April 21, 2005
Two MHC Students Garner Goldwater
Scholarships
| |
 |
| |
Eli
Sklute FP ’05 (left) and Liz Merritt ’07
(photo
by Donna Cote) |
Based
on their prowess in mathematics and the sciences, two Mount Holyoke
students, Elizabeth C. Merritt ’07
and Elizabeth C. Sklute FP ’05, have been awarded scholarships
from the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education
Foundation. They are among 320 students selected from a field of
1,091 mathematics, science, and engineering students who were nominated
by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide.
The
scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and
room and board
up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. Merritt, who is
majoring in physics and mathematics, has received a two-year
award, and Sklute, who is majoring in chemistry, has received
a one-year
award.
Merritt,
whose educational goal is a doctorate in physics or applied mathematics,
plans to pursue a career in the field
of
energy development.
At MHC, she has been working with Janice Hudgings, assistant
professor of physics, on her research into vertical-cavity
surface-emitting lasers. This semester, she said, “I get
to be in the lab and build my own setup. We’ve done a complete
overview of semiconductor physics, which is actually a lot of
fun. In
fact we’re doing
things that I didn’t think we could do on an undergraduate
level.”
Merritt
is no stranger to the lab. Her father, Bernard Merritt, is employed
at Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory, a premier
applied
science laboratory, and her mother, Maggie Schumacher, is
a professor of chemistry at Chabot Community College. Merