BYU Recipients

A listing of BYU students who have received prestigious scholarships and fellowships.

Choose a scholarship to view:

Aamodt, Kristie
2007-2008
Barry M. Goldwater
Kristie is from Harrisonburg, VA and majored in Genetics and Biotechnology with minors in Chemistry and Molecular Biology. She began preparing to apply for the Goldwater scholarship her freshman year when she began expressing interest in the field and developing relationships with professors. By developing relationships with several professors, they were able to write good letters of recommendation which she says, "made the difference between receiving the scholarship or not." Kristie also won an ORCA grant and the AACR Thomas J. Bardos Science Education Award. Her honors project involved determining the relationship between tumor suppressor protein p53 and thymidine kinase 1 (TK1). During her time at BYU she presented her research at 3 research conferences and was a teaching assistant for several classes. In her spare time she likes to play the flute and give service to others.

Adamson, Kristi R.
2003-2004
Barry M. Goldwater
Kristi is from Vancouver, Washington, and she earned her Bachelor's degree in Physics. Dr. Turley told her about the Goldwater Scholarship, and she started preparing for it in September 2001. As an undergraduate, she volunteered as a tutor for the Jacobsen Service Center and was involved in many research projects here at BYU and at the University of Rochester. One of her favorite undergraduate experiences was presenting her research at the American Physical Society Four Corners Conference. In the future, Kristi plans to work in material science and/or molecular optics.

Adamson, Kristi R.
2006-2007
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Kristi comes from Vancouver, Washington and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Physics from Harvard. Her internships and research in grad school built upon her research experience at BYU to help prepare her for the NSF scholarship. As an undergraduate, Kristi was president of the Society of Physics Students, student editor of physics alumni, and a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship recipient. She also received a physics teaching certificate. At Harvard she is a volunteer tutor and a member of the Radcliffe Choral Society.

Adamson, Marian
2008-2009
National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship Program
Marian Adamson hails from Charleston, SC. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from BYU in April 2007 with a BS in Physics and a minor in Mathematics. Marian believes that the best preparation for the National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship was undergraduate research. At BYU, she worked in Dr. Turley's groups doing research on UV mirrors, and she worked in a lab at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI doing Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy. In conjunction with her research at WSU, she co-authored two peer-reviewed papers. She also presented research at the Association of Physics Teachers in Salt Lake City and at an undergraduate research conference at Argonne National Laboratory. Besides winning the NSF, Marian also won a University of Michigan Rackham Graduate Fellowship. Marian plans to get her PhD at the University of Michigan in Biomedical Engineering, and then start raising her family full time.

Allen, Matthew Scott
2002-2003
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Matthew is from Stockton, California. He graduated in Mechanical Engineering. His undergraduate research involved developing vibration absorbing carbon fiber composites at Patterned Fiber Composites. He pursued a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Anderson, Sterling J.
2006-2007
Barry M. Goldwater
Sterling comes from Declo, Idaho. He graduated Summa Cum Laude in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics. He credits his preparation for the Goldwater Scholarship to several professors who helped him get involved with research. It is research that helped define his time at BYU. His best experience was presenting a paper at the 2005 International Conference for the Center for Friction Stir Processing. He also filled his time with recreational activities such as intramural sports, concert choir, and ballroom dance. Sterling is planning to earn a Ph.D. in Metallurgy/Materials Engineering; he would like to use this degree in research for industrial engineering.

Anderson, Sterling J.
2006-2007
National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship
Sterling comes from Declo, Idaho. He graduated Summa Cum Laude in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics. He credits his preparation for the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship to several professors who helped him get involved with research. As an undergraduate research assistant, Sterling worked on various projects ranging from friction stir welding to compliant MEMS. This research largely defined his time at BYU. Sterling is married to the former Melanie Phelps and attributes much of his academic success to her support. In Fall 2007, he began his graduate studies in Mechanical Engineering at MIT.

Anderson, Sterling J.
2006-2007
Tau Beta Pi
Sterling comes from Declo, Idaho. He graduated Summa Cum Laude in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics. It is research that helped define his experience at BYU. His best experience was presenting a paper at the 2005 International Conference for the Center for Friction Stir Processing. He also filled his time with recreational activities such as intramural sports, concert choir, and ballroom dance. Sterling also received the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship.

Ashcraft, Ivan Stowell
1999-2000
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Ivan is from Sugar City, Idaho. He majored in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics. As an undergraduate, he received an ORCA Research Grant and a Rocky Mountain Space Grant. He served in the Maryland Baltimore Mission, and is married to the former Stephanie Dricks. Ivan earned his Doctoral degree at BYU in Electrical Engineering.

Austin, Daniel Ephraim
1997-1998
Barry M. Goldwater
Daniel is from Aurora, Colorado, and he served in the Russia Moscow Mission. He graduated with University Honors in Chemistry with minors in Russian and Physics. Daniel was named the Outstanding Freshman Chemistry Student, a National Merit Scholar, and a BYU Trustees Scholar. He is married to the former Lisa Marie Burton. Daniel also received the National Science Foundation Fellowship for 1998-1999.

Austin, Daniel Ephraim
1998-1999
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Daniel is from Aurora, Colorado. He served in the Russia Moscow Mission and graduated with University Honors in Chemistry with minors in Russian and Physics in April of 1998. As an undergraduate, Daniel was named the Outstanding Freshman Chemistry Student, a National Merit Scholar, and a BYU Trustees Scholar. He pursued a Ph.D. at the California Institute of Technology. Daniel also received the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for 1997-1998.

Austin, Mark David
1996-1997
Fulbright
Mark is from Idaho Falls, Idaho. He served his mission in the Germany Munich/Austria Mission. Mark received his Bachelor's degree in December of 1995 from BYU where he majored in Anthropology with a minor in Arabic. He used his Fulbright Scholarship to go to Morocco and study "health sector convergence and illness behavior in Marrakesh."

Bacon, Jeremie
1998-1999
Monbukagakusho
Jeremie is from Littleton, Colorado, and he served in the Japan Fukuoka Mission. He majored in International Studies with an emphasis in Global Economy. Jeremie also earned two minors, one in Japanese and one in Japanese Studies.

Badger, William
2002-2003
Kosciuzko Foundation
William is originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, and he graduated Magna Cum Laude with University Honors in Philosophy. He first discovered his Polish ancestry on a pedigree chart, but his closest tie to Poland is his Polish wife and parents-in-law. William received an ORCA grant and assistance from the honors department, which allowed him to travel to Poland one summer to complete his honors thesis research on Polish Folk Art after the fall of communism. Although the Institute of Polish Studies offers language classes for beginners, William achieved conversation level Polish by the time he arrived at the Institute because he took Polish classes and conversed with his wife. William furthered his honors thesis research at the Institute. William planned to return to Jagiellonian University to pursue a Master's degree in Classics after graduating from BYU. In the future, William would like to continue studying philosophy and eventually become a professor.

Baldwin, Scott Allen
2001-2002
Phi Kappa Phi
Scott is from Bountiful, Utah, and he graduated with University Honors in Psychology from BYU in August 2001.

Barrowes, Benjamin
1999-2000
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Ben is from Salt Lake City, Utah, and he served in the Japan Tokyo North Mission. He graduated in Electrical Engineering with minors in Japanese and Mathematics. He is married to Masako Barrowes and enjoys soccer, woodworking, construction, and computer programming. Ben pursued a graduate degree in Electrical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Benson, Brett Valdo
2000-2001
Institute for Humane Studies
Brett served in the Taiwan Taipei Mission. He is from Logan, Utah and is married to the former Lacy Packer. Brett graduated in Philosophy and Chinese with University Honors from BYU in 1998, and he pursued a Ph.D. at Duke University. Brett also received the Humane Studies Fellowship for 2001-2002, 2002-2003, and 2003-2004.

Benson, Joseph P.
2002-2003
Fulbright
Joseph graduated with University Honors in Asian Studies with minors in Mathematics and Physics. He served his mission in Mongolia, and there he became interested in the Far East. Since his mission, Joseph has studied Chinese culture and language and traveled to China twice to conduct research for his honors thesis. With the help and guidance of Dr. Paul Hyer, he chose to use his Fulbright Scholarship to complete a research project in China. While he was in China, Joseph attended the Central University of Nationalities in Beijing and researched the cross-cultural communications between Mongolians and Chinese of Inner Mongolia.

