CAS announces second cohort of Beckman Scholars
Thursday, June 6, 2024
Media Contact: Elizabeth Gosney | CAS Marketing and Communications Manager | 405-744-7497 | egosney@okstate.edu
Oklahoma State University College of Arts and Sciences students Sarah Brown and Irving Miguel have been named Beckman Scholars for the 2024-25 school year.
The Beckman Scholars Program, directed by Dr. Rachael Eaton, will begin its second year this summer. Through 2025, two scholars are selected each year to receive research mentorship, leadership training and a $21,000 award funded by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation.
“Irving and Sarah bring a curiosity for research and scientific discovery to the program,” Eaton said. “They are also passionate about making the research environment a welcoming place.”
Brown is a zoology senior from Boise City, Oklahoma. Under the guidance of her mentor, Dr. Jennifer Grindstaff, Brown will research the impacts of climate on the microbiome of house sparrows. She said being selected for the program will help her prepare for her future with a deeper understanding of research processes.
“OSU is fostering my love for learning and opening doors for experiences that will prepare me for my future,” Brown said. “I am looking forward to having an environment full of support and learning, especially in my passions and goals. This research is so important to me, as well as the community, because protecting our natural world benefits us all.”
Miguel — a physiology senior with a pre-med concentration from Tulsa — will be working with his mentor Dr. Marianna Patrauchan to further societal understanding of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
“My education at OSU will help me advance to achieve the goal of becoming an M.D. or Ph.D.,” Miguel said. “I am looking forward to working alongside my mentor to become a better researcher. This program has given me the opportunity to fully dedicate my time to working on research and focus on my undergraduate studies.”
The program sponsored two students studying physics and microbiology in its first year.
“Our first Beckman Scholars — Adriahna Blackburn and Nina Parvin — have made numerous achievements, won awards and inspired peers to join the OSU research community,” Eaton said. “We are incredibly proud to host a Beckman Scholars program at OSU and I am excited to see how our next cohort will add to their work.”
To learn more about the Beckman Scholars Program at OSU, visit the program’s website.
Story By: Erin Weaver, CAS Communications Coordinator | erin.weaver@okstate.edu