Scholarships

Happy Holidays from CNAS Dean Kathryn Uhrich

joanny — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 17:35:19 +0000

Happy Holidays from CNAS Dean Kathryn Uhrich joanny Wed, 12/21/2022 - 09:35 More College News December 27, 2022

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The holidays are always a special time for me, a time to relax, recharge, rejuvenate, and spend time with family, friends, and loved ones. It’s also a time to reflect on the past year and an opportunity to look forward to what 2023 will bring.

There are many areas across CNAS of which I am extremely proud. From our faculty’s cutting-edge research, to student achievements both in and outside of the classroom, to our staff, who keep the college moving forward, and our alumni, parents, and community members who offer their support in countless ways. But what truly stands out is our collective effort to support our students.

With your generosity, nearly $500,000 in scholarships will be awarded to CNAS undergraduate and graduate students this year! A few highlights of the CNAS Scholarship awards include:

$225,000 for students receiving the CNAS Science of Sustainability Fellowship, which provides support for environmental and sustainability research
Nearly $40,000 will be awarded to graduate students receiving the Dexiang Dong and Yiyun Cao Graduate Fellowship in Human Virology, and the Leonard Family Foundation Graduate Student Fellowship
$24,000 for CNAS Dean’s Scholarship and Fellowship recipients

Many of the scholarships also play a critical role guiding the college in creating a community where research, teaching, and public service will thrive, including:

Excellence in Inclusivity: Enhancing our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in CNAS and across campus
Graduate Programs: Strengthening support and resources for students in our graduate programs
The Science of Sustainability: Sharing, educating, and informing our local, regional, and global communities of our research to improve the world we live in

As a college, we strive to continually make meaningful progress in these areas, but we need your help. As 2022 comes to a close, please consider making a tax-deductible gift, of any amount, to support the success of our students in the following ways:

The CNAS Dean’s Graduate Student Support Fund provides our graduate students with funding to put towards their educational needs and research.
The CNAS Dean’s Scholarship and Fellowship Fund provides resources for our exceptional undergraduate and graduate students.
The CNAS Dean’s Excellence Fund supports the dean’s priorities for student success in the areas of research, academic inquiry, and more.

There’s a reason why UCR ranks first in social mobility among all public universities for the fourth year in a row — and that reason is you. You have supported our students with your time, expertise, and generosity, and your dedication to our mission has been instrumental in making UCR the world-class educational institution it is today. With your continued support, imagine how much more we will accomplish!

Thank you for all that you do and Happy Holidays!

Kathryn Unrich
Dean, College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences

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CNAS Scholarships: Accepting applications October 1 - 31

ilseu — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 14:02:27 +0000

CNAS Scholarships: Accepting applications October 1 - 31 ilseu Tue, 09/22/2020 - 07:02 More College News CNAS Communications Staff October 01, 2020

The College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences offers a variety of scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in CNAS. Students in the agricultural, life, and physical sciences will find scholarship opportunities in many areas spread across various CNAS departments.

Some scholarships are offered for very specific fields such as citrus virology and citrus pathology, while other opportunities are available to students focusing their research in veterinary medicine, fire science, and analytical chemistry. Although CNAS scholarships are available to all CNAS students, some awards require students to major in one of the following areas: Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Biology, Cell, Molecular & Developmental Biology, Microbiology, Plant Pathology, Plant Biology, and Entomology.

Students are encouraged to apply to multiple scholarships, and new scholarships are being added every year to the Scholarship Management System.

The CNAS Scholarship Management System will be accepting applications October 1 - October 31, 2020.

Who can apply for CNAS scholarships?

Newly admitted and currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students in the UCR College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences.

How to apply:

Starting October 1, please visit ucr.academicworks.com to learn more about the various scholarship opportunities and to begin the application process.

Questions?

Please contact us by email at cnasdeanscholarships@ucr.edu

CNAS Scholarships page

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UCR CNAS student awarded scholarship for program offering mentorship to female students

ilseu — Thu, 21 May 2020 18:04:08 +0000

UCR CNAS student awarded scholarship for program offering mentorship to female students ilseu Thu, 05/21/2020 - 11:04 More College News Imran Ghori | Inside UCR May 20, 2020

UC Riverside student Jennifer Le is one of 14 recipients of the Donald A. Strauss Public Service Scholarship for a project seeking to close the gender gap in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, or STEM.