Benton, Geoffrey M.
2005-2006
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Geoffrey received his Bachelor's degree in Microbiology from BYU. He continued his studies in Molecular Biology at the University of California-San Francisco. He was also awarded the NSF: Honorable Mention for 2004-2005.

Bice, Amy A.
1997-1998
Harry S. Truman Scholarship
Amy majored in Political Science and graduated in August of 1997. She earned her Associate's degree in General Education with a Social Science emphasis from Ricks College in July of 1995. Amy chose to spend her time getting involved in activities related to her major with the hope that she would increase her understanding of the subject. She enjoys actively participating in the political world around her and has had the opportunity to work as a research and a teaching assistant, as a staff member in the Clinton/Gore campaign of 1996, and as a White House Intern in the Communications Department.

Bingham, Nathan C.
1999-2000
National Institutes of Health-Graduate Partnerships Program
Nathan is from Brentwood, California. He graduated in History with a minor in Chemistry. As an undergraduate, he worked in Dr. David Busath's laboratory researching the permeation properties of the gramicidin transmembrance ion channel and working on several molecular modeling projects. Nathan served in the Canada Montreal Mission and as the president of the Cancer Awareness Group at BYU. He is married to Danielle Bingham and enjoys movies, walks with his wife, camping, and computers. Nathan pursued a graduate degree at Southwestern University Medical School.

Bishop, Brian D.
1998-1999
Fulbright
Brian is from Nampa, Idaho. He served in the Nebraska Omaha Mission, and he graduated in Linguistics with minors in Arabic and Language & Computers. With the Fulbright Scholarship, Brian went to Egypt to study Middle Eastern Languages and Literature.

Bitner, Steven R.
2001-2002
Fulbright
Steven is from Sandy, Utah. He graduated in International Politics with a minor in Arabic. He worked as a teaching assistant and a research assistant in both the Political Science and Near Eastern Languages Departments. He became increasingly interested in the Middle East during his summer internship at the Kuwait Information Office in Washington, D.C. He feels that his internship helped him to be more competitive for the Fulbright Scholarship. While in Kuwait, he researched the cultural impact of the internet and satellite television on Kuwait society. He is married to the former Katie Farnsworth and was planning on joining the Foreign Service when he returned from Kuwait.

Bodily, Jason Matthew
2001-2002
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Jason is from Central Point, Oregon. He graduated Summa Cum Laude and with University Honors in Molecular Biology with minors in Japanese and Philosophy. Jason also received his Master's Degree in Microbiology from BYU in December 2000. With the aid of the NSF fellowship, he studied Microbiology at Pennsylvania State University Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Bonta, Steven Christopher
2000-2001
Fulbright
Steven is from Pennsylvania, and he served in the Spain Barcelona Mission. He received his Master's degree in 1996 from BYU in Linguistics. Steven attended Cornell University for graduate school, and he used his Fulbright scholarship to research in Sri Lanka.

Borget, Jennifer
2007-2008
Ed Bradley
Jennifer is a Broadcast Journalism major from Atlanta, Georgia. Her job experience at Classical 89, KBYU-TV, BYU Daily News, and KCSG and her internship with WSB-TV Atlanta gave her the resume and reporting demo tapes that she used to win the scholarship. Jennifer also received the Bonneville International Arch L. Madsen Scholarship. She is actively involved in BYU's Black Student Union and the Multicultural Student Services. She volunteers with minority youth and is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and the Radio and Television News Directors Association.

Boyle, Scott Nile
2002-2003
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Scott is from Rexburg, Idaho. He graduated with University Honors in Biochemistry with a minor in Ancient Near Eastern Studies. He pursued a Ph.D. in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale University.

Brewer, Cindy P.
1997-1998
Fulbright
Cindy is from Provo, Utah. She served in the Austria Vienna Mission, and graduated in German with a minor in Hebrew in 1990. She received her Master's degree in German Literature in 1991. She used the Fulbright Scholarship for her research project in Germany, "Narratives in Relief: A Study of 18th Century German Women Novelists." She is married to Bruce Brewer.

Brewer, Kenneth
2007-2008
Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholar
Kenneth I. Brewer is from Provo, Utah and is the oldest of six brothers. A graduate of Timpview High School, he attended BYU for two years (2005-2007) as a Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholar (2004-2007) and completed honors college courses through high school concurrent enrollment. At BYU he completed Math and Chemistry minors, lived on campus in the foreign language houses, and researched the creation of Resveratrol synthetic derivates with Dr. Merritt Andrus. As a graduating high school senior, he was one of 20 students across the nation named to USA Today's 2007 All-USA High School Academic Team. He has studied abroad in Germany, Mexico, France, and Costa Rica and is fluent in English, German, French, Spanish, and reads Latin. He has studied tropical medicine through Duke's TIP program in Costa Rica as well as linear algebra at the University of Vienna. Brewer participated in the Intel Science Talent Search and attended the Research Science Institute at MIT, where he received an award for the "Top 5 Research Paper and Presentation." He has also worked as an engineering intern at Omniture Inc, in Orem, Utah. He has been recognized as the top 2007 Micron scholarship awardee, a US Presidential Scholar, National Merit Scholar, National AP Scholar, Utah Sterling Scholar in foreign language, a Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholar, and as a Jack Kent Cooke College Scholar. In the community, he promoted diabetes awareness among underserved populations in Utah County. He was one of four US students selected to represent the United States at the 39th annual International Chemistry Olympiad program in Moscow, Russia where he received a silver medal. After completing coursework at BYU, Brewer is majoring in chemistry and Chinese at Harvard University. After graduating, he plans to pursue an MD/Ph.D. degree. Kenneth enjoys singing in several choir groups, downhill skiing, scuba diving and swimming.

Brewer, Kenneth
2007-2008
USA Today's 2007 All-USA High School Academic Team
Kenneth I. Brewer is from Provo, Utah and is the oldest of six brothers. A graduate of Timpview High School, he attended BYU for two years (2005-2007) as a Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholar (2004-2007) and completed honors college courses through high school concurrent enrollment. At BYU he completed math and chemistry minors, lived on campus in the foreign language houses, and researched the creation of Resveratrol synthetic derivates with Dr. Merritt Andrus. As a graduating high school senior, he was one of 20 students across the nation named to USA Today's 2007 All-USA High School Academic Team. He has studied abroad in Germany, Mexico, France, and Costa Rica and is fluent in English, German, French, Spanish, and reads Latin. He has studied tropical medicine through Duke's TIP program in Costa Rica as well as linear algebra at the University of Vienna. Brewer participated in the Intel Science Talent Search and attended the Research Science Institute at MIT, where he received an award for the "Top 5 Research Paper and Presentation." He has also worked as an engineering intern at Omniture Inc, in Orem, Utah. He has been recognized as the top 2007 Micron scholarship awardee, a US Presidential Scholar, National Merit Scholar, National AP Scholar, Utah Sterling Scholar in foreign language, a Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholar, and as a Jack Kent Cooke College Scholar. In the community, he promoted diabetes awareness among underserved populations in Utah County. He was one of four US students selected to represent the United States at the 39th annual International Chemistry Olympiad program in Moscow, Russia where he received a silver medal. After completing coursework at BYU, Brewer is majoring in chemistry and Chinese at Harvard University. After graduating, he plans to pursue an MD/Ph.D. degree. Kenneth enjoys singing in several choir groups, downhill skiing, scuba diving and swimming.

Brewer, Rhett Ty
1996-1997
Barry M. Goldwater
Rhett is from Las Vegas, Nevada and graduated in Chemical Engineering. He worked with Dr. William Hecker on coal combustion with a focus on char oxidation kinetics and the effect that burnout has on the remaining carbon structure and hence reactivity during the late stages of combustion. Rhett received the BYU Board of Trustees Scholarship and was an Eastman Scholar. He worked as an intern in Chemical Engineering for Eastman Chemical in Texas. Rhett also received the National Science Foundation Fellowship for 1997-1998.

Brewer, Rhett Ty
1997-1998
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Rhett is from Las Vegas, Nevada, and he graduated in Chemical Engineering. As an undergraduate, he worked with Dr. William Hecker on coal combustion with a focus on char oxidation kinetics and the effect that burnout has on the remaining carbon structure and hence reactivity during the late stages of combustion. Rhett received the BYU Board of Trustees Scholarship and was an Eastman Scholar. He worked as a Chemical Engineering intern for Eastman Chemical in Texas. Rhett also received the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for 1996-1997.

