OSU Students nominated for prestigious national awards
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Ten Oklahoma State University undergraduates are nominees for three spring 2015 national awards. The Harry S. Truman, Barry Goldwater, and Udall Scholarships are three of the nation’s most prestigious honors for undergraduate students.
The Truman Scholarship awards up to $30,000 to college juniors wishing to pursue a career in public service to defray the cost of attending graduate or professional school, participating in leadership development activities and opportunities for internships and employment with the federal government.
The Goldwater awards up to $7,500 annually for undergraduate work to sophomores and juniors who excel in and plan to pursue research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering.
The Udall Scholarship awards up to $5,000 annually for undergraduate education to sophomores and juniors who excel in and plan to pursue careers impacting American Indian self-governance, healthcare, or the stewardship of public lands and natural resources.
The 10 scholarship nominees represent 13 different majors at OSU.
Click on the student’s names below to see a profile of each of them.
Truman Nominees:
Matthew Chuning – Barnsdall Okla.
Mechanical engineering
Economics and finance
Goldwater Nominees:
Andres Guerrero Criado – Tioga ,Texas
Biochemistry and microbiology
Aerospace and mechanical engineering
Mathematics and Biochemistry
Mathematics and French
Udall Nominees:
Aaron Cromer – Elk City, Okla.
Accounting and finance
Brett Johnson – Stillwater, Okla.
Horticulture
Derek Wietelman – Oklahoma City, Okla.
Political science and statistics
Maeghan Murie - Cleveland, Okla.
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Nominee
Matthew Chuning - Barnsdall, Okla.
Mechanical engineering major
“I am working on college affordability and assessment policy, specifically as it relates to land grant institutions. It is important that we continue to protect the land grant mission, even as we take a hard look at keeping higher education accountable and efficient. After law school, I hope to work in policy here in Oklahoma.
“I first became interested in the land grant and cooperative extension mission as a 4-H member in rural Osage County. As a member, and eventually as state 4-H president, I was exposed daily to the direct impact of policy from the Morrill Land-Grant Act and the Smith-Lever Act of 1914. I feel that it is important to maintain the unique mission of the land grant institution while addressing challenges such as stagnating retention rates and the increased cost of higher education.”
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship is the nation’s highest honor for undergraduate students who wish to pursue a career in public service. The Truman Scholarship awards up to $30,000 to college juniors to defray costs to attend graduate or professional school, participate in leadership development activities, and have special opportunities for internships and employment with the federal government.
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Nominee
Charlie Gibson - Ada, Okla.
Economics and finance
“Higher education funding has been an interest of mine since I started as a student worker in the Annual Giving department at the OSU Foundation. Opportunities to advocate, at both a state and national level, through Student Government Association have furthered my interest in higher education funding and its importance, especially to those my age that are in college and are directly affected by the decline in funding.
“I had the opportunity to go to Washington D.C. and lobby on behalf of OSU my freshman year, and I have been involved in the student foundation, student alumni board and student government, which have fueled my passion to encourage giving back to the university.
“After graduation, I would like to be an advocate for higher education funding or work for a university foundation. “
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship is the nation’s highest honor for undergraduate students who wish to pursue a career in public service. The Truman Scholarship awards up to $30,000 to college juniors to defray costs to attend graduate or professional school, participate in leadership development activities, and have special opportunities for internships and employment with the federal government.
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship Nominee
Andres Guerrero Criado – Tioga, Texas,
Biochemistry and microbiology
“I wish to complete both M.D. and Ph.D. degrees in the field of regenerative medicine to actively apply my research and notice possible changes in patient care or treatment in real time, said Andres Criado. The double doctorate will help me think in abstract terms about the processes that lead to disease as well as practical medical solutions.
“I have been entrusted with several projects ranging from bioinformatics and evolutionary biology to metabolic pathways and protein dynamics and I have people who believe in me to produce publishable results that could aid hundreds if not thousands of people in their respective fields. That’s both motivating and humbling.
“I’m grateful for a professor who has offered unwavering support and I would like to encourage any and everybody with a passion in any field to pursue research in their interests. You don’t have to be a nerd or live in your lab to do good research; we need scientists who are everyday people with the potential to be innovative in their fields.”
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship is the nation’s most prestigious award for undergraduate sophomores and juniors who excel in and plan to pursue research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering. The Goldwater Scholarship awards up to $7,500 annually to defray costs of undergraduate education.
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship Nominee
Logan Kunka, Owasso,
Aerospace and mechanical engineering
“I am currently working in unmanned aerial vehicle research which involves the design of a UAV that operates on four variable-pitch, tilting rotors. I would like to look into adaptive flight control systems and rapid prototyping for my graduate research. After graduate work, I would like to pursue a career either in academia, a national laboratory or a commercial research and development company.
“My passion for research started with the Freshman Research Scholars program here at OSU. It gave me the opportunity to get in a lab and get some hands-on research, which is an amazing opportunity for a freshman. I got into the design and building side of these aircraft by applying for a Wentz Research Scholarship.
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship is the nation’s most prestigious award for undergraduate sophomores and juniors who excel in and plan to pursue research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering. The Goldwater Scholarship awards up to $7,500 annually to defray costs of undergraduate education.
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship Nominee
Mitchell Meyer, Wichita, KS,
Mathematics and biochemistry
“Getting this hands-on experience in the scientific method has done wonders for me academically and professionally. My graduate goal is to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. I want to research neuroscience related to human memory, with an evolutionary focus., said Mitchell Meyer.