Jennifer Le

The Donald A. Strauss Public Service Scholarship Foundation provides $15,000 scholarships to college sophomores and juniors to fund public service projects they proposed. This year’s recipients were announced on Monday, May 18.

Le, a junior studying biochemistry, submitted a proposal to work with female faculty members and students at UCR to create a mentorship program for Riverside County high school students this fall. The one-year program would help build confidence for female students pursuing STEM careers through weekly mentoring sessions.

The students would focus on different topics every month, design their own hypothesis and experiments, and be encouraged to serve as peer mentors for the next group of students after completing the program.

“I’m very humbled to have the opportunity to start a program that addresses an issue I feel passionately about,” Le said.

Le was also recently awarded the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and is a UCR Chancellor’s Research Fellow. The 20-year-old plans to pursue a doctorate in biomedical science with the goal of becoming a professor, mentoring students, and conducting research.

The Strauss scholarship is named for a former Newport Beach mayor and school board member who was a supporter of public service and education. It was created in 1997, two years after his death, and has awarded more than 300 scholarships.

Read the original article online:

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Biochemistry student wins Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship

ilseu — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 02:50:06 +0000

Biochemistry student wins Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship ilseu Wed, 04/08/2020 - 19:50 More College News Imran Ghori | Inside UCR April 06, 2020

UC Riverside student Jennifer Le is among about 400 college students across the nation to be awarded the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, one of the most prestigious and competitive awards in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematic fields, or STEM.

From a pool of over 5,000 sophomores and juniors, 1,343 students were nominated by 461 academic institutions to compete for the 2020 Goldwater scholarships, ultimately awarded to 396 recipients. Each scholarship comes with a one-time award of up to $7,500.

Jennifer Le

The nomination letter described her as demonstrating exceptional potential and said she “is on an excellent trajectory to becoming a leading independent investigator.”

Le is also a UCR Chancellor’s Research Fellow. The 20-year-old junior plans to pursue a doctorate in biomedical science with the goal of becoming a professor, mentoring students and conducting research.

She chose to study biochemistry because of the way it connects different areas of science.

“In high school, I remember being excited about it because it explained the complexity of seemingly trivial occurrences and the importance of these occurrences,” Le said.

While maintaining a 3.9 GPA, she’s been a researcher for Jernej Murn, an assistant professor of biochemistry, in his biochemistry lab, and launched a program at Moreno Valley High School mentoring girls pursuing STEM studies.

“I wanted to ensure that other females had the same opportunities as I did, but at an earlier age so that they may feel more confident in their abilities and have a stronger sense of direction for their careers,” said Le, a first generation American whose parents immigrated from Vietnam.

She said the Goldwater scholarship will help alleviate some of the financial burden and allow her to spend more time on her studies.

Read the original article on Inside UCR:

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CNAS Scholarships 2019-2020

ilseu — Sun, 06 Oct 2019 17:33:33 +0000

CNAS Scholarships 2019-2020 ilseu Sun, 10/06/2019 - 10:33 More College News CNAS Communications October 01, 2019

The CNAS Scholarship Management System is accepting applications October 1 - October 31, 2019.

Who can apply?
Current undergraduate and current graduate students in the UCR College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences.

How to start?

Click Apply here or follow the direct link to ucr.academicworks.com

What do you need to get started?
Your UCR Net ID and password.

Do you have questions?
Please contact us by email at cnasdeanscholarships@ucr.edu

The application process has never been easier:
Submit your applications online, send your reference request at the time of application, and check the status of your application at any time.

Additional information:

To successfully access the website please use the newest versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Apple Safari (Internet Explorer is not recommended).
All scholarships close at 11:59 P.M. Pacific Standard Time on October 31, 2019, and please note that all scholarship application materials, including letters of recommendation, are due by this date.
The scholarship amount awarded is subject to availability of funds.
Qualifying does not guarantee that you will receive a scholarship.
Please note there are several sources of scholarship support available at UCR. You are encouraged to contact your department regarding additional scholarship opportunities.
For any questions regarding the scholarships available here, please contact cnasdeanscholarships@ucr.edu.