Brimhall, Jeffrey Todd
2000-2001
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Jeffrey served a mission in the Brazil Curitiba Mission. He is from West Valley City, Utah, and he graduated with University Honors in Civil Engineering from BYU in April 2000.

Broadbent, Talmage
2003-2004
National Institutes of Health Graduate Partnerships Program
From Orem, Utah, Talmage graduated from BYU with a Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience and a minor in Management. He continued his studies at the University of Utah Medical School.

Broderick, Adam
2006-2007
Barry M. Goldwater
Adam graduated Magna Cum Laude in Chemical Engineering. He is from Danville, California and found out about the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship from a flyer on campus but had long been preparing with various research and internship experiences. He was able to participate in a summer research program at Rice University. Adam feels this will go a long way in helping him towards his goal of researching in a clinical hospital. He would like to work on the development of treatments for cardiovascular disorders. Adam spent his undergraduate time in a variety of activities, including Tau Beta Pi, running marathons and developing his talents. His best undergraduate experience was his ORCA grant. Adam has found that when he is "proactive with regards to looking for opportunities to get involved...things work out better than [he] could ever imagine!"

Buffington, Matthew
2005-2006
Woodrow Wilson Foundation: Pickering (Graduate)
Matthew, from Dayton, Ohio, graduated in Communications: Public Relations with a minor in Political Science. He is the fourth of eight children, and his mother was able to raise all eight children after Matthew's father passed away when he was 10 years old. Matthew served a mission to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and was involved in BYU's Foreign Service Student Organization, the Public Relations Student Society of America, and BYU Bradley Public Relations Firm. Matthew also wrote for the Daily Universe culture page, beat-television, and film. He has traveled to Washington, D.C. for an FSSO leadership conference, worked as an intern with the Utah State Department, and taken first place at the 2004 PRSSA Crisis Communications Competition for the Mountain States. Matthew is married to Mariel C. Flores, and he enrolled in the M.P.A. program at George Washington University where he concentrated on International Development Management. After finishing his graduate studies, he entered the Foreign Service Training Institute to become a Foreign Service Officer.

Bundy, Bradley C.
2004-2005
Tau Beta Pi
Bradley received his Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Japanese.

Burr, Benjamin J.
2003-2004
Golden Key National Honor Society Research Travel Grant
Benjamin is from Orem, Utah. He earned both a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in English and a Bachelor's degree in American Studies. As an undergraduate double-major, he had an excessive amount of undergraduate credit hours and spent the majority of his time "reading, writing, and working with professors." Through his close association with an English professor, he was invited to present a paper he wrote on Jonathan Rosen's "The Talmud and the Internet" at the ALA Jewish American and Holocaust Literature Symposium. He is grateful for the research funding he received from the Golden Key National Honor Society, and he believes his attendance at the conference made him more competitive for graduate school. Benjamin was been invited to present the paper he wrote on Cormac McCarthy's novel "Blood Meridian." He published an article in Tabulae," the Humanities Department undergraduate publication, about the "modernist aesthetics" in Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises," and his paper on the role of the Bible in the novels of Toni Morrison is currently being examined for publication.

Bush, Christopher F.
2003-2004
Fulbright
Christopher is from Portland, Oregon, and he graduated with University Honors in History and a minor in Russian Studies. He served in the Russia Moscow Mission, and his honors thesis is entitled, "Abandoning Hope: The Post-World War II Soviet Cattle Catastrophe." He went to Russia to conduct research for the duration of his scholarship.

Butler, Daniel Mark
2003-2004
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Daniel is from Roseville, Minnesota. He graduated with University Honors in Political Science with a minor in Chemistry and a significant amount of coursework in Economics. He feels that his economic background was very valuable to him as a research assistant for Ray Christensen and Sven Wilson. As a research assistant, his mentors treated him like a colleague and gave him encouragement and responsibility as a co-author for their final project. Daniel commented, "Unlike BYU, most institutions have graduate students who take all the jobs as research and teaching assistants. Because BYU does not have many graduate students, professors rely on undergraduates. It is a great opportunity for us--we should use it more than we do." He was also awarded a BYU ORCA Scholarship to fund his honors thesis research, "The Determinants of Religious Freedom." Daniel feels that he was competitive for the NSF Fellowship because of his interest in political science and his economic background. He is married to Deborah Shepherd Butler, and he pursued a Ph.D. in Political Science at Stanford University.

Campbell, David Edward
1996-1997
Phi Kappa Phi
David is from Canada, and he served in the Illinois Peoria Mission. He graduated with University Honors in Political Science with a minor in Psychology. David is married to Kirsten Kaye Campbell.

Casellas, Rafael Cristian
1997-1998
National Science Foundation: Minority Fellowship
Rafael is from Argentina, and he graduated Magna Cum Laude in Molecular Biology with an emphasis in Chemistry. Rafael served his mission in France, and his wife is from Finland. He is fluent in French, English, and Spanish, and has a basic knowledge of Finnish. As an undergraduate, he received a four-year scholarship from BYU and several other research awards including the Hypercube Scholar and a grant from the National Institutes of Health. For almost two years, he worked as a research assistant conducting chemical analyses for Dr. Mangelson using a Van der Graff accelerator by proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE). Rafael pursued his graduate studies at the Rockefeller University in New York, and he worked at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Laboratory of Molecular Immunology. Rafael was also named an Honorable Mention for the NSF Graduate Fellowship for 1997-1998.

Catanzaro, Bryan C.
2004-2005
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Bryan is from all over the Western United States, but he went to high school in Yorba Linda, California. He double majored in Computer Engineering and Russian with a minor in Mathematics. He became an excellent NSF Fellowship candidate by obtaining a perfect score on the GRE, working as a research assistant in the Configurable Computing Lab on-campus, and interning during the summers for Intel researching exploratory circuit studies for future microprocessors. As an undergraduate, Bryan was on the College Bowl team, and he participated in University Band, University Chorale, and Men's Chorus. He loved his experience at BYU and rates his Honors History of Civilization class as the most life-changing. He commented, "The material and professors challenged me to become an honest, independent thinker, and seven years later, I still find myself thinking about the topics we discussed in that class. I also made many good friends there, including one who later became my wife." Bryan is passionate about classical music, especially symphonies (Shostakovich and Mahler), Russian literature and culture, the oboe, and Apple computers. He also loves his wife, Jena, and their son, Hyrum. Bryan earned his Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering at BYU in 2005 and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering elsewhere.

Chan, Heather
2007-2008
Barry M. Goldwater
Heather is a gifted violinist from Niskayuna, NY. She is double-majoring in Computer Science and Music Performance (violin emphasis) with a minor in Mathematics. Referring to her preparation for the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship Heather said, "I felt prepared because of my research experience doing an engineering internship at GE Global Research and also conducting undergraduate research in computer science at BYU." Heather plays the violin in the BYU Philharmonic Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra. In the future, she plans to use her computer science background to work at a research facility that is oriented towards improving the safety and efficiency of today's technology. Another interesting tidbit about Heather is that she is very interested in martial arts. She earned her black belt in Tae Kwon Do when she was twelve!

Chao, Wendy
1996-1997
Barry M. Goldwater
Wendy is from Orem, Utah. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Microbiology with an emphasis in Molecular Biology and has researched the genetic characterization of bacterial DNA. She assisted Dr. Richard Robison of the Department of Microbiology by sequencing the genes responsible for drug resistance. Identifying these genes will help promote diagnosis and treatment of multi-drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis. Wendy was also a National Merit Scholar, and planned to pursue a Ph.D. in molecular genetics.

Charles, Steven Knight
2000-2001
Tau Beta Pi
Steven is from Provo, Utah. He served in the France Bordeaux Mission, and he graduated Magna Cum Laude in Mechanical Engineering. Steven planned to pursue a graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering. He also received the NSF fellowship and the Whitaker Scholarship for 2001-2002.

Charles, Steven Knight
2001-2002
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Steven is from Provo, Utah. He served in the France Bordeaux Mission, and he graduated Magna Cum Laude in Mechanical Engineering. Steven planned to pursue a graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering. He also received the Tau Beta Pi Scholarship for 2000-2001 and the Whitaker Scholarship for 2001-2002.

