Undergrads Pursue In-Depth Research in Prestigious Beckman Scholars Program

The Beckman Scholars Program, a prestigious science and engineering effort to increase STEM diversity among undergraduates, started this summer at Rutgers-Newark with its first two students embarking on year-long research projects.

Earlier this year, Rutgers-Newark was among 14 schools to be selected for the program from a total of more than 200 colleges and universities, a recognition that underscores the institution's excellence in research coupled with deep commitment to diversity and inclusion.

”We are delighted to bring the Beckman Scholars Program to our campus” said Piotr Piotrowiak, Senior Vice Chancellor for Research, who spearheaded the initiative. “It is competitive, thougthfully structured and provides generous support for the scholars. I believe that it has all the ingredients to put our students on a path to successful careers in STEM and highlight the accomplishments of our researchers.” 

The Beckman Scholars Program, established by the Arnold & Mabel Beckman Foundation, recognizes schools that demonstrate a commitment to fostering research excellence and providing inclusive opportunities for underrepresented groups. Rutgers-Newark's proposal to the Beckman Foundation highlighted the institution's dedication to equitable access, social mobility, and providing transformative research experiences for its students.

The program, which started this summer and continues throughout the year, provides scholars with immersive research opportunities and puts strong emphasis on direct mentoring by faculty who work in nationally recognized research programs. During the summer, scholars engage in full-time research activities and continue their projects alongside coursework throughout the academic year.

“This is something you don’t often see in undergraduate research, usually it is just a semester,’’ said Michele Pavanello, a professor of Chemistry and Physics and a Beckman Scholar mentor.  “When support for students is extended to give them enough time to be mentored, meaningful research can happen,’’ he said.

Third-year student Amber Landecho, a Physics major, welcomed the chance to do computational physics work creating data bases of machine-learning models capable of predicting the electronic structures of molecules, which will help to create computing models that consume less energy. The resulting open source software is released to anyone to use.

“Amber’s work is laying the foundation for replacing quantum chemical software altogether,’’  says Pavanello, the project’s principal investigator. "Her work will show that it is feasible to envision a world where energy consuming computing is reduced to a minimum in favor of cheaper and greener machine- learning models.''

There are few Latina women, especially first-generation students, entering the field, and the chance to pursue this level of research as an undergraduate has been invaluable, said Landecho.

“Growing up, I didn’t see too many women in the STEM fields, especially Hispanic women, and especially in physics,’’ she said.  “It’s not something many people major in.’’ 

In addition to an immersion in research, the Beckman Scholars Program has allowed her to network with peers, mentors and distinguished scholars from across the nation. This summer, the program convened its annual symposium in Boston. 

For Mohamd Elwahsh, a Palestinian-American student who plans to attend medical school, the program offers a chance to pursue research focused on health science but is outside of his pre-medical track.

Elwahsh, a third-year student, is working with Professor Travis Baker of the Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience on a study that explores how the brain processes information to form spatial memory. 

Finding undergraduate research opportunities is very competitive, but the Beckman program spotted his potential, said Elwahsh. “A lot of people weren’t looking for inexperienced researchers,’’ he said . They’ll match you up according to what you’re willing to do .’’

Elwahsh believes the experience will make him a better physician. “It’s about really digging deep and figuring out what can improve me as a scientist and how I can improve the world around me,’’ he said.

Travis Baker, an associate professor of Cognitive Neuroscience and a Beckman Scholar mentor, is also enthusiastic about the program, “Being able to mentor the next generation of STEM scholar early in their academic careers is truly a rewarding experience of me. I am excited about the opportunity to share my passion for science and pursuit of new brain-based treatments for clinical populations such as Alzheimer’s Disease and addiction,'' he said.

The Beckman Scholars program aligns with Rutgers-Newark's mission of providing inclusive and supportive environments for research, particularly for students from underrepresented backgrounds. With nearly 73 percent of undergraduate students belonging to minority groups, including 36 percent Hispanic and 19 percent African-American students, Rutgers-Newark ranks 7th among 439 national universities in social mobility.

"Our campus has always been at the forefront of promoting diversity and inclusion in STEM fields," said Jacqueline Mattis, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences - Newark (SASN). "The Beckman Scholars program will further enhance our efforts to provide research opportunities and personalized mentoring for our students, empowering them to pursue careers in science, medicine and engineering."

Piotrowiak and Mattis will jointly oversee the program. Their offices will offer enhanced support for student travel, grant proposal writing, and preparation for graduate studies, as well as integrative activities such as workshops and off-site events. For the next two years, the Rutgers-Newark BSP program will accept two students annually who will be selected by an external review committee  . 

For more information about the Beckman Scholars Program at Rutgers University-Newark, please go here.