Good luck, CNAS Science Highlanders!

Download our CNAS Scholarships flyer / poster here:

CNAS Scholarships Flyer 8.5 x 11"

CNAS Scholarships Poster 11 x 17"

Print poster 11 x 17 borderless for best results

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Three students receive Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships

ilseu — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 21:18:29 +0000

Three students receive Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships ilseu Mon, 07/08/2019 - 14:18 More College News Sandra Baltazar Martinez July 03, 2019

Three UC Riverside undergraduates are among the 2019 recipients of the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, one of the country’s most prestigious and competitive awards in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, or STEM.

Four undergraduates were endorsed by UCR for consideration by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, which received over 5,000 applications nationwide. Having three of four endorsees selected is a first for the university, said Gladis Herrera-Berkowitz, director of student engagement with the office of Undergraduate Education. UCR has had 11 awardees since 2013.

“This is the first time that our campus has been awarded three Goldwaters,” Herrera-Berkowitz said. “I am very proud that UCR is one of the top producing Goldwaters in the UC system. This demonstrates the great mentorship that students received from faculty on our campus.”

Students who apply for campus endorsement complete a rigorous application process, including several essay revisions, a faculty committee interview, and an interview with Jennifer Brown, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Education. Sophomores and juniors are eligible to apply.

The Goldwater Foundation considered 1,223 candidates total, and selected 496 finalists. The pool was so large, the foundation decided to increase the number of awardees, foundation officials stated on their website.

Each accolade is attached to a one-time financial award of up to $7,500.

The Goldwater application process challenges students to think deeply about their research and long-term goals. Many students use the process as the foundation for other prestigious award applications.

Meet UCR’s 2019 Goldwater recipients:

Amrik Kang
Kang just completed his third year as a biology major. The 20-year-old junior wants to further explore his interest in mechanisms of human disease and possible treatments.

Amrik Kang (UCR/Stan Lim)

To be more specific, Kang’s interests lie in researching medical drugs that can help cure diseases such as cancer or macular degeneration. His research is guided by mentors such as Jefferson Perry, assistant professor of biochemistry; Jack Eichler, associate professor of teaching in chemistry; and Ryan Julian, professor of chemistry.

“This is the ultimate application of biological research,” said Kang, who grew up in Murrieta. “I want to help people who are less fortunate.”

The financial support means he won’t have to work during his senior year. “If I don’t have to work, it will allow me that time to pursue more research and allow time for other goals, such as preparing for graduate school,” Kang said.

Anthony Cort
Cort is conducting research on infectious diseases, specifically, on malaria. He’s looking at malaria parasites, their DNA structure, and the proteins involved.

Anthony Cort (UCR)

“I knew I wanted to do something related to human health,” said Cort, 20, who grew up in Huntington Beach.

This cell, molecular, and developmental biology major plans to pursue a doctorate in molecular biology. Last year, Cort completed a summer internship at Johns Hopkins University.

Winning a Goldwater scholarship means support for his tuition and an opportunity to attend science and medical conferences he otherwise could not afford on his own, said Cort, a first-generation student.

“I don’t think I would have gotten these opportunities at another campus. Because of those opportunities, I get to grow,” Cort said. “The type of research I do requires working alongside faculty and UCR has so much to give. The opportunities are there, waiting for you to take them.”

Catherine Seo (UCR/Stan Lim)

Catherine Seo

Seo takes great pride in being a Goldwater recipient. The recognition and the financial support bring some reassurance, she said.

Seo is investigating material that can utilize the body to regenerate damaged or broken tissue. Seo has also conducted research on biodegradable orthopedics and neurological implants. She wants to create a type of biodegradable screw to help stabilize internal fractures and a type of biodegradable needle to act as a probe that can measure wave lengths.

Is it a challenge? Yes. But Seo is thrilled about it. Receiving the Goldwater scholarship for this La Cañada Flintridge native will allow her to conduct more research and participate in conferences where she can learn more from other researchers and scientists.