Charles, Steven Knight
2001-2002
Whitaker International Foundation Fellowship
Steven is from Provo, Utah. He served in the France Bordeaux Mission, and he graduated Magna Cum Laude in Mechanical Engineering. Steven planned to pursue a graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering. Steven has also received the Tau Beta Pi Scholarship for 2000-2001, and the National Science Foundation Fellowship for 2001-2002.

Cherry, Michael Steven
2002-2003
Tau Beta Pi
Michael, from San Jose, California, is working towards his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan. He served his mission in Brazil and received his Bachelor's degree from BYU in Mechanical Engineering. While attending BYU, Michael had the opportunity to work with Dr. Larry Howell for two years in the Compliant Mechanisms Research (CMR) lab. Referring to the experience, he said, "I got involved in research fairly early on, and thoroughly enjoyed working with the design of mechanical systems that utilize flexibility and elasticity to derive their motion." As an undergraduate, he earned an internship at Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, California, received the Tau Beta Pi Undergraduate Scholarship, made the Dean's list several times, and was named an NSF Honorable Mention. After graduating from BYU, Michael received a Department Fellowship from the University of Michigan (UM). He chose to pursue a Ph.D. at UM because they have a Compliant Systems Design Laboratory (CSDL) that will allow him to continue his interest in compliant mechanism research. Under the direction of his advisor, Sridhar Kota, Michael intends to specialize in the design of compliant mechanisms with an emphasis on human augmentation. He commented, "Although it is more challenging to design a compliant system, it is more rewarding to me because of the things that can be accomplished...I believe that through the use of compliant systems, better designs can be achieved to enable people who are healthy to run faster and jump higher, and more importantly they can aid and possibly restore the motion of people who are disabled." Michael will be focusing solely on the lower extremities, primarily on the knee and ankle joints through the use of dynamic modeling and analysis of the material mechanics common to compliant mechanism design. Michael would like to eventually teach at the university level.

Cherry, Michael Steven
2004-2005
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Michael, from San Jose, California, is working towards his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan. He served his mission in Brazil and received his Bachelor's degree from BYU in Mechanical Engineering. While attending BYU, Michael had the opportunity to work with Dr. Larry Howell for two years in the Compliant Mechanisms Research (CMR) lab. Referring to the experience, he said, "I got involved in research fairly early on, and thoroughly enjoyed working with the design of mechanical systems that utilize flexibility and elasticity to derive their motion." As an undergraduate, he earned an internship at Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, California, received the Tau Beta Pi Undergraduate Scholarship, made the Dean's list several times, and was named an NSF Honorable Mention. After graduating from BYU, Michael received a Department Fellowship from the University of Michigan (UM). He chose to pursue a Ph.D. at UM because they have a Compliant Systems Design Laboratory (CSDL) that will allow him to continue his interest in compliant mechanism research. Under the direction of his advisor, Sridhar Kota, Michael intends to specialize in the design of compliant mechanisms with an emphasis on human augmentation. He commented, "Although it is more challenging to design a compliant system, it is more rewarding to me because of the things that can be accomplished...I believe that through the use of compliant systems, better designs can be achieved to enable people who are healthy to run faster and jump higher, and more importantly they can aid and possibly restore the motion of people who are disabled." Michael will be focusing solely on the lower extremities, primarily on the knee and ankle joints through the use of dynamic modeling and analysis of the material mechanics common to compliant mechanism design. Michael would like to eventually teach at the university level.

Choi, Jacob
2006-2007
Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship
Jacob is originally from Provo, Utah. He graduated summa cum laude in International Studies with minors in Korean and Japanese. As a Rangel Fellow, he has interned at the House Foreign Affairs Committee and at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo where, inter alia, he was responsible for U.S.-Japan coordination in the Middle East, South and Central Asia. Jacob is a Master in Public Policy candidate at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He serves on the Harvard Graduate Council and as the co-editor-in-chief of the Korea Policy Review. In the summer of 2008, he will join the U.S. Department of State as a foreign-service officer.

Christensen, Ryan Glen
2002-2003
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Ryan is from South Jordon, Utah, and he graduated in Philosophy with a minor in Physics. He pursued a Ph.D. in Philosophy at Stanford University.

Christiansen, Caroline Grace
2005-2006
Phi Eta Sigma
Caroline comes from Burley, Idaho. She graduated from BYU in Broadcast Journalism in 2006. In addition to being involved in various broadcasting organizations, Caroline interned for NBC's Today show and started "Talk It Up Provo." She heard about the Phi Eta Sigma Scholarship from the local chapter advisor, Howard Gray. She was prepared for this scholarship because of her involvement in BYU's Phi Eta Sigma chapter. She served as Vice-President, President, and Senior Advisor. Caroline plans to pursue a career in broadcast journalism and wants to make promoting good and living with integrity the focus of her work.

Comstock, David Carpenter
2004-2005
National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship
David graduated from BYU in Mechanical Engineering in August 1999. He used the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship to study Materials Science and Engineering.

Cooper, Joseph L.
2004-2005
Barry M. Goldwater
Joseph, from Orem, Utah, earned his Bachelor's degree in Computer Science with a minor in Psychology. He has spent three years on the Honors Student Advisory Council during which time he went to Chicago and participated in the National Collegiate Honors Conference. In addition to working as a research assistant for Dr. Sederberg, he also spent three years as a peer tutor in Math, Computer Science, and occasionally Economics. Joseph worked on his honors thesis research with Dr. Sederberg on finding more intelligent and graphical ways to merge family history databases. After talking with his younger brother about the high school computer science classes available to him, Joseph realized his brother did not have the same opportunities he had been given, so he contacted the principal of Orem High School and offered to teach a summer programming class to interested students. Joseph's proposal was accepted, and he taught a handful of students. He said, "I found that I really enjoyed teaching and had a wonderful experience." Joseph is currently pursuing a Master's degree and a Doctorate Degree in Computer Science at BYU. His focus is on Artificial Intelligence, and he wants to eventually become a university professor.

Couch, Robert Brinton
2001-2002
Institute for Humane Studies
Robert is from Idaho Falls, Idaho, and he served in the Russia Moscow Mission. He graduated in Russian and Honors Economics from BYU in 1997. Robert pursued a Ph.D. at Carnegie Mellon University.

Crane, Nathan Brad
1998-1999
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Nathan is from Richmond, Texas. He served in the California Santa Rosa Mission and graduated with a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from BYU. He feels that "the key to success is hard work and taking advantage of opportunities to do research." Nathan was a National Merit Scholar and worked as a research assistant in the Engineering Computer Graphic's Laboratory at BYU. In the lab, he helped develop graphical pre- and post-processors for FEA analysis codes.

Cutler, Jenny
2001-2002
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Jenny is from Bountiful, Utah. She received her Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2001.

Dowler, Daniel A.
2007-2008
Fulbright
Daniel grew up in Gila, New Mexico. He majored in International Relations and minored in Mathematics. He first heard about the Fulbright grant his sophomore year, but the idea didn't appeal to him until he heard about it again while interning in Washington, D.C. for the US Senate, Joint Economic Committee. Daniel believes that this internship, which he participated in through the BYU Washington Seminar program, gave him invaluable experience and confidence. He also said, "It induced a craving for additional exciting opportunities." As an undergraduate, Daniel was awarded the Mary Lou Fulton Internship Grant, volunteered with the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program, was involved in the BYU Foreign Service Student Organization (FSSO), tutored Korean students in English, and played on several intramural sports teams. After completing his Fulbright grant in South Korea studying South Korean policy decisions regarding relations with North Korea and stability on the Korean Peninsula, he will pursue a PhD in economics with emphasis in political economy and economic development.

Draper, David Willis
2000-2001
Tau Beta Pi
David is from Oregon, and he served in the Russia Novosibirsk Mission. As an undergraduate student, he performed research with scatterometers in the microwave earth remote sensing lab under Dr. David Long. His research has allowed him to develop "an advanced quality assurance algorithm for...specialized earth remote-sensing radars launched by NASA. He graduated in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics in 2000 and earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from BYU in 2003.

Duerden, David
2005-2006
National Security Education Program: David L. Boren
David Duerden is from Rexburg, Idaho. He majored in International Studies with an emphasis in Modern Near East and a minor in Arabic. He best prepared for this scholarship by having a good academic record and being involved with various study abroad programs and internships as well as related clubs and organizations. David is currently attending the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies where he is pursuing an MA in International Studies and Diplomacy.

