主要研究 今天

Sarah Nicholls ’25 spends a lot of her time sifting through and making sense of scientific data, so it’s safe to say she’s not easily thrown off by what she sees on a computer screen.

Unless it’s an 电子邮件 telling her she’s been selected for a prestigious scholarship.

尼科尔斯最近被选为438名获奖者之一 Barry M. 戈德华特奖学金, 全国最重要的本科科学奖, 数学, 计划攻读博士学位的工程与技术(阀杆)专业学生.D. 从事研究工作. The scholarship covers up to $7,500 toward the cost of tuition, fees, books and room and board.

She was overjoyed to receive the news, even if it took a few minutes for it to truly sink in.

“I had to read the 电子邮件 three times to make sure I was understanding it properly. 我非常激动，非常感激，”尼科尔斯说. “It’s incredibly validating to know that all the individuals involved with the Goldwater process have such high confidence in my abilities to find personal and professional success as a researcher. I’m humbled to be joining a community of well-respected scientists who have made tremendous impacts on the world.”

"It’s incredibly validating to know that all the individuals involved with the Goldwater process have such high confidence in my abilities to find personal and professional success as a researcher. I’m humbled to be joining a community of well-respected scientists who have made tremendous impacts on the world."

尼科尔斯是 生物化学，分子和细胞生物学 主修(辅修写作), 他是马修·麦克马尼斯进化基因组学实验室的成员. 在那里, 她的研究重点是仙人掌鼠在沙漠中的适应性, 哪一种可以在没有水的情况下存活一辈子.

“The mechanisms by which it can do this aren’t widely understood,尼科尔斯说。. 结果是, the lab is investigating that very situation from physiologic (functional anatomy), 基因(DNA), 转录组学(RNA/基因表达)的观点.

Last year Nicholls helped a graduate student conduct a transcriptomic study on the cactus mouse kidney, presenting the research at 主要研究’s 2023 Undergraduate Research Conference (URC) and publishing an article in the spring 2023 issue of 调查, a research journal highlighting undergraduate research from current and recently graduated 主要研究 students.

她希望开始写她的毕业论文, 仙人掌小鼠脑的转录组学研究, 整个夏天, 她说.

“我一直喜欢解谜, and genomic research feels like the ultimate puzzle – genes encode all of life, 然而，他们是如何做到这一点的，还有很多有待发现的地方,尼科尔斯说。.

尼科尔斯第一次爱上这个研究过程是作为 主要研究研究经验和学徒计划 (REAP)，通过它她与麦克马尼斯实验室相连. As part of that experience, she traveled with the lab to the International Evolution Conference.

All of that helped spark a passion that she hopes to pursue well beyond her undergraduate work. 她的目标是获得博士学位.D. 在人类基因实验室里, studying the genetic causes of diseases or working to create gene-based cures and treatments. 在她的研究生学习之后, 尼科尔斯希望进入研究行业, 专攻医学遗传学.

“That field combines the two things I love the most about science – its use as a tool to solve mysteries about how the world works, 以及它帮助人们的能力,尼科尔斯说。.

尼科尔斯很感谢她在永利app新版本官网地址得到的广泛支持, crediting her Honors advisor Kate Gaudet for encouraging her to apply for REAP and thanking Leigh Pratt and Daphne Chevalier from the 主要研究 国家研究金办公室 for help with her Goldwater application.

一旦获得戈德华特奖学金的震惊消失了, Nicholls moved on to the more exciting prospect of looking ahead to what it will mean for her as she pursues her dreams as a scientist and researcher.

“I’m thankful that the monetary aspects of the award will help give me the financial flexibility to continue pursuing the work and studies that I love, but I’m really the most excited about joining the Goldwater Scholars community,尼科尔斯说。. “It’s a dream come true to be a part of a network of other dedicated scientists from all across the country who come together to exchange ideas, support each other’s work and form meaningful connections based on a shared passion for research.”

有兴趣申请戈德华特奖学金? 了解更多永利app新版本官网地址这个和其他可用的机会 国家研究金办公室.