The Chemistry and Biochemistry department is pleased to introduce the recipients of our 2024 undergraduate scholarships! The department offers five annual scholarships for our undergraduate majors, with the application and selection process taking place each spring.

This years’ recipients are Helen Davis, Lilliana Granados, Amelia Kotamarti, Hannah Novak, Logan Russo, Cherish Sparling, and Waverly Wilson.

Helen Davis

Anita and Friedhelm Baitis Scholarship

I grew up in Washington all my life before attending the University of Oregon in 2021. I am in my senior year at the UO this year and will be graduating with a major in chemistry this upcoming spring. I have always enjoyed science mostly thanks to the wonderful teachers and professors I have had in my beginning years of education. I enjoy the hands-on aspect of science and the idea that I am working to better the world. Research inspires my curiosity and allows me to learn more about the workings of everything around me.

My Research  I have been conducting research in the DWJ lab for a little over a year working under the mentorship of Willow Davis. The DWJ lab conducts research in many different disciplines in organic and inorganic syntheses to create supramolecular tools to study host-guest relationships, self-assembly methods, and environmentally friendly coatings. I have been mostly working with a series of halogen substituted macrocycles to optimize conditions in coupling reactions which will be used to eventually append water solubilizing groups. These macrocycles, once soluble in water, can be used in host-guest interactions for detecting heavy metals or anions in water. My future research will include working with further optimizations of adding water solubilizing groups to a methyl benzoate macrocycle derivative and working to better understand self-assembly methods within the system.

What’s next?  After graduation, I hope to attend an accelerated master’s program which will allow me more educational and industry experience to set me up for a career. In the future, I hope to find a field in which I find interesting and rewarding that can positively impact our world.

I am extremely honored to be chosen for this award and would like to thank Darren Johnson for nominating me and allowing me the opportunity to dive into research. I would also like to thank Willow Davis for being my mentor and guiding me in my research. This past summer in lab has been so beneficial in allowing me to grow my confidence and technical abilities in lab, and I am thankful for all my mentors and lab mates.

The Anita and Friedhelm Baitis Scholarship provides funding for two undergraduate students to conduct research during the summer in a chemistry or biochemistry laboratory at the University of Oregon, under the mentorship of a Chemistry and Biochemistry department faculty member. 

Lilliana Granados

Percy Julian Scholarship

I was born and raised in Somona County, California, and later moved to Oregon when I was 16 years old. As of this year, I will be entering my fourth year at UO as a Biochemistry major and Spanish minor. I started my science journey wanting to pursue a career in medicine. However, after exploring countless opportunities at UO and working in labs, I have discovered that my passion is chemical biology research. I am interested in the development and synthesis of chemical tools to help visualize and characterize biological processes. The idea of developing novel tools and playing a crucial role in progressing biological knowledge inspires me to continue down this path.

My Research  I currently work in the Cook Lab. The lab does primarily organometallic chemistry, with a focus on homogenous and heterogeneous catalysis. I initially joined the lab Fall term of my second year and look forward to continuing to work there for a third year. Last year, I worked under the mentorship of graduate student Melanie Kascoutas designing a catalytic system for an isomerization reaction. Using a previously synthesized nickel catalyst, I optimized the conditions for isomerization of various alkene substrates to develop a reaction scheme that is bench-top safe and efficient in a single pot. This year, I hope to begin my own project and start pursuing a research question independently. I am interested in heterogenous catalysis and wish to continue to expand upon my previous research.

What’s Next?  This fall, I plan on continuing my education and applying to several Chemical Biology Ph.D. programs. My long-term goal is to work in industry developing and synthesizing chemical tools that can be used within biological systems. Ideally, I wish to work closely with pharmaceutical chemists to identify new therapeutic targets. By pursuing these new targets, I hope to improve current therapeutics and develop new medications for rare illnesses.

I would like to thank the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry for selecting me for this award. I would also like to thank the Percy Julian award sponsors for creating this opportunity for under-represented students. I am so thankful to have experienced undergraduate research in the Cook Lab, and to have worked with amazing mentors who have helped shape me into the scientist I am today. I am excited for what the future holds and look forward to continuing my education at UO.