Duke, Jared
2008-2009
National Defense Science and Engineering

Edmondson, Andrew Charles
2004-2005
National Institutes of Health: Graduate Partnerships Program
Andy, from Pocatello, Idaho, graduated in Microbiology and Russian with minors in Molecular Biology and Chemistry from BYU. He used the award to fund his study at the University of Pennsylvania.

Edwards, David Allan
2001-2002
National Institutes of Health: Graduate Partnerships Program
David is from Canada, and he served his mission in the Korea Daejeon Mission. He graduated with University Honors in Zoology from BYU in August 2001. David attended graduate school at John Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Eldredge, Susan
1999-2000
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Susan is from Wheat Ridge, Colorado. She is the seventh of ten children, and she graduated with University Honors in Botany. For her honors thesis, "The Role of Transgenic Research in Understanding Zein Proteins," she studied protein formation on maize during a field study on native plants in Guatemala. She enjoys spending time with her family, singing, traveling, and going on adventures. Susan attended the University of Minnesota for graduate study in Plant Biotechnology.

Engel, Joshua
2006-2007
Tau Beta Pi
Joshua is an Electrical Engineering major from Denver, Colorado. His time at BYU has been heavily concentrated on his engineering studies. He has participated in Tau Beta Pi, Etta Kappa Nu, and IEEE, all engineering or electrical engineering societies. Joshua is working as a research assistant in the BYU configurable computing lab. His current project is "space radiation environment effects on Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs)." After graduating from BYU, Josh plans to pursue a Master's degree in either engineering or receive an MBA. In addition to his engineering work, Josh participated in BYU's French Club, preserving his language skills after a mission in Toulouse. He is also a fan and student of International- and American-style Ballroom dance.

Ericksen, Daniel Southwick
2001-2002
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Daniel is from Salt Lake City, Utah. He graduated Magna Cum Laude in Chemical Engineering. The NSF fellowship supported his graduate studies in Bioengineering at the University of California-San Diego.

Ericksen, Todd Daniel
2002-2003
National Security Education Program: David L. Boren
Todd, a native of Tempe, Arizona, earned his Bachelor's degree in Psychology. He served in the South Africa Cape Town Mission and the National Security Education Program (NSEP) provided him with the opportunity to return to South Africa to do research. He and his wife are currently very busy with their daughter.

Fearnley, David Lawrence
1996-1997
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
David is from Provo, Utah, and he completed his Master's degree in 1996 in Mathematics. As an undergraduate, David graduated Summa Cum Laude also in Mathematics. David has also been named a Trustees Scholar and has received numerous awards from state-wide math competitions. He was accepted into the Ph.D. program at Oxford University where he furthered his research on monotone normality and metrizability with Professor P. J. Collins.

Fennimore, Adam
1997-1998
Barry M. Goldwater
Adam is from Manhattan, New York. He graduated with University Honors in Physics with a minor in Mathematics. He served in the Spain Madrid Mission.

Fielding, Jeremy Alan
2000-2001
Institute for Humane Studies
Jeremy is from Walla Walla, Washington, and he served in the Kenya Nairobi Mission. He graduated from BYU in Political Science. He graduated from Harvard University's law school in 2003. Jeremy also received the Institute for Humane Studies Fellowship for 2001-2002.

Fillmore, Parley Dehlin
1998-1999
National Institutes of Health Graduate Partnerships Program
Parley is from Sandy, Utah, and he served in the Japan Fukuoka Mission. He graduated from BYU in Psychology with minors in Zoology and Chemistry. Parley attended Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Fleshman, Ranleigh L.
1998-1999
National Institutes of Health Graduate Partnerships Program
Ranleigh received his Bachelor's degree in Botany from BYU in 1997. He is from Alabama, and he served in the Utah Provo Mission.

Flint, John Harris
2000-2001
National Institutes of Health Graduate Partnerships Program
John is from Newark, Delaware, and he served in the Brazil Sao Paulo East Mission. He graduated in Zoology with a minor in Chemistry from BYU in 1999. John attended medical school at the University of Virginia Health System.

Florence, Leah Dawn
2000-2001
Fulbright
Leah is from Camarillo, California. She served a mission to the Russia Novosibirsk Mission. Leah graduated in both Vocal Performance and Russian. The scholarship allowed her to do research in Russia.

Floyd, Robert David Hunter
2000-2001
Institute for Humane Studies
Robert is from Michigan. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with University Honors in both Political Science and German with a minor in Classical Studies. Robert served a mission to the Germany Duesseldorf Mission.

Fox, Benjamin Davis
2002-2003
Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Medical Student Fellowship
Benjamin is from San Diego, California, and he served in the Venezuela Caracas Mission. As an undergraduate student, he received an ORCA grant to fund his research on prenatal health education in Guerrero, Mexico. Benjamin graduated Cum Laude in April 2000 in Classical Studies. After graduating, he was accepted to Baylor College of Medicine's 5-year medical student research track. While studying at Baylor, Benjamin received various awards including the Eppright Award for student research by the Department of Orthopedic Surgery for his work in the Spine Lab, First Prize in the annual History of Medicine Contest for his essay entitled, "Resurrecting Aristotle in Modern Medical Education," and he was named an American Academy of Achievement Honor's student. As a recipient of the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Medical Student Fellowship, Benjamin worked in the lab of Stephen Davies, Ph.D., investigating cells and associated molecules that are connected with scarring in the central nervous system (spinal cord). He hopes that a better understanding of the barriers to axonal regeneration will yield better treatment. Benjamin is pursuing a career in academic neurosurgery; after which, he plans to combine his passion to serve others with his desire to conduct research.

Franklin, IV, Robert Kyle
2004-2005
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Robert graduated in Electrical Engineering. He is from Houston, Texas, and believes his undergraduate research experiences and senior technical writing course best prepared him for the NSF application process. While attending BYU, he was involved in Swing Kids, the Folk Dance Team, Ballroom Dance, Tau Beta Pi, and he received a BYU ORCA Mentoring Grant for 2001-2002. Robert worked with Dr. Robert Burton on a project entitled, "Interactive, three-dimensional web presentation of object-oriented Java concepts." The project included developing a training module that taught concepts using web-based, interactive, three-dimensional models to undergraduate Computer Science students. Robert chose this project because he wanted to help other students and was interested in applying the skills he had recently acquired in his Computer Graphics course. At BYU, he also worked as a research assistant in the Electrical Engineering Department's Reconfigurable Computing Lab. But, the highlight of his undergraduate experience was building a soccer robot for his senior design project. Robert is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at the University of Michigan. Publications include: W. H. Johnson, R. K. Franklin, R. W. Beard, J. K. Archibald. "Effective ball handling and control in robot soccer." Proceedings of the 38th Annual International Telemetring Conference, (San Diego, CA) Oct. 2002, 21-24. R. K. Franklin, R. P. Burton. "Interactive, three-dimensional web presentation of object-oriented Java concepts." 2001-2002 Undergraduate Research Journal, Brigham Young University Press, (Provo, UT) 2002, 125-126. B. L. Hutchings, R. K. Franklin, D. Carver. "Assisting network intrusion detection with reconfigurable hardware." Proceedings of the 10th Annual IEEE Symposium on Field-Programmable Custom Computing Machines, (Napa, CA) April 2002, pp. 111-20, 22-24.

Fredin, Nathaniel Jon
2004-2005
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Nathaniel is from New Lenox, Illinois, and he graduated in Chemical Engineering. As an undergraduate, he worked on-campus as a hazardous waste technician for Chemicals Management and participated in an NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at Northwestern University the summer of his junior year. The research experience he gained in the REU program allowed him to get a paper published in Physical Review Letters. In summer 2004, Nathaniel volunteered as a Math Teacher at an LDS high school in Western Samoa while his wife, Carrie, completed her student teaching at an elementary school there. Nathaniel stated that it was a wonderful experience. He will be furthering his education in Polymer Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Frisch, Ryon Kevin
1997-1998
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Ryon is from Bonita, California, and he served in the New Mexico Albuquerque Mission. He graduated in Chemical Engineering in April 1997. His main objective at BYU was to "contribute to the growing field of biomedical engineering by applying [his] innovative ideas to developing products that will solve medical problems." As an undergraduate, Ryon also received the BYU Trustees Scholarship. His academic career has been exemplary and has included several research opportunities. He attended Johns Hopkins School of Medicine to pursue a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering. In the future, he plans to work in an industry laboratory for a biotech company and eventually work as the head of the research and technology transfer division. Ryon is married to Jeanette, and they have one daughter.

