WWU named a Beckman Scholarship Program awardee

Western Washington University has been selected by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation as a 2025 Beckman Scholarship Program Awardee. The total award is $156,000 and will support two undergraduate students selected each year over a course of three years, starting in Summer 2025. Each undergraduate Beckman Scholar will receive a total of $21,000, which includes a stipend and travel funding.  

Declared majors in chemistry and biology are eligible to apply by Feb. 21, and scholar/mentor teams will be announced in late April.   

The Beckman Scholars Program provides undergraduate students studying molecular biology, biochemistry or chemistry with a 15-month intensive research experience with one of our Beckman Faculty Mentors. This program will also give students the opportunity to present at a national conference in their field and connect with peers and engage with emerging research and post-graduation opportunities.  

“Receiving the award this year (2025-2028) was very exciting because it is the first time in over 15 years WWU has been a recipient of The Beckman Scholars Program,” Biology Department Chair Lynn Pillitteri said.   

Pillitteri offered to write the grant proposal because Western’s biology and chemistry departments are already recognized for having a robust and vibrant culture of undergraduate mentoring and research, she said.  

Student stipends will be split across two summers and an academic year: $6,800 per summer and $4,600 for the academic year. Beckman scholars will be able to choose from one of twelve faculty members from the biology and chemistry department to serve as their mentor.  

“The 12 faculty members from the Department of Biology and the Department of Chemistry who will serve as mentors for the program have a track record of research and mentoring excellence and are excited to start working with our two selected scholars starting this summer,” Pillitteri said.  

The 12 faculty members who were chosen as mentors are:   

• Professor of Biology Lina Dahlberg 
• Associate Professor of Biology Nick Galati 
• Assistant Professor of Biology Laura Pillay 
• Associate Professor of Biology Dan Pollard 
• Assistant Professor of Biology Annelise Snyder 
• Associate Professor of Biology Adrienne Wang 
• Associate Professor of Biochemistry Jeanine Amacher 
• Professor of Chemistry John Antos 
• Associate Professor of Chemistry Ying Bao 
• Assistant Professor of Biochemistry Sierra Cullati 
• Professor of Chemistry Amanda Murphy 
• Associate Professor of Biochemistry Serge Smirnov  

In addition to funding undergraduate research, the Beckman Scholar Program will allow successful Western alumni to return to campus for an annual seminar. These alumni visits will provide opportunities to current scholars and student researchers to meet, learn from and gain advice from successful graduates in their disciplines, Pillitteri said.   

“Our ultimate goal is to help WWU students embrace the benefits of research and understand the role that researchers can play as leaders in promoting discussions and contributing to discoveries that impact people’s lives,” Pillitteri said.