Beckman Scholars Program
Colorado School of Mines
Funded by the Arnold & Mabel Beckman Foundation, the Beckman Scholar Program is a prestigious and highly selective initiative that supports exceptional undergraduate students with a 15-month mentored research experience in chemistry, biological sciences, and related interdisciplinary fields. Beckman Scholars will engage in independent laboratory research under the guidance of distinguished Mines faculty. In addition to conducting groundbreaking research, Scholars gain access to extensive professional development opportunities, including personalized mentoring, opportunities to enhance science communication, leadership development, and support in applying for prestigious scholarships to pursue graduate studies.
Two students will be selected per year for this prestigious program. Those selected will receive a stipend of $18,200 broken down as follows: First Summer — $6,800 Academic Year — $4,600 Second Summer — $6,800
Note: This opportunity involves a full-time summer commitment beginning in summer 2025 and including summer 2026. In addition to stipend, students also receive $2800 for conference travel.
PROGRAM CONTACT
The Mines Beckman Scholars program is coordinated by the Office of Undergraduate Research.
DR.LAKSHMI KRISHNA
Mines BSP Director and Director of Office of Undergraduate Research
lkrishna@mines.edu
Beckman Scholars Program Eligibility
- Undergraduate students who are first-years, sophomores, or juniors are eligible.
- Applicants must be full-time students and remain in good academic standing.
- Pursuing a B.S. degree in one of the following major subject areas: Chemistry, Chemical and Biological Engineering and Quantitative Biological Engineering.
- Student must be a United States citizen, a permanent resident of the United States or its possessions or hold DACA recipient status.
- Full-time student who is intending to pursue an advanced science degree (PhD, MD, MD/PhD) or other scientific pursuits
Beckman Scholars program Expectations
- Pursue an undergraduate research project developed with and under the direction of a Beckman approved Mentor.
- If selected, a commitment to work in the student-selected research mentor’s laboratory for 15 consecutive months: Summer 1: full-time (40 hours per week), One academic year: part-time (ten hours per week), Summer 2: full-time (40 hours per week)
- Beckman scholars are expected to conduct independent research suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
- Attendance and the presentation of your research at the Beckman Symposium, if invited.
- Participate in high-impact professional development activities.
- Participate in career exploration seminars to gain experience communicating research to a broad audience and motivate other students to engage in research
- Beckman Scholars are expected to demonstrate exemplary scientific and academic ethics and a deep sense of duty as a leader in their local and global community.
Beckman Scholars program Application Process
Applications are due by Monday, March 24th, 2025.
Letters of Recommendation are due by Friday, March 28th, 2025.
The application process consists of TWO rounds:
- Applicants are asked to provide the following documents while applying:
- Resume/CV
- A one-page statement outlining academic and career goals, how the student’s previous experiences will help them to be successful in their goals, and why this particular area of research is interesting to you.
- A one-page thoughtful explanation of how the student will benefit from the support and professional development opportunities offered by the Beckman Scholars Program, including their plans for pursuing excellence beyond the award.
- Interview Process: After the initial review, approximately five applicants will be selected for interviews. During the interview, applicants will be asked to give a brief (12-minute) presentation. Students currently engaged in research may present on their research, while those with no prior research experience can choose a topic from their biology or chemistry courses and explain it in a way that is accessible to a non-scientific audience. After the interviews, two scholars will be selected.
Beckman Scholars program Mentors and Their Research Focus
Dr. Michael McGuirk – synthetic chemistry with a focus on porous materials for energy storage and delivery.
Dr. Cecilia Diniz Behn – mathematical modeling of sleep, circadian rhythms, and whole body metabolism.
Dr. Svitlana Pylypenko – advanced materials characterization focusing on surface and interface chemistry for fuel cell and electrolysis applications.
Dr. Dylan Domaille – new tools for studying inflammatory disease, combining chemical and biological catalysts in one-pot systems
Dr. Anne Silverman – musculoskeletal biomechanics including motion capture, electromyography, and computational modeling, aimed at maximizing mobility and preventing injury.
Dr. Nikki Farnsworth – biomaterials research to investigate cellular interactions with their environment and develop therapies for type 1 diabetes
Dr. Kevin Cash – fluorescent nanosensors and open-source imaging tools to monitor metabolism in microbial and environmental systems.
Dr. John Spear – microbiology of extreme environments to learn from natural systems and apply solutions to engineering problems.
Dr. Brian Trewyn – investigations into environmental, energy and biomedical applications of porous materials.
Dr. Stephanie Kwon — integrating experiments and theory to investigate complex surface reactions in heterogeneous catalysis for the development of next-generation energy transformation catalysts.
Dr. Ramya Kumar – engineering polymeric nanoparticles and polymer coatings that lower economic and manufacturing barriers facing cell and gene therapies.
Dr. Melissa Krebs -engineering cell-interactive biomaterials to drive tissue regeneration and enhance drug delivery
Dr. Matthew Crane – synthesis and spectroscopy of nanomaterials for emerging energy and computing technologies.
Dr. Andy Herring – synthesis and characterization of polymer electrolytes and their use in fuel cells, electrolyzers and other devices,