2023-2024 Beckman Scholar

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Undergraduate researcher Cecilia “Ceci” McCormick (Spokoyny group) has been selected for the prestigious 2023-24 UCLA Beckman Scholars Program.

The 2023-24 Beckman Research Scholarship at UCLA is awarded to outstanding undergraduate researchers committed to completing a thesis project under the supervision of select UCLA Beckman Faculty. The $18,200 award will be distributed over one academic year and two summers, plus $2,800 for travel and research supplies.

“Cecilia is an extremely bright and enthusiastic undergraduate researcher who I’ve had the pleasure of working with for nearly a year now and I’m super excited to see all the amazing things she’s going to accomplish with this support from the Beckman Scholars program,” said her graduate mentor Qiao-Qiao Wang.

An undergraduate researcher in Professor Alex Spokoyny’s group, Cecilia is pursuing a degree in molecular, cell, and developmental biology with a specialty in computing. She is passionate about research at the intersection of cell biology and chemistry. Cecilia’s work focuses on how anatomically precise boron clusters can be used as broadband carriers to deliver non-cell permeable payloads to human cells. She is excited about the clinical implications of this work in improving the efficiency of drug delivery systems and works with medicinal compounds from collaborators at the Wilson Group of Cornell. On campus, she is involved in WYSE (women and youth supporting each other), a mentorship program for young women in the Los Angeles area. After completing her undergraduate studies, she plans to pursue a PhD to further her academic career.

Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, penny@chem.ucla.edu.