Scholarships Program
The Seattle AWIS scholarship program was launched in 1990 to provide financial assistance to undergraduate women who are majoring in science, math or engineering fields at four-year colleges and universities in Washington State. More than $175,000 in scholarships have been awarded since then. Scholarship recipients are selected based on academic excellence, financial need, motivation to pursue a science-based career, and a arecord pof giving back to their communities. Many scholarship recipients have found that receiving an AWIS scholarship is validating and gives them increased self-confidence to go for their draems and goals and that this support from a gorup of women whom they admire is as important as thje financial support.
Information on how to apply for 2012-2013 Academic year is here
Deadline: April 15, 2012
The scholarship committee has kept in touch with some past recipients and has found out that they are indeed achieveing their goals. In chronological order, here are the educational and career updates on several previous awaardees.
Kelly Toy (1993), Shellfish Program Manager: Kelly earned B.S. and MS degrees in fish biology from the University of Washington and now works for the Jamestown S'Klallam Trib as their shellfish program manager. She manages the trige's shellfish resources, including harvestr, habitat assessment, and enhancement.
Kathryn (Kathy) Curry (1994), Senior Environmental Planner and Wetland Biologist: Shortly after receiving her scholarship, Kathy was selected to study aqutic resource management at Deacon university in Australia. She earned her B.S. in environmental science at Western Washington University and worked for nne months at the Watershed Company, an environmental consulting firm. There she becam a Certified Wetland Scientist. About six years ago, she became the senior environmental planner and wetland biologist for the City of Sammamish. As part of herongoign education efforts, she recently completed her Master of Public Administration degree at the University of Washingotn.
Mary Vail (1994), Research fellow: After earning a B.S. degree in cellular biology and a Ph.D. in molecular biology at the University of Washington, Mary was employed by the Science Education Partnership at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research center, first as a aprogram manager and then as associate director. She mvoed to Australia in 2005, where she has since worked as a research fellow in the biochemistry department at Monash University.
Cynthia Walcker (1997), Environmental Scientist: After earning a B.S. degree in biology from the University of Washington in 1999, Cynthia worked for environmental consulting firms and a nonprofit organization. She is currently an Environmental scientists in the Water Quality Program of the Washington Department of Ecology's northwest Regional ofrfice.
Juliane Gust (2002), M.S./Ph.D. Student: Juliane is a student in the medical scientist Training Program at UW. After completing medical school and her Ph.D. in neurobiology, she will move on to a residency and a career in academic medicine.
Abigail Plawman (2002), Family Medicine Physician: After receiving her scholarship and graduating from UW, Abigail spent several years performing in vitro and in vivo research on cardiac fibrosis in mice. She then went to medical school at UW and also completed her residency there in family medicine. She is now practicing family medicine in Seattle.
Jaymie Rennert (2002), Veterinarian: After graduating from Western Washington University, jaymie earned a D.V.M. degree at Washignton state University. She currently practices small-animal medicine at the Frontier Village Veterinary Clinic in the City of Lake Stevens.
Euneka Robinson (2004), Transportation Engineer: After earning her B.S. in civil engineering with an emphasis on transportation engineering, Euneka went to work for the Washgonton state Department of transportation while simultaneously attending graduate school at UW to earn a M.S in 2007. She works for the Traffic Signals Opearations Group in Shoreline.
Shujun (June) Peng 2006), Medical School: June graduated summa cum laude from the University of Washington in 2008, with a B.S. in chemistry and biolchemistry and a minor in mathematics. She received College Honors and the President's medal. She is a medical school at the Johns Hopkins University School of medicine.
Sarah Goldenkranz (2006), Research Manaager: After working in Zimbabwe researching HIV-associated dementia, Sarah lived in Israel and earned a master's degree in international public health. She works as a research manager at the Center for health Training in Seattle.
Sharmila Pal (2007), Ph.D. Student: Sharmila Pal gradutaed from UW with a B.S. in oceanography in December 2008, completed internships at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Smithsonisna Institution, and travceled in Africa. She is now a gradute student in mareine chemistry at the Univrsit of South Carolina.
Jeannie K.. Nguyen (2007), MD/MPH Student: Jeannie is a medical student at UW, where she is pursuing both an MD and MPH inglobal health.
April Hunziker, Medical Student: Upon graduating from the University of washington in June 2008, April received the Erling J. ordal Award for research in microbiology. She then completed a year-long Emerging Infectious Diseases laboratory Training Fellowship sponsored by the centers for Disease Control and Infection. She is now at the UW School of medicine and plans to pursue a career in primary medical care.
Preethi Raghu (2008), Medical Student: After graduating from the UW in 2009, Preethi worekd at the Starlight Children's foudnation while continuing to do research. She is now a medical student at UW with the goal of becoming a pediatric neurologist.
Vida Ahyong (2008), Graduate Student: Vida earned a B.S. in microbiology and biochemistry from UW and is now a graduate student in the tetrad program (biochemistry, genetics, cell biology, anmd developmental biology) at the University of California, San Francisco.