Hannah Loo is the 18th Geneseo student to receive a prestigious Goldwater Scholarship since the program's beginning in 1989.
GENESEO, N.Y. – A SUNY Geneseo student has received a prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and another received an honorable mention in the highly competitive national competition.
Hannah Loo, a junior biology/vocal performance double major from Flushing, N.Y., received one of 252 scholarships that the Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation awarded to undergraduate sophomores and juniors from the United States for the 2016-17 academic year. She was recognized for her achievement and potential in the field of biology,
David Chin, a junior mathematics and physics major from Chestnut Ridge, N.Y., received an honorable mention in the competition.
The students were selected on academic merit from a field of 1,150 mathematics, science and engineering students nominated by institutional representatives of 415 colleges and universities nationwide. The award covers the cost of tuition, fees, books, room and board to a maximum of $7,500 per year.
Loo is the 18th Geneseo student to receive a Goldwater award since the first scholarship was awarded in 1989. Ten of Geneseo’s Goldwater Scholarship winners are women.
“The Goldwater is one of the most renowned and sought after STEM scholarship programs offered in the United States” said Michael Mills, Director of National Fellowships and Scholarships at Geneseo. “Our success with the award is a tribute to the quality of the undergraduate research being done here, as well as the dedication of our faculty and the talent of students like Ms. Loo.”
Loo has been involved with independent research in the Department of Biology under the tutelage of Travis Bailey, assistant professor of biology, and has received valuable guidance from her adviser, Robert O’Donnell, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Biology, Jennifer Apple, associate professor of biology, and George Briggs, associate professor and chair of the Biology Department.
“Hannah is a remarkable student and our faculty enjoy working with her,” said Briggs. “I am proud that Geneseo has been part of her development as a scientist and I am confident that her motivation and abilities will continue to bring her success.”
Among other activities, Loo is a tutor and founder of the TEDxGeneseo Club. She leads the worship team for Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and is a member of both a professional fraternity and the Geneseo Chamber Singers. Loo plans to seek an M.D./Ph.D. with a focus on neuroscience research and teaching.
“Prior to coming to college, I had no idea what research was,” said Loo. “But over the past 3 years, I've had the privilege of being mentored by incredible faculty and have developed a deep love for science. I'm very thankful for the many ways that Geneseo has helped cultivate my passion, and am excited to see how the scholarship will allow me to grow as a scientist.”
Chin also has been involved in undergraduate research, working with both Anne Pellerin, assistant professor of physics and astronomy, and Stephen Padalino, Distinguished Teaching Professor of Physics and Astronomy. He plans to attend graduate school with sights on a career in physics or astronomy.
The Goldwater Scholarship program was established in 1986 in honor of the former U.S. Senator from Arizona and has bestowed 7,680 scholarships since then worth about $48 million. The goal is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue careers in these fields.
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