Ry Papadopoulos and Amelia Seropian win 2024 Beckman Scholarships
The University of Chicago Department of Chemistry is pleased to announce the 2024 Beckman Scholarships have been awarded to Ry Papadopoulos (’25) and Amelia Seropian (‘25).
Ry Papadopoulos is a Quad research scholar who currently majors in Chemistry and Philosophy. She joined the Anna Wuttig Lab in October 2023. Prior to joining the group, she worked on tRNA biochemistry research. Currently, she uses electrochemical surface-enhanced
infrared absorption spectroscopy (SEIRAS) to investigate metal-free carbon electrocatalysts, laying the groundwork for advancements in renewable energy technologies, such as PEM fuel cells.
Amelia Seropian is an undergraduate research fellow, majoring in Chemistry and Anthropology, who recently joined the Stuart Rowan Group. Previously, she worked for the Kronfrost Lab in UChicago’s Department of Ecology & Evolution where she studied the molecular interactions between pierid butterflies and their host plants. Currently, she is optimizing an existing boronic ester network, to create a tunable, self-healing, and hydrolytically degradable material with comparable properties to commercial plastics, addressing the global issue of plastic waste.
Congratulations to both Ry and Amelia on being honored for their hard work.
Beckman Scholars Program is funded by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. Founded in 1977, the Beckman Foundation is the legacy of the partnership and philanthropic efforts of Arnold and Mabel Beckman. Arnold Beckman is widely recognized in the scientific community for his inventions of the pH meter, a portable device that can measure a substance’s acidity, and the DU spectrophotometer, which uses light to measure a substance’s concentration.
The Scholarship Program is meant to provide students in the College the best opportunity to develop the skills that will promote their success during graduate and post-graduate training and begin building tools for independence and leadership.
Earlier this year, the foundation announced that the University of Chicago is among fourteen institutions selected to share $2.1 million in funding over three years as part of the Beckman Scholars Program. The funding awards six 15-month mentored research experiences to accomplished undergraduate students in chemistry and life sciences.