“It’s a great opportunity, a great blessing,” said Seo, who will be starting her fourth year in the fall. “I’m still processing this. I’m learning to be grateful and learning to take advantage of opportunities like this one.”

Other students who also received awards for their research:

Mark Sebarrotin, political science/law and society, received a Coro Fellowship and will participate in the San Francisco region.

Raymond Ezzat, biochemistry, received the Donald Strauss Scholarship for his project, titled “Project 79: Long-term career advancement for refugee men in Riverside County.”

Russel Alamirano, art history, will be participating in The Fulbright U.S. Student Program and traveling to Austria.

Cebrina Nolan, entomology, will be participating in The Fulbright U.S. Student Program and traveling to Australia.

Cindy Yanez, physics, received the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program award.

Sofia Martinez Alberga, mathematics, received the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Programaward.

Samir Al-Alami, political science and international affairs, will be participating in the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Summer Institute seven-week summer program.

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CNAS Students Awarded Prestigious Fellowships and Scholarships

edraws — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 18:17:33 +0000

CNAS Students Awarded Prestigious Fellowships and Scholarships edraws Tue, 06/18/2019 - 11:17 More College News April 06, 2015 Riverside, Ca

Seven CNAS students have won Graduate Research Fellowships (GRFs) from the National Science Foundation (NSF) based on their demonstrated potential for significant achievements in science and engineering. The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) recognizes and supports outstanding students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. Institutions.

The GRF awardees from CNAS for 2015 are: Alina M. Escalera (physics and astronomy), Katie Marie Magnone (chemistry), Jessica Lynee McKinley (chemistry), Ariana Elaine Nguyen (material science, joint program with the college of engineering), Jerlyn L. Swiatlowski (geosciences), Jessica Nichole Toth (organismal biology), and Lauren Walker (cell biology). Also earning awards are UCR students Samuel Douglas Patton (environmental engineering), Laura Quinones-Camacho (psychology), Maria Theresa Sekyi (bioengineering), and Benjamin David Yetton (psychology).

This year, NSF awarded the GRF to 2,000 individuals from among 16,500 applicants. The GRFP provides three years of financial support within a five-year fellowship period ($34,000 annual stipend and $12,000 cost-of-education allowance to the graduate institution) for graduate study that leads to a research-based master's or doctoral degree in science or engineering.

Ph.D. candidate in mathematics Matthew O’Dell has been awarded the Fulbright Fellowship for the academic year 2015-2016. O’Dell, who works under the supervision of Professor of Mathematics Vyjayanthi Chari, will spend the next year working on this thesis studying global and local Weyl modules for maximal parabolic subalgebras of affine Lie algebras with professors Deniz Kuz and Peter Littelmann at the University of Cologne (Germany).

O’Dell earned his B.S. at the University of Idaho in 2008 and his M.S. at Boise State University in 2010. As a student in mathematics at UCR, O’Dell’s willingness to assist other graduate students and instructors, help with events and attend recruitment fairs was recognized with the department’s Vernon A. Kramer Memorial Service Award. He is shown in the photo at the right at the International Congress of Mathematicians which he attended last summer in South Korea.

Erika Varady, an undergraduate student working with Georgios Vidalakis, a plant pathologist and director of the Citrus Clonal Protection Program, has been selected to participate in the Joslin Research Summer Student Internship Program at Harvard University.

The program provides 10-12 weeks of practical exposure to diabetes-related biomedical research, ranging from clinically focused to basic science investigation. Varady is one of only four undergraduates nationwide selected to participate. At Harvard, she will work with Thomas Serwold, an assistant professor in the Harvard Medical School, on a project seeking to understand the factors that drive T cells to attack and kill insulin-producing beta cells and cause type 1 diabetes.

In Vidalakis’s lab at UCR, Varady is working on an independent project that focuses on a post-harvest citrus fungus. She leaves for Harvard on June 20, and will receive a stipend of $3,000. “The selection process was very competitive, so being selected is an achievement that you can be proud of,” Serwold mentioned in an e-mail to Varady.