Frost, Adam Scott
1999-2000
Barry M. Goldwater
Adam served a mission in the Washington Spokane Mission. He is from Provo, and he graduated from BYU in Biochemistry. Adam enrolled in the MD/PhD program at Yale University School of Medicine. Adam also received the National Institutes of Health-Medical Scientist Training Program award for 2000-2001.

Frost, Adam Scott
2001-2002
National Institutes of Health Graduate Partnerships Program
Adam served a mission in the Washington Spokane Mission. He is from Provo, and he graduated from BYU in Biochemistry. Adam enrolled in the MD/PhD program at Yale University School of Medicine. Adam also received the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship in 1999-2000.

Fugal, Jacob Peter
2003-2004
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Jacob is from Pleasant Grove, Utah. He transferred to BYU from Ricks College, and he graduated with University Honors in Physics with a minor in Mathematics. As an undergraduate, he was awarded a BYU ORCA Scholarship to fund his honors thesis: "The Feasibility of the Astronomical Society of a Galaxy Infrared Slitless Prism Survey," published in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Jacob feels that his experiences with BYU's honors department, physics department, and the ORCA Scholarship have been invaluable. In addition to his research experience, he also enjoyed doing physics demonstrations with the Society of Physics Students Outreach Program for elementary schools in the area and some home school groups. He was able to do various activities like making frozen homemade ice cream with liquid nitrogen. Jacob also worked on-campus as an American Sign Language interpreter, and he helped develop online physics courses with the Center for Instructional Design. He pursued a graduate degree in Physics with an emphasis on atmospheric physics at Michigan Tech University. In the future, he would like to be a professor or a research scientist at a university or an atmospheric research lab. While Jacob enjoyed his academic experiences at BYU, he felt his best undergraduate experience was finding and marrying his wife Jenifer Yule. Together they enjoy raising their two children. Jacob's hobbies are organizing family parties, composing for the piano, American Sign Language, running, cycling, and bad puns.

Fuller, Jeffrey John
1997-1998
National Institutes of Health-Graduate Partnerships Program
Jeffrey is from San Dimas, California. He served in the Brazil Sao Paulo East Mission. He graduated in August 1997 with University Honors in Honors Zoology with a minor in Chemistry.

Gaitan, Santino Carl
1997-1998
Institute for Humane Studies
Santino graduated with University Honors in Psychology and Spanish. He is from Jackson, Missouri, and he attended graduate school at the University of California-San Diego. He served in the Costa Rica San Jose Mission. Santino also received the National Science Foundation: Minority Fellowship 1998-1999.

Gaitan, Santino Carl
1998-1999
National Science Foundation: Minority Fellowship
Santino graduated with University Honors in Psychology and Spanish. He is from Jackson, Missouri, and he attended graduate school at the University of California-San Diego. He served in the Costa Rica San Jose Mission. Santino also received the Institute for Humane Studies Fellowship for 1997-1998.

Gale, Bruce Kent
1996-1997
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Bruce graduated from BYU Summa Cum Laude in August 1995 with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. At BYU, Bruce was an Ezra Taft Benson Scholar, a National Merit Scholar, and a Whitaker Foundation Fellow. As a Whitaker Foundation Fellow, Bruce was able to work on his Ph.D. in Bioengineering at the University of Utah. His research involved micro-machining, a recently developed chemical separation system that uses a technique called electrical field flow fractionation. The system was constructed by using techniques that are similar to those used in computer chip manufacturing. The chemical separation system will be used to measure the surface charge of molecules and particles, especially biomolecules. Bruce hopes that research in this area will provide the impetus for new drug delivery techniques and a better understanding of cell membranes.

Gammon, David Eugene
2000-2001
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
David graduated in Conservation Biology with minors in Music and Mathematics from BYU in 1999. He is from Provo, and he served in the South Dakota Rapid City Mission.

Georgi, Sean A.
2007-2008
National Science Foundation
Sean graduated from BYU with a degree in Neuroscience and minors in French and Molecular Biology. He is from Orem, Utah and has been preparing for the NSF since he returned home from his mission and started his sophomore year at BYU. He attributes his success in winning the NSF grant to his broad academic training, research experience and community service and involvement. Sean also received an ORCA grant for a project he was working on with Dr. Sudweeks and published two articles on his research. He is currently a Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student at the University of Washington with a particular interest in developmental and regenerative neurobiology. After completing his PhD, he hopes to enter academia and maybe even come back and teach at BYU.

Gibson, Matthew D.
2005-2006
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Matt, from Goshen, Indiana, majored in Biophysics. As an undergraduate student, he participated in honors courses, tutoring, Red Cross club, and Golden Key. Matt also worked with Dr. Sterling Sudweeks (Physiology and Developmental Biology) conducting research that deals with Alzheimer's disease patients. Protein (beta amyloid) plaques occur in certain parts of Alzheimer's patients' brains including the hippocampus. Matt is researching how beta amyloid affects a group of ion channels expressed in neurons in the hippocampus. His undergraduate research helped him gain the NSF Graduate Fellowship, and it reaffirmed his decision to go to graduate school. Matt explains, "It also helped me apply the things I learned in the classroom, learn in ways that aren't possible in the classroom, develop good relationships with faculty members, and it opened doors to other opportunities such as a summer internship and an ORCA Grant." Matt's research experience, internship at the University of Utah with Dr. Rick Rabbitt, extra courses in Mathematics and Engineering, and discussions with other people have also helped prepare him to pursue a doctoral degree in Biomedical Engineering even though BYU does not have a Biomedical Engineering major. Additionally, Matt presented his research at two Society of Neuroscience conferences. Matt began the Ph.D. program in Biomedical Engineering with an emphasis in Neuroengineering at the University of Michigan in fall 2006. After he receives his doctoral degree, Matt states, "I am not sure whether I will enter into academia or an industrial setting, but in either case, my goal will be to find effective solutions to relevant medical problems that people face." Matt enjoys outdoors activities, athletics, and the performing arts with his wife, Kirsten, and daughter, Eden.

Gilchrist, James
2005-2006
Fulbright
From Denver, Colorado, Jim graduated in Middle Eastern Studies/Arabic. He heard about the Fulbright Program through an Honors professor. He feels that his best undergraduate experiences were a study abroad in Syria and a research project about Muslims in Las Vegas; both prepared him for applying for the Fulbright. Jim was involved in BYU's Tae Kwon Doe Club, Arabic Club, and Folk Dance Ensemble, as well as many group projects. After his Fulbright, Jim planned on attending medical school.

Goff, Eleisha
2008-2009
Tylenol Scholarship
Eleisha, a Nursing major from San Diego, California, learned about the Tylenol Scholarship from her mother. She has been a volunteer at the MTC, a FOL participant and volunteer at the Hospital, and a member of BYUSA. Some of her favorite activities include backpacking, surfing and running. A goal of hers is to qualify to run the Boston Marathon at some point in her life.

Goodman, Paul Dayton
2000-2001
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Paul is from South Jordan, Utah, and he served in the Russia Rostov-Na-Donu Mission. Paul graduated in Chemical Engineering from BYU in 1999. Paul also received the Whitaker Fellowship for 2000-2001.

Goodman, Paul Dayton
2000-2001
Whitaker International Foundation Fellowship
Paul is from South Jordan, Utah, and he served in the Russia Rostov-Na-Donu Mission. Paul graduated in Chemical Engineering from BYU in 1999. Paul also received a National Science Foundation Fellowship for 2000-2001.

Gordon-Smith, George Michael
2002-2003
Institue for Humane Studies
George earned his Bachelor's degree in English in 2006 and is now pursuing his Master's degree at BYU. He is from Canada, and he served in the Spain Bilbao Mission.

Gorgueiro, Veronica
2006-2007
National Association of School Psychologists Minority Scholarship
Veronica is from Carlsbad, California. She graduated from UCLA in Psychology. She is currently at BYU to participate in the School Psychology Ed.S. program. Between UCLA and BYU, Veronica served a mission in the Dominican Republic and worked as a Case Manager for the Teen Choices program in San Diego, California. Veronica worked as a research assistant at UCLA and is currently working on a project with Dr. Ellie Young. It is a study on the "social validity of the Peaceable Schools Positive Behavioral Support Model in secondary schools."

