Macalester receives Beckman Scholars Program award to support student research

Saint Paul, Minn. — Macalester College is one of 14 colleges and universities to receive a 2022 Beckman Scholars Program award, which is dedicated to supporting undergraduate research in chemistry and life sciences. The $156,000 award from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation will fund a total of six student research projects from 2022-2024.

Rather than the typical summer-long or semester-long research opportunity, the Beckman Scholars Program’s fifteen-month structure allows for more ambitious projects. “This is a really long commitment, and it lets each scholar engage deeply with the research,” said chemistry professor Dr. Dennis Cao. 

The participants will also have the opportunity to visit graduate schools and organize professional development events for their peers at Macalester. Each student will determine the event’s focus and format with the goal of fostering personal, professional, and academic achievement in the Macalester community. This professional development component is a new addition to Macalester’s Beckman Scholars Program, and recipients are encouraged to take on a leadership role and think creatively about how best to uplift their peers. 

“I think empowering a Macalester student to do a lot for the student community seems like a great idea,” said Dr. Cao. “Often students would rather listen to someone who’s closer in age and experience to them, so I think there are things that a student can bring that I can’t.”

In recent years, the foundation has also expanded its focus to include promoting diversity and equity in chemistry and life sciences research and to increase access for students to engage deeply in scientific research. Faculty will consider these factors when evaluating student proposals and identifying Macalester’s 2022 Beckman Scholars. 

Macalester has hosted 12 Beckman Scholars since 2003. Previous recipients have gone on to pursue graduate degrees in chemistry, biology, and biochemistry and continue their work as researchers, science writers, and professors. Dr. Cao said he hopes the award will empower not just the six new Beckman Scholars, but the entire campus community.

“It’s a nice way to kind of give back to everybody, not just these couple of people who are chosen,” he said. “The money is for a few specific people but the impact will be much bigger.”

About the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation

Established in 1977 by chemist and inventor Dr. Arnold O. Beckman and Mrs. Mabel Beckman, the Foundation supports research and education in chemistry and the life sciences through grant-making, fellowships, and programming. Working to empower the next generation of scientists, the foundation’s local and national initiatives range from elementary and secondary education programs to collegiate and graduate level research opportunities. The Beckman Scholars Program was established in 1998.