that I had when applying for the Goldwater Scholarship which students at larger universities might not have enjoyed."

Mincey agrees, "All of the professors here genuinely care about how the students perform and encourage them to take advantage of the opportunities that arise. Their hard work and dedication is seen inside and outside of the classroom. "For me, the guidance and support of Dr. Risa Cohen and my mentor Dr. William Irby, as well as many other professors, have been influential in my accomplishments and were important in my application for the Goldwater scholarship."

The Goldwater Scholarship Campus Committee this year consisted of John DiCesare, Chemistry; Bob Cook, Computer Science; Alan Harvey, Biology; and Jim Braselton, Mathematics. Both students were supported through the Goldwater application process by the honors staff. The University Honors Program is the campus clearinghouse for nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships and has supported 18 students who have received national scholarships and fellowships since 2006.

"I am delighted that we could nominate two strong students for the Goldwater Scholarship this year," said Dr. Steven Engel, Director of the University Honors Program. "And I am even more delighted that both of them received recognition. Katherine and Stephen both have promising careers as scientists and we were very impressed with their applications."

---

back to Recent News