Gray, Michael
2006-2007
Fulbright
Michael is from Phoenix, Arizona. He is a MESA (Middle East Studies/Arabic) major with a Political Science minor. Michael first heard about the Fulbright Grant as a sophomore when he started looking at scholarship opportunities. His diverse activities and research, including membership in many clubs and a study abroad in Egypt, have been essential in preparing him for the Fulbright application. Michael completed his capstone paper on Technology in the Middle East and hopes to use his research skills in his future career as a Middle East analyst. His greatest undergraduate experiences were peer tutoring another MESA major and celebrating graduation with his wife and two daughters.

Green, Alexia
2004-2005
Fulbright
Lexi has moved around a lot, but mostly claims she is from Woodland Hills, Utah and Salem, Utah. She majored in Middle Eastern Studies/Arabic and was Hinckley Hall Vice-President (2000-2001), Secretary of HELP (2001-2003), an organization to teach English to non-English speakers in the Provo community, and Arabic Club Secretary (2003-2004). Additionally, she was involved in Model Arab League (2001) and was later named best delegate (2003). She was also a member of the Arabic Club (2000-2004) and participated in Model Arab Court of Justice at Arab League Nationals (2004). She was a Museum of Art docent for the Khalili exhibit (Fall 2002) and worked as a reference assistant at the Humanities Reference desk in the Harold B. Lee Library. Furthermore, Lexi was a research assistant for Dr. Donna Lee Bowen and Dr. Mark Grover and a teaching assistant for "Political Systems of the Middle East." Under the direction of her mentor, Dr. Bowen, Lexi received a BYU Mentoring Grant that allowed her to spend four months conducting field research in Morocco. She interviewed fifty Moroccan Youth about how they form relationships and how cellular phones may be changing the way they interact with members of the opposite sex. She said, "My research yielded fascinating results showing that due to the personal nature of cellular phones they are able to make and maintain relationships without their parents' consent or even knowledge, thus having a significant impact on social patterns." Her senior thesis project was on "Leila Khaled, the female hijacker from the seventies and how she was more effective in her armed struggle than her male counter-parts due to the fact that she was a woman." Lexi used her ORCA project as a base for her Fulbright project in Jordan.

Green, Bruce McRae
1996-1997
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Bruce graduated in June 1996 with a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering. He is a member of Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu, and received a BYU Academic Scholarship and a BYU ORCA Mentoring Grant for 1995-1996. As an undergraduate, Bruce worked as Dr. Michael Jensen's research assistant computer modeling the effects of human tissue on hand-held cellular phones. He also worked on a research team that examined the use of long wavelength lasers to detect blood clots in heart/lung bypass patients. He completed his Master's degree in Electrical Engineering at BYU in 1997. Bruce plans to study electromagnetism and communications at the Ph.D. level, and then he would like to work in industry and eventually return to academia as a teacher and researcher.

Greer, James Edward
2003-2004
Tau Beta Pi
James is a Civil Engineering major from Kaysville, Utah. He served in the Brazil Belo Horizonte East Mission and worked as a research assistant at the Environmental Modeling Research Laboratory for over two years developing ground water modeling software. He also participated in a research project with the laboratory and Beijing Normal University, where he was mentored by a professor from Beijing. The project involved developing a ground water model of an area in China, so James had the opportunity to go to Beijing Normal University and participate in a seminar on using computer-aided modeling software (which was developed at BYU). James earned his Master's degree from BYU in Civil Engineering in 2005 and is employed for the Environmental Modeling Research Laboratory. His research at the Environmental Modeling Research Laboratory contributed to the development of advanced software tools to make computer groundwater tools. The experiences he has had are assisting him in his ultimate goal of becoming a hydrologist and a water resource engineer. James married his high school sweetheart, and together they have one daughter. In his spare time, he enjoys soccer, snow-skiing and water-skiing.

Gregory, Adam M.
1998-1999
National Institutes of Health: Graduate Partnerships Program
Adam is from Fort Wayne, Indiana. He served in the California Oakland Mission and graduated from BYU in 1997. Adam majored in Molecular Biology.

Grow, Matthew Joseph
2001-2002
Institute for Humane Studies
Matthew is from Sandy, Utah, and he served in the Brazil Porto Alegre North Mission. He graduated Summa Cum Laude in April 2001 with a Bachelor's degree in History. As an undergraduate, he helped edit the Thetean, a student-produced historical journal, and he was involved with organizing Model United Nations competitions for high school students. Matthew received an ORCA Grant allowing him to research "the interactions between Parley P. Pratt and the San Francisco press during Pratt's two missions to California in the 1850's." This topic was particularly interesting to him since Parley P. Pratt is one of his ancestors. The research and experiences he gained at BYU helped him decide to pursue an academic career. Matthew pursued a Ph.D. in American History at the University of Notre Dame, specializing in American religious and cultural histories in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. He is married to Alyssa Bawden Grow; they have two children.

Hanley, David John
2000-2001
Fulbright
Dave is from Oak Hills, California, and he served in the Ohio Columbus Mission. He graduated with both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Public Policy in April 2001. Dave went to Bangladesh for the duration of his scholarship to do research.

Hansen, Christian B.
2001-2002
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Christian is from Salem, Utah. He graduated Summa Cum Laude in Economics with a minor in Mathematics. He continued his graduate education in Economics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Hansen, Miles
2008-2009
National Security Education Program
Hansen is a senior majoring in international relations will be participating in a year-long intensive Farsi program in Tajikistan next year. "Receiving this scholarship provides me with the opportunity to learn a language that is critical to U.S. security interests while gaining invaluable experience in an Islamic culture that I deeply respect - both of which I intend to put to good use while serving my country and the peoples of the region in the years to come," he said.

Hansen, Shane H.
2003-2004
Fulbright
Shane is from American Fork, Utah, and he graduated with University Honors in Russian. He felt he was competitive for the Fulbright scholarship because he took honors classes, speaks Russian, and he already had a project in mind. He has also been involved in charitable organizations, the Russian Club, and study abroad. Shane received an ORCA Mentoring Grant from BYU to fund his honors thesis research, "Development and Freedom in the Russian Transition." The research he conducted in Russia is an extension of his honors thesis. In the future, he would like to pursue a JD/MPA or a JD/MBA.

Hanson, Seth Lynn
1999-2000
Institute for Humane Studies
Seth is from Atwater, California, and he served in the Uruguay Montevideo Mission. He graduated in American Studies from BYU in 1998. Seth earned his JD from BYU, graduating Magna Cum Laude, in April 2001.

Harrison, Bryce Alden
1998-1999
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Bryce is from Ladson, South Carolina, and he served in the Chile Santiago South Mission. In August 1998, he graduated from BYU in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics. Bryce attended Harvard University for his graduate degree.

Hart, James A.
2002-2003
Barry M. Goldwater
James graduated Summa Cum Laude in April 2003 in Physics with a minor in Mathematics. He is from Provo, and he served in the Germany Frankfurt mission. His goal is to obtain a Ph.D. in Physics and to "become a fully proficient physicist actively engaged in research into the fundamental theories of the universe."

Haslam, Bryan T.
2006-2007
Barry M. Goldwater
Bryan Haslam is an Electrical Engineering major from San Diego. Although he didn't do any preparation specifically for the Goldwater Scholarship, his undergraduate activities greatly enhanced his application. Bryan feels that his internship at Princeton University and the subsequent letter of recommendation were instrumental in winning this scholarship. Bryan has been involved in lacrosse and the Honors program. He has spent a great deal of his undergraduate experience participating in research groups to further his education and career. In addition to earning a Ph.D in Biomedical Engineering, Bryan would like to research and develop new medical devices.

Haws, M. Edward
2006-2007
National Institutes of Health-Graduate Partnerships Program
Edward is from San Jose, California. He graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Neuroscience. He chose an MD/PhD program because it combined the lifestyle of a researcher and a doctor. Edward participated in the Stanford Summer Undergraduate Research Program. He spent his undergraduate years in the BYU tutoring program and the TOPS program, which gives service to local school districts. Edward feels that research was essential in his educational and professional development. His research experience is "a foundation upon which I can build to reach my goals."

