Kaylie Young ('08) Wins McKnight Chemistry Prize
Congratulations to Kaylie Young ‘08, winner of the 2007 Frank and Sara McKnight Prize in Undergraduate Chemistry, sponsored by the University of Texas, Southwestern.
The McKnight Prize recognizes outstanding undergraduate chemistry researchers. Kaylie submitted her research abstract and letter of support from Professor Shouheng Sun in early October 2007. Shortly, thereafter she was notified that she was one of ten national finalists for the 2007 McKnight Prize. Kaylie then traveled all expense paid to New Braunfels, Texas where she attended the University of Texas Southwestern Biochemistry Research Retreat.
On Friday, November 9, 2007 Kaylie and the other nine undergraduate finalists and the entire UT Southwestern graduate student body participated in a Poster Session. Two UT Southwestern Biochemistry faculty members judged Kaylie’s poster and presentation. On Saturday evening, Kaylie was awarded the first place prize ($2000) for her research project entitled “Conjugating Methotrexate to Magnetic Magnetite (Fe3O4) Nanoparticles via Trichloro –s-triazine (TsT).” Among the goals of this research is to design an inexpensive, water-soluble chemistry that will allow for the attachment of functional molecules such as drugs, proteins, and antibodies to magnetic nanoparticles. The project has focused on conjugating the chemotherapy drug Methotrexate to the nanoparticles to serve as drug delivery agents.
Kaylie’s interest in the sciences began as a high school student in Upstate New York; at that point in her science career she was interested in genetics. One summer during high school she learned of an opportunity to work with a nano professor at SUNY Binghamton. It was during this summer that her interest in nanotechnology blossomed. When she arrived at Brown, she intended to be a biochemistry concentrator but as luck would have it her new interest in nanoscience coincided with the arrival of Professor Shouheng Sun. At the end of her freshman year, Kaylie introduced herself to Professor Sun and discussed joining his research group. Most recently, Kaylie’s summer research at Brown, supported by both NIH and Brown’s UTRA (Undergraduate Teaching and Research Award) Program under the guidance of Professor Sun led to her award winning research presentation.
Kaylie’s love of research and science extends beyond the Brown University campus. Kaylie has attended two summer programs through the NSF funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). The first was a Nano- Bio REU at the University of Notre Dame. Remarkably, her achievements at Notre Dame sent her half way around the world to Budapest, Hungary for a two week stay in which she presented her research. The following summer she studied at the University of Washington, Seattle as an intern through the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN) REU and presented her work at Cornell University.
Kaylie’s enthusiasm for her research and its potential are contagious. As the first member of her family to attend a private college, she is rightfully proud that her hard work and dedication to science has reaped her deserved recognition. Kaylie plans for the future include chemistry, of course! She is in the midst of the graduate school application process.