“My research experience has definitely prepared me for graduate school, and I plan to do more undergraduate research while at OSU. As for my career plans, after I earn my doctorate, I plan to stay in academia and eventually teach as a university professor.
“I took a seminar at OSU about the origins of life on earth, the possibility of life on Mars, and how we would go about finding out if that life really existed on Mars or even other planetary bodies. This class was an absolutely incredible experience for me and opened my eyes to so many other disciplines, such as geology, biology, astronomy, chemistry, etc. I discovered I could combine those interests by pursuing neuroscience in graduate school.
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship is the nation’s most prestigious award for undergraduate sophomores and juniors who excel in and plan to pursue research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering. The Goldwater Scholarship awards up to $7,500 annually to defray costs of undergraduate education.
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship Nominee
Austin Warner – Edmond, Okla.
Mathematics and French
”Though I haven’t yet decided what I will focus on in graduate school, I ultimately want to pursue a Ph.D. in mathematics. Performing math research as an undergrad looks good on an application to graduate school and is a great way to decide what I may want to study as a graduate student.
“The Freshman Research program got me started in math research, which is otherwise often inaccessible to undergraduate mathematicians. I have been working with professors who are really passionate and helpful, so it's difficult not be excited about the subject. Of course, the support of my family was helpful as well.”
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship is the nation’s most prestigious award for undergraduate sophomores and juniors who excel in and plan to pursue research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering. The Goldwater Scholarship awards up to $7,500 annually to defray costs of undergraduate education.
Aaron Cromer – Elk City, Okla.
Accounting and finance
“My research is focused on the spread of the invasive species, kudzu vine, in Oklahoma. I’m also getting a look at the social side of environmental issues and the use of research as an important tool for change. I was recently inspired by a Net Impact conference I attended, which focused on breaking boundaries in research.
“I believe being a part of Net Impact and SGA Sustainability has really allowed me to see beyond the generalities of environment issues (a major focus of the Udall Scholarship) into the social side of the subject. I hope to be able to combine my knowledge with law school and be equipped to lobby for social issues related to immigration, education and budgetary spending.
“I was recently awarded a Green Grant to replace all the disposable cups in my fraternity house with reusable plastic cups.”
The Udall Scholarship honors the legacies of Morris and Stewart Udall, and is the nation’s most prestigious award for undergraduate sophomores and juniors who excel in and plan to pursue careers impacting American Indian self-governance, health care, or the stewardship of public lands and natural resources. The Udall Scholarship awards up to $5,000 annually to defray costs of undergraduate education.
Brett Johnson – Stillwater, Okla.
Horticulture
“I am most interested in stemming the threat to global food security by developing crops that are resistant to disease, especially plant pathogenic organisms that cause massive losses to crops. During and after my graduate program I will work to benefit the environment as well as society by combating plant diseases of horticultural crops through the development of superior genetics.
“I knew I wanted to be involved with the fields of plant breeding and plant pathology after making my own observations of diseased crops, during a summer job working on a vegetable farm. That job eventually led to two separate research projects and a transition into lab work, which would lead to my Niblack Research project.
“I see a future for agricultural sciences that continues to integrate the concepts of ecology into cultural practices, which will increase the health and longevity of our production systems.”
The Udall Scholarship honors the legacies of Morris and Stewart Udall, and is the nation’s most prestigious award for undergraduate sophomores and juniors who excel in and plan to pursue careers impacting American Indian self-governance, health care, or the stewardship of public lands and natural resources. The Udall Scholarship awards up to $5,000 annually to defray costs of undergraduate education.
Derek Wietelman – Oklahoma City, Okla.
Political science and statistics
“My area of research interest is the intersection of economics and public policy, specifically environmental policy. My research project will assess whether the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative has been successful in curbing carbon emissions. After I complete my undergraduate degree at OSU, I hope to earn a master’s degree and work as an environmental policy analyst.
“I have always been passionate about environmental policy and my OSU experience has helped direct that passion to a multitude of outlets and scholarship opportunities. I’m grateful that the Office of Scholar Development and the Honors College have made my time here in Stillwater not just an education, but an experience.”
The Udall Scholarship honors the legacies of Morris and Stewart Udall, and is the nation’s most prestigious award for undergraduate sophomores and juniors who excel in and plan to pursue careers impacting American Indian self-governance, health care, or the stewardship of public lands and natural resources. The Udall Scholarship awards up to $5,000 annually to defray costs of undergraduate education.
Maeghan Murie - Cleveland, Okla.
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
“I’m currently interested in synthetic development and drug chemistry, especially
new syntheses for valuable compounds that can be widely distributed, specifically
to Indian clinics. Eventually, I’d like to be able to perform biomedical research
to develop treatments for different diseases of the nervous system.”
“Growing up Native American and observing limitations in the health systems that
resulted in the death of a loved one gave me a passion to work to improve the healthcare
system.”
“I credit m professors for getting me involved with research in the lab, and introducing
me to specific areas of study and the Niblack Research Scholarship. I’ve also gained
valuable skills for presenting research and networking with other scientist. These
opportunities helped make me more confident in my field and help me pursue my dream
goal.”
The Udall Scholarship honors the legacies of Morris and Steward Udall and is the
nation’s most prestigious award for undergraduate sophomores and juniors who excel
in and plan to pursue careers impacting American Indian self-governance, healthcare,
or the stewardship of public lands and natural resources. It awards up to $5,000 annually
to defray costs of undergraduate education.