Haws, Nathan
1998-1999
Tau Beta Pi
Nathan is from Mesa, Arizona, and he served in the Kentucky Louisville Mission. He earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from BYU in Civil Engineering with a minor in English and a minor in Engineering Management.

Heaton, Paul Scott
2002-2003
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Paul is from Montclair, Virginia. He graduated with University Honors in Economics with a minor in Chinese. He attended the University of Chicago, where he pursued a Ph.D. in Economics.

Heaton, Richard Folkman
2001-2002
Institute for Humane Studies
Richard is from Houston, Texas. He served his mission in the Spain Barcelona Mission and graduated in Spanish Translation with a minor in Management from BYU in 1998. Richard attended New York University for his law & Master's degrees.

Henstrom, William Lee
1996-1997
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
William is from Provo, Utah. He graduated Magna Cum Laude in Physics from BYU in April 1995. In addition to being awarded the NSF Fellowship, William was also selected as one of thirty-two recipients of the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation Fellowship. The Hertz Foundation awards postgraduate students who have the potential to become leaders in scientific and technological advances and exemplars of teaching in the applied physical sciences. While at BYU, he was also a Trustees Scholar, a member of Phi Kappa Phi, and a member of Sigma Phi Sigma. William pursued a Ph.D. in experimental condensed matter physics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He hopes to work in the computer industry and help to develop better computer chips.

Hick, Daniel
1999-2000
Monbukagakusho
Daniel graduated Cum Laude in Japanese with minors in Management and Zoology. He is from Laguna Hills, California, and he served in the Japan Tokyo North Mission.

Hickman, Jacob
2007-2008
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Jacob, a native of Orem, Utah, graduated in Psychology and Anthropology. As an undergraduate, he spent 2 summers doing international field studies in Guatemala under the mentorship of Dr. John Hawkins (Anthropology), and one summer in Anchorage, Alaska independently researching the changing health beliefs among Hmong refugees. His research was published in the "National Association for the Practice of Anthropology Bulletin." Jacob also participated in the Kennedy Center's annual inquiry conference. Currently, Jacob is a PhD student at the University of Chicago and is conducting his doctoral dissertation research on the Hmong diaspora. After graduation, Jacob plans to seek an academic position in either anthropology or psychology.

Higginbotham, Lisa
2006-2007
National Institutes of Health-Cambridge PhD Program in Health Sciences
Lisa comes from Salinas, California and graduated Magna Cum Laude with University Honors in Molecular Biology with a minor in Chemistry. She feels that she prepared her whole life for this scholarship and that the most helpful thing was her research experiences, including an internship at Emory University. Lisa spent her time at BYU in various extra-curricular pursuits including: youth mentoring, clogging, tennis, volunteering, and hiking around picturesque Utah. Along with a strong knowledge of transgenic microinjection, Lisa has a great sense of humor. She published "A Biotechnological Approach to Engineering Orange Flamingos." in the mock scientific journal, "The Journal of Irreproducible Results."

Hill, Keric Arnold
2004-2005
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Keric, from Las Cruces, New Mexico, graduated Cum Laude in Mechanical Engineering from BYU with his Bachelor's degree and with his Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado. At BYU, he worked "on a student rocket project called Unity IV that was quite a blast (literally)." He also worked at Combustion Resources, LLC in Provo and spent a summer doing biological field research with his wife, Rebecca. However, he believes that fellow students, generous faculty, and his wife have helped him achieve his goals more than anything he has done himself as far as research experience. As an undergraduate, Keric worked with Dan Forbes and Thayne Lott for BYU Auxiliary Maintenance in the Wilkinson Center and claims, "There's nothing better than running a few tests with the ice cream machine after you've repaired it!" Keric also enjoys hiking with Rebecca (M.S. from BYU, 2002) and playing at the park with his son Charlie. Eventually, he plans to promote the exploration of Earth and beyond.

Hinckley, Jesse
2006-2007
National Institutes of Health-Graduate Partnerships Program
Jesse Hinckley is a Neuroscience major from Idaho Falls. He feels that he was competitive for the NIH scholarship because he "diversified" his application and had significant involvement in various activities. As an undergraduate student, he was involved in Provo Youth Mentoring, a volunteer at UVRMC ER, a family history consultant, and a member of the College Republicans. While he is attending medical school, Jesse is involved in Major Grooves (an a cappella med school ensemble), Old Capitol Chorus (a barbershop group), family history consulting, Organization of Student Representatives to AAMC, American Medical Association political action group (AMPAC), and politics. Jesse said that research not only made him a more competitive applicant, but also "taught him a style of thinking and analysis that greatly enhanced his ability to approach problems and understand how to work through them."

Holladay, Nathan B.
2000-2001
National Institutes of Health Graduate Partnerships Program
Nathan graduated with University Honors in Biochemistry in 2001. He is from Longwood, Florida, and he served in the Micronesia Guam Mission. Nathan pursued his graduate studies at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.

Hunt, Robert Devon
2003-2004
Phi Kappa Phi Award of Excellence
Robert is from Pleasant Grove, Utah. He graduated as the first blind valedictorian at BYU in April 2002 in Psychology with a minor in Philosophy. In addition to community service and professional presentations, he also has eleven publications. Robert worked as a research assistant for two psychology professors for about two years each and received a BYU ORCA Mentoring Grant in 2000-2001 for a project he worked on with three peers under the direction of Scott Richards (Counseling Psychology). The project is entitled, "Investigating the Attitudes of Seniors Towards the Role of the Gospel in their Classes: A Student Initiated Feedback Study Across the College of Family, Home & Social Sciences at BYU". Robert attended Stanford Law School to pursue his dream of becoming a professor of law.

Istook, Diana K.
2004-2005
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program
Diana is from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She said, "Definitely, one of my best undergraduate experiences consisted of selfless teachers who guided me. I considered studying so many different things while at BYU. I think what pushed me to study math was the influence of two very special math professors--Dr. Lynn Garner and Dr. Rodney Forcade. Very early they made it clear to me that I had a unique talent for math, and they encouraged me to pursue it." Diana explained that their mentorship helped her develop confidence in her abilities. She also learned to truly love math, and she became excited about it. At BYU, she majored in Mathematics Education with a minor in English, and she participated in Golden Key National Honor Society, Study Abroad in London, and a Congressional Internship. She then completed her teaching internship at Timpview High School and then started a full-time masters program in Medical Informatics at the University of Utah while still teaching high school. There, she was a National Library of Medicine Fellow and began research in genetic epidemiology. But after taking a Biostatistics course, she decided to change her field of interest. She believes that the uniqueness of her application, and her two years of teaching experience is what helped her most for the NSF application. After one year at the University of Utah, she decided to move back home to Oklahoma and enroll in a master's program in Biostatistics at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Her exposure to a lot of data issues at the University of Utah has helped her understand data management in the field of Biostatistics. Diana currently works as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Biostatistics Consulting Lab and has collaborated on a number of projects, including: a mental health analysis of New York residents affected by September 11th, an evaluation of an arthritis intervention by the Oklahoma Arthritis Network, an evaluation of the dental manpower in the state of Oklahoma, analysis of Oklahoma's State Genetics Plan, and work on microarray data analysis. Diana has been successful because of her desire to learn independently and to get the most out of her education. Her advice to students is "that it is never too late to start; you don't have to have your plans figured out from the very beginning." Diana graduated with her Master's degree in 2005 and pursued a Ph.D. in Statistical Genetics at the University of Iowa. She eventually plans to teach at a university and conduct statistical genetics research.

Jackson, Jacqualine
2006-2007
Barry M. Goldwater
Jacqualine grew up in Midland, Texas, but more recently hails from Anchorage, Alaska. She is majoring in Physics with a Math minor. Her best undergraduate experience was her NIST internship, and it was also fundamental in preparing her for the Goldwater scholarship. She has been involved with University Chorale, research groups and the Honors program. Jacqualine is working on her honors thesis this summer and will be studying the "effects of oxygen partial pressure on sputtered uranium oxide thin films." Her future plans include graduate school and earning a Ph.D in Optics. She would like to work as either a researcher or a physics teacher.

James, Christiaan
2005-2006
Fulbright
Christiaan hails from Arlington, Texas, and he graduated in Middle East Studies/Arabic. He was able to complete three study abroad experiences as an undergraduate

BYULinks

Undergraduate Education

OPSF

Recipient History

BYU Recipients