From October to December, the Beckman Foundation will mark the 25-year anniversary of the Beckman Scholars Program with our #BSPturns25 campaign. Celebrate with us as we share impact stories, spotlight BSP awardees, and get to know more about their research, and academic and professional accomplishments. Check back periodically as we post previews of campaign content below.
Media Inquiries:
949.560.4232 | pr@beckman-foundation.org
Media Resources:
- BSP logo in .png format available for download below
- BSP logo in other formats available by request
- Press Kit .pdf available for download below
Messages from the Executive Director and Board Chair
“Twenty-five years ago, the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation made a commitment to supporting a unique research opportunity for undergraduate students – providing a stipend for student researchers to spend 15 months working on a research project in collaboration with a mentor. The goal? For undergraduates to truly experience the research process, with the time needed to conceive of and complete a complex research project to prepare them to excel in the next stage of their scientific training. Scholars not only answer their research questions, but also learn about their passions and the many ways they can pursue their interest in science. The result? Over 1,500 Beckman Scholars have completed original research projects as part of the program, with alumni going on to impact academia, medicine, and industry. As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Beckman Scholars Program, please join us in taking a deeper look at this program, its impact, and the personal stories of diverse Scholars that got their start in the research lab through this amazing program!” - Anne Hultgren, PhD
“It has been so gratifying to witness the growth and impact of the Beckman Scholars Program over the last 25 years. In speaking with our Scholars, you immediately see how deep and substantial their research experiences are, and how their research successes and challenges provide unparalleled insight into what a career in research would hold for them. Digging deeper, you see how the program fosters lifelong mentor-mentee relationships between the faculty and their scholars, which is the real engine behind the success of those scholars. That strong mentorship is also vitally important as the program strives to broaden access to robust research experiences to students from populations that might be traditionally underrepresented or marginalized in STEM disciplines.” - Andrew Lyon, PhD
Read more special messages below.
BSP By-the-Numbers
Since its inception in 1998, the Beckman Scholars Program (BSP) has provided $36M in support for 1,600+ Scholar-Mentor teams at 140+ higher ed institutions. Check out all the details, including our featured image of 2022 BSP Clara Rodriguez from Binghamton University, State University of New York. (photo credit: Casey Staff)
Fun fact: 57% of undergraduate research projects conducted by BSP awardees were Biology-themed.
Throwback Photos and Videos
Thanks to 1998 BSP Ming Chen Hammond, PhD (front row, center) for sharing this throwback photo of the first class of Beckman Scholars at Caltech, including Daniel Levy, PhD and Candace Chang, MD seated with Dr. Harry Gray (front row, left) and their BSP Mentors. (photo credit: Caltech)
We’re sharing this throwback video of 2009 BSP, 2016 AOB Postdoc, and current Assistant Professor of Chemistry at UNC-Chapel Hill, Abigail Knight, PhD. The Knight Group “focuses on designing novel macromolecular materials with functions inspired by biological systems.”
Here Dr. Knight talks about the BSP experience and becoming inspired to go to graduate school: “The opportunity to meet so many people like me and excited about science really made me realize that I wanted to stay in science and go to graduate school and do all those things.”
We have hundreds of images of Beckman Scholars past and present. In this first photo slideshow, you'll find about 90 - can you spot yourself?
Social Media Series
Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter) to see interesting and creative #BSPturns25 content in all your social media feeds, including our Science Careers and A Day in the Life series.
Conversations with BSP Program Admin Esther Devanney
Get to know our new BSP Program Admin Esther Devanney in this five-part interview series where we asked 10 questions, including, “What sort of activities fill your workday?” And since mentorship is central to the undergraduate research experience for Beckman Scholars, “Do you have any mentors in your professional life?” Here's a look at part one.
In part two, we asked Esther, “Did you conduct any research during or after you studied psychology as an undergrad?” and if she had “Any productivity hacks to share?”
And Something Brand-New
October also marks the debut of our new Beckman Friday Feature, a magazine-style awardee spotlight we'll be sharing each month. Kicking off the first three with Beckman Scholars, we'll continue this offering with future articles about awardees from other Beckman programs too, including BYIs, AOB Postdocs, Instrument Grantees, and OC Community Grants Partners.