The Percy Julian Scholarship seeks to support talented undergraduate scientists in their pursuit of a career in chemistry and recognizes their contributions to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM and their potential for further academic achievement.

Amelia Kotamarti

Kuntz-Swinehart Memorial Scholarship

I’m originally from Portland, OR, but I’ve loved living in Eugene for the past couple of years. I’m entering my third year at UO as a Biochemistry major and CHC student, and I’m pursuing minors in Global Health, Science Communication, and Music. Throughout my time at UO, I’ve discovered a passion for the way that molecular biology and biomedicine are utilized to create real-world solutions to health problems across the globe.

My Research  My first exposure to lab research was through the Schultz Lab, at OHSU’s Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry. I worked there for two summers, studying phosphoinositides, which are key signaling lipids that have been heavily implicated in various cancers. During my first year at UO, I joined the Harms lab, which studies the biophysical evolution of innate immune proteins. Over this past summer, I have been working on an independent project, attempting to elucidate the molecular interaction between the TLR4, an immune system receptor, and an inflammatory molecule called S100A9.

What’s Next?  I am passionate about the way that molecular biology is used to affect real public and global health issues and crises, and I would like to pursue these passions by getting a graduate education in both molecular biology and public health. While I don’t know my exact career path, I am exploring what my role might be by committing myself to an interdisciplinary undergraduate education, looking at complex health-related issues from the perspective of biochemical research and liberal arts coursework.

I want to thank all of my professors, mentors, and peers who have supported me over the past two years, especially Mike Harms and all of the Harms lab members who have created such an encouraging and engaging lab environment. I am honored to have been chosen for this award, and I want to express my gratitude to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry for their support during my academic journey. I’m excited for the next two years!

The Kuntz-Swinehart Memorial Scholarship recognizes academic excellence in our majors, and was established by former UO Chemistry students in honor of two professors whose instruction, influence and inspiration had a significant impact on their career paths.

Hannah Novak

Anita and Friedhelm Baitis Scholarship

I am starting my senior year at the University of Oregon. I grew up in Danville, California, where my interest in science began. I was always most interested in my science classes, like biology, chemistry, as well as anatomy and physiology. When applying to colleges, I was unsure of what field I wanted to pursue, but my grandpa sat me down with some National Geographic magazines and told me to choose which articles interested me most. I found the stories about novel drug remedies and medical research breakthroughs to be inspiring, which led me to choosing biochemistry as my field of study. I hope to be on the front lines of a new drug discovery or helping to develop medicines while working in the pharmaceutical industry one day.

My Research   I have been working in the Rapp Lab for a year now, and I have learned so much about science. My research involves developing a self-illuminating drug delivery mechanism. By adding a small molecule to the system, we can achieve highly targeted and on demand drug delivery from this self-illuminating material.

What’s Next?  After graduating, I hope to attend graduate school, where I will pursue a PhD in chemistry or biochemistry. I hope that with my education, I will be able to be a part of a mission that will serve the greater good of the world.

I would like to thank Dr. Teresa Rapp for nominating me for this award. I could not have wished for a greater PI and mentor. Working in the Rapp Lab has afforded me with new skills, opportunities, independence, and a greater love of science. I also thank my peers in the Rapp Lab for making my experience unforgettable, and I am excited for what’s to come.

The Anita and Friedhelm Baitis Scholarship provides funding for two undergraduate students to conduct research during the summer in a chemistry or biochemistry laboratory at the University of Oregon, under the mentorship of a Chemistry and Biochemistry department faculty member. 

Logan Russo

P-Chem Summer Research Fellowship

I am a senior majoring in chemistry from Salem, Oregon. Since high school, I have been fascinated with medical imaging and the instrumentation used by radiologists. This fascination evolved into my passion for chemistry during my first term at UO. I hope to eventually study the intersection of physical chemistry and the human body, potentially through medical research.

My Research  I joined the Wong Lab in the fall of my freshman year under the mentorship of Laila Nawab. As an undergraduate researcher, I began studying perovskite nanocrystals, which are a promising class of materials for light emitting devices. I have used both experimental and computational techniques to investigate these materials; this summer, I have been developing a synthesis for mixed-halide perovskites while building a Python simulation to predict ion migration during illumination. The goal of my work is to understand halide migration with hopes of optimizing perovskite nanocrystals for LEDs.

