Beckman scholars from five New England colleges and universities—Boston College, Boston University, Smith College, Wellesley College, and Yale University—assembled in the Merkert Chemistry Center on January 23 to discuss their research projects in the fields of biochemistry, chemistry, and the biological and medical sciences. The scholarship program, which is funded by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, supports research by undergraduates—71 from 40 institutions at present—who work with a faculty mentor full-time during two summers and part-time during the intervening academic year.
The 15 students meeting at Boston College, including the University’s four current Beckman scholars, discussed topics ranging from the “Role of myosin II in cytokinetic contractile ring formation in fission yeast” to “Identifying mechanisms for polymeric degradation by endophytic fungi.” Above, reviewing a poster presentation in the Merkert foyer are, from left, Courtney McKee ’11 (“Studies on the nuclear localization of E7 protein of low risk papillomavirus type ll”), Julie Olson of Smith College (“Development of a tandem Diels-Alder/Pauson-Khand strategy for the synthesis of tetracycles”), and Stephen Bohlman ’11 (“The development of an asymmetric Kharasch addition reaction”).
The idea for the regional meeting came from professor of chemistry David McFadden and was sponsored by the biology and chemistry departments.