Students earn several national scholarships

It's been a winning season for national scholars at UNT. One senior received a $24,000 scholarship, and four Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science students received a combined $50,000 in national scholarships this semester.

Senior English major Anisa Coates became the third UNT student in the past nine years to receive a James Madison Memorial Junior Fellowship worth $24,000 for graduate study. TAMS students Amy Chuong, Jennifer Feng and Ankur Patel received Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships, which will provide each student with $15,000 for two years of study. Another TAMS student, Ian Haken, received a $5,000 scholarship as one of 40 high school students in the nation selected as finalists in the 2005 Intel Science Talent Search.

Founded by Congress in 1986, the James Madison Memorial Foundation provides junior fellowships to college seniors who plan to enter graduate school to earn master's degrees with majors or concentrations in political science or American history. The two-year fellowships provide up to $24,000.

Coates will receive her bachelor's degree with a minor in history at spring commencement May 14. She plans to stay at UNT to earn her master's degree in history while gaining teacher certification.

The Goldwater scholarships are considered to be the country's most prestigious scholarships awarded to students planning careers in mathematics, science and engineering. UNT has more Goldwater Scholars this year than any other Texas college or university. The students qualified for the scholarships through independent research projects.

Chuong conducted research in the laboratory of John Abrams, associate professor of cell biology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. She investigated programmed cell death.

Feng's research mentor was Mohamed El Bouanani, UNT assistant professor of materials science. Feng worked in El Bouanani's Laboratory of Electronic Materials and Devices, testing a material for possible use in transistors of cell phones, digital cameras and laptop computers.

Patel conducted neuroscience research under the guidance of Jannon Fuchs, UNT professor of biological sciences. He studied the function of primary cilia, the tail end of certain cells, located in various regions of the brain.

The Intel Science Talent Search is the nation's premier program to recognize high school student research in science, mathematics and engineering.

For his Intel project, Haken worked in the laboratory of Angela Wilson, UNT assistant professor of chemistry. His research was in the field of computational chemistry, in which computers are used to study chemical properties numerically.

BY NANCY KOLSTI nkolsti@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• Discover UNT draws almost 1,000 to see university's updated look
• About 2,500 expected to graduate during commencement May 14
• About the commencement speaker
• UNT to present honorary doctoral degree to capital campaign leader
• Growth is key in state Closing the Gaps plan
• TAMS commencement scheduled for May 13
• North Texas ‘Hold 'em' is 2005 Homecoming theme
• Faculty Senate honors retiring director of international studies and programs
• UNT awards Learning Enhancement grants

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