Niblack Scholars dive into undergraduate research

Monday, October 10, 2016

The 2016-17 Niblack Research Scholars program supporters and scholars are (front row, L to R) Dr. John Niblack, Alicia Aguilar, Madison Krehbiel, Indah Merkel , Beata Mackenroth, Heidi Niblack. (second row, L to R) Zachary Helms, Amanda Demackiewicz, Karley Washburn, KatyAnn Dudley. (third row, L to R) Charith DeSilva, Woong Hee Cho, Nicholas Nelsen, Field Watts. (back row, L to R) program sponsor Dr. Stephen McKeever, Garret Boren, OSU V.P. for Research Dr. Kenneth Sewell, William Starr.

The Niblack Research Scholars program at Oklahoma State University has opened the doors of cutting-edge research for undergraduates for 13 years. This year, 14 OSU undergraduate students are receiving $8,000 scholarships and the opportunity to conduct supervised research as 2016-17 Niblack Research Scholars. The annual program is funded by OSU alumnus John Niblack and his wife, Heidi Niblack.

At the recent presentation of research from 2015-16 scholars, Niblack listed a number of personal qualities leading to success that he recognized in the careers of current Nobel prize winners.

“One of the scientists began his studies when he was 23 years old and only dared to enter his almost uninhabited field at the time because he didn’t know much about it and didn’t have any preconceived notions about what could or could not be done. He just dived in,” Niblack said. “So now you know the secrets of success in science – join areas where few have traveled; don’t worry, just dive in; don’t give up easily; be young; and most important of all, get lucky.”

Niblack graduated from OSU in 1960 and, after graduate studies, become a scientist and then vice chairman of Pfizer Inc., the international pharmaceutical giant. He retired in 2002 and founded the Niblack Research Scholarship in 2004.

The 2016-17 undergraduate Niblack Research Scholars include students in a wide variety of research fields who came to OSU from across the United States and even the world.

The scholars, hometowns and areas of research:

OKLAHOMA

Edmond
Alicia Aguilar, microbiology
Karley Washburn, nutritional sciences

Glencoe
Madison Krehbiel, nutritional sciences

Moore
Garret Boren, biochemistry

Okarche
Amanda Demackiewicz, biochemistry

Sperry
Kaitlyn Dudley, integrative biology

Stillwater
Charith DeSilva, physics
Indah Merkel, mechanical & aerospace engineering
Nicholas Nelsen, mechanical & aerospace engineering

Tulsa
William Starr, microbiology

ARKANSAS

Fort Smith
Field Watts, chemistry

CALIFORNIA

Placerville
Beata Mackenroth, microbiology

TEXAS

McKinney
Zachary Helms, physiological sciences

SOUTH KOREA

Woong Hee Cho, biochemistry

More information about the Niblack Research Scholars program is available at http://niblack.okstate.edu.