Jennifer Nguyen of Griffin Selected as Honorable Mention for Prestigious Goldwater Scholarship

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MACON, GA (04/01/2014)(readMedia)-- Mercer University junior Jennifer Nguyen, from Griffin, was selected as an honorable mention for one of the nation's most prestigious and competitive research scholarships for undergraduate students, the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. Nguyen was one of 247 students to receive that designation.

"Applicants undergo a rigorous application process and must write a detailed scientific proposal for an independent research project," said Dr. Adam Kiefer, assistant professor of chemistry and the Goldwater Scholarship faculty representative at Mercer. "This designation is not only a testament to Jennifer's hard work, intelligence and determination, but also recognizes her potential as a future researcher."

Nguyen is a biochemistry and molecular biology major who works in the lab of Dr. David Goode, assistant professor of chemistry, to identify compounds that will bind cholera toxin using a dynamic combinatorial chemistry approach – as a potential future treatment for cholera infection.

"Jennifer is an outstanding student," said Dr. Goode. "She is usually quiet in the classroom, but you can tell that she's taking everything in. She is very organized, focused and hard-working in the lab."

Nguyen, who plans to study pharmacology in graduate school, will participate in a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Summer Program at Johns Hopkins University this summer, after participating in a similar program last summer at Auburn University. She was also a participant in the Mercer Undergraduate Biomedical Scholar (MUBS) Training Initiative as a freshman, performing research with Dr. Katharine Northcutt, assistant professor of biology. Together, Nguyen and Dr. Northcutt co-published an academic paper about the networks of neurons in the brain that are important for rat play behavior.

"I was very happy to hear the news," said Nguyen. "This is a sign of my hard work and will help me in the future as I continue to perform research and apply to graduate schools."

The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established by Public Law 99-661 on Nov. 14, 1986. The scholarship program, honoring Senator Barry Goldwater, was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in the fields of mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering. The Goldwater Scholarship is the premier undergraduate award of its type in these fields.

About Mercer University

Founded in 1833, Mercer University is a dynamic and comprehensive center of undergraduate, graduate and professional education. The University enrolls more than 8,300 students in 12 schools and colleges – liberal arts, law, pharmacy, medicine, business, engineering, education, theology, music, nursing, health professions, and continuing and professional studies – on campuses in Macon, Atlanta and Savannah – and four regional academic centers across the state. The Mercer Health Sciences Center, launched July 1, 2012, includes the University's medical, nursing, health sciences and pharmacy schools. Mercer is affiliated with four teaching hospitals – Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah, the Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon, and The Medical Center and St. Francis Hospital in Columbus. The University also has educational partnerships with Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Warner Robins and Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta. It operates an academic press and a performing arts center in Macon and an engineering research center in Warner Robins. Mercer is the only private university in Georgia to field an NCAA Division I athletic program. www.mercer.edu