Alumnae Award Recipients
Founded in 1916, The Alumnae of Northwestern University, a volunteer organization, has given more than $8 million to Northwestern University in a variety of ways. Since 1968, it has showcased the University's academic resources through intellectually stimulating noncredit daytime courses for the public taught by outstanding Northwestern faculty. This year, the Alumnae Grants Committee selected 21 recipients out of 42 proposals, and a total of $120,000 was distributed.
Congratulations to the following individual and group recipients associated with The Graduate School:
Katherine Kucera
Characterizing genetic changes in the production of multisource seed lots in Penstemon pachyphyllus
Katherine’s project focuses on a plant species, Penstemon pachyphyllus, which is used for ecological restoration in the Great Basin region of the southwestern United States. She is analyzing how seed production practices influence the genetic diversity of wild and restored population of P. pachyphullus, and whether germination plays a role in the potential loss of genetic diversity through the seed production process. Her project aims to ensure that restorations are successful and able to preserve biodiversity and support pollinators and wildlife.
Andrew Johnson
A modular platform for MR detection of cell surface receptors
Cell surface receptors offer a useful handle to differentiate between healthy and cancerous tissue for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. MR contrast agents targeted to cancer-associated receptors would allow detailed anatomical imaging that also contains specific information about the cellular environment. Andrew will test a nanoparticle construct bearing multiple folate receptor targeting groups and several hundred MR contrast agents on its ability to yield increased MR image contrast in tissues that express high levels of the folate receptor.
NU BonD, a Graduate Student-Led Organization in the Department of Chemistry
Faces of science: a lecture series
Building on a successful infrastructure developed in the 2016/17 academic year and beyond, NU BonD hopes to continue their biannual two-day lecture series that promotes scientific excellence in conjunction with a dedication to diversity. The goal of this seminar series is to expose current undergraduate and graduate students to positive role models who are leaders in their field and/or promote diversity in the sciences.
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