What’s Next?  I plan on continuing in education after graduating from UO next summer. I hope to either attend graduate school to receive my PhD in chemistry, or medical school to fulfill my dreams of becoming an interventional radiologist. In both cases, I’m excited to apply my background in physical chemistry in pursuit of higher education.

I’m very honored to receive this award. I am thankful to everyone at the UO who has supported me in my academic endeavors for the past three years. I am grateful to the Wong Lab for giving me such an excellent research experience, particularly Cathy Wong, Laila Nawab, and Zach Walbrun. Go Ducks!

The P-Chem Undergraduate Fellowship provides funding for students to conduct research during the summer in a physical chemistry lab at the University of Oregon, under the mentorship of a physical chemistry faculty member.

Cherish Sparling

P-Chem Summer Research Fellowship

I went to high school in Lebanon Oregon. I am a chemistry major going into my 4th year at UO, having started in fall 2021. Science gives us the opportunity to never stop learning and developing what we already know. There is space in science to be creative and explore while also understanding the fundamental concepts that make our world work.

My Research  I am in Marina Guenza’s lab and am new to researching, having started winter term of my 3rd year. My research delves into polymers, which are big chain-like molecules that make up many plastics and other common materials, like some clothing. Specifically, we look at how polymers interact and in turn how they move at different time intervals. This is done computationally through simulations of these polymers and subsequent analysis of the movement during these simulations, including quantitative methods.

What’s Next?  I plan to go into industry, and my desire would be to work with environmental efforts to help study and create solutions for climate change. Another option I would enjoy would be to work with optics and lenses as that is a specific field I enjoy a lot, too.

I am thankful for the opportunity this award grants me and for the guidance of Marina Guenza, to be able to have experience with research, and to work with a great team of people who continue to teach me a lot as I work on finishing my undergraduate degree and move on to the next stages of my career. I have had an incredible experience with the faculty at UO and have received a tremendous amount of support in my academic journey.

The P-Chem Undergraduate Fellowship provides funding for students to conduct research during the summer in a physical chemistry lab at the University of Oregon, under the mentorship of a physical chemistry faculty member.

Waverly Wilson

 Faith Van Nice Scholarship

I am a fourth year student from Pleasanton, CA, a small town in the Bay Area. I am part of the University of Oregon’s Clark Honors College, studying chemistry with a minor in bioengineering. I have always loved science because it allows for the exploration of the unknown. I strive to use research and my scientific knowledge to make a positive impact on the world. I have always been fascinated with how the biological sciences can develop solutions that enhance the lives of humans. I understand that the human body is an interconnected system, and knowing that, I believe an interdisciplinary approach to research leads to the most impactful outcomes.

My Research   I have been conducting protein engineering research in Parisa Hosseinzadeh’s Lab at the UO Knight Campus since the beginning of my second year. In this lab, I am exploring the creation of de novo protein inhibitors to gain a deeper understanding of protein-protein interactions in a cell. I began my research journey in high school with biotechnology courses and knew that it was what I wanted to pursue. In the summer after my first year, I interned in the Doherty Lab at North Carolina State University studying the effects of external stressors on Arabidopsis plants. In the summer after my second year, I participated in UO’s iGEM team and learned about the importance of collaboration and respect in research. Over the past summer, I was a Summer Student in the Vienna BioCenter Summer School program where I was a member of Silvia Ramundo’s lab exploring key players in the chloroplast unfolded protein response.

What’s next?  I believe that the scientific community needs diverse perspectives and collaboration across geographic borders for the world to solve its biggest challenges. Due to this, I hope to continue to travel and conduct research around the world. My professional goals include completing a Ph.D., and with that, the opportunity to be exposed to a broad range of research areas. In the short term, I will be writing and defending my thesis this year.

I want to thank the selection committee for choosing me for this award. Faith’s journey resonates with me and her accomplishments inspire me to continue to peruse research. I am deeply honored to be conducting research at the University of Oregon with the help of the Faith Van Nice Scholarship. I am grateful for all my professors and peers who continuously support me.

The Faith Van Nice Scholarship is dedicated to the legacy of alumna Faith Van Nice, and recognizes exceptional UO undergraduate students majoring in Chemistry or Biochemistry.