Undergraduate students Hanni Schoniger, Connor Richards and Jade Zamorano (left to right in photo) were named winners of prestigious scholarships from the Donald A. Strauss Foundation. Highly competitive, the Strauss Scholarship is a public service scholarship given to university students in California.

Richards received the $10,000 scholarship for a project that aims to increase college enrollment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields among Riverside-area high school students by engaging them in the CERN Masterclass, which is hosted by the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Schoniger and Zamorano’s project, which also received $10,000 in funding, proposes a self-sustaining outreach program to bridge the educational opportunity gap in the Inland Empire by inspiring underrepresented youth in high schools to pursue higher education and careers in STEM fields. Read the full story about their projects >>

Biochemistry major Geoff Pronovost is one of only eight University of California students awarded the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for the 2015-16 academic year.

Working under the mentorship of Prof. Monica Carlson, professor and chair of biomedical sciences, Pronovost’s research focuses on a receptor in the brain that is classically identified with anti-inflammatory reactions. Since transferring to UCR from Riverside City College, Pronovost been named a Chancellor’s Research Fellow, University Honors student, and a UC LEADS student. The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship is considered one of the most prestigious awards given to university students in science in the U.S.

Undergraduate students (pictured left to right) Dominic Martinez-Ta, Sahar Naghibi, Ingrid Liao, and William Coley have been awarded highly-competitive summer research fellowships by the Semiconductor Research Corporation. The fellowships will provide each recipient a stipend of $4,000 for 10 weeks to work this summer in science and technology fields related to the semiconductor computer industry. It also includes an invitation to TechCon, a national conference that brings together industry representatives, faculty, graduate students and undergraduate students to share cutting edge research related to the semiconductor industry. All four students work with Professor of Chemistry Ludwig Bartels.

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2016 – 2017 CNAS Scholarship Recipients Announced

edraws — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 16:43:31 +0000

2016 – 2017 CNAS Scholarship Recipients Announced edraws Tue, 06/18/2019 - 09:43 More College News April 25, 2017 Riverside, Ca

2016 – 2017 CNAS Scholarship Recipients Announced

The College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences Executive Committee announced the recipients of the 2016 – 2017 CNAS scholarships. Among the recipients were two CNAS Science Ambassadors, Amanda Tedesco and Abigail Burr (pictured here) and UCR's recent Goldwater Scholar, Shannon Sweitzer.

A full list of recipients is listed below. Congratulations to all or our talented and amazing undergraduate and graduate students!

Bernarr J. Hall Agricultural Scholarship
Alexandra Vanecek, Senior, Entomology
Dana King Scholarship
Rebecca Dumanski, Junior, Plant Biology
Hasegawa Memorial Fund
Joshua Dansie, Senior, Plant Biology
Natalie Fischer, Senior, Biology
Mark and Eve Schroeder Endowed Student Award
Rayanatou Keita, Junior, Mathematics
Nathaniel T. Coleman Endowed Scholarship Fund
Christ Ordookhanian, Senior, Biochemistry
Shannon Sweitzer, Junior, Mathematics
Amanda Tedesco, Junior, Neuroscience
Dr. Janet M. Boyce Memorial Endowed Fund for Women Majoring in the Sciences
Fatemeh Barati, Graduate Student, Physics
Dr. Mir S. Mulla & Leila Mulla Endowed Scholarship Fund
Aleksandr Knyshov, Graduate Student, Entomology
Xueqing Lu, Graduate Student, Genomics, Genetics, Bioinformatics
Herbert Kraft Scholarship
Paul Masonick, Graduate Student, Entomology
James and Margaret Lesley Annual Prize
Abigail Burr, Senior, Microbiology
James Merrill and Adeline Wallace Annual Prize
Yichong Fan, Graduate Student, Environmental Toxicology
Charles W. Coggins, Jr. Endowed Scholarship Fund
Beth Peacock, Graduate Student, Plant Pathology
Kelsey Shall, Graduate Student. Entomology
Tejal Reddy Endowed Graduate Award Fund
Samuel Hinman, Graduate Student, Environmental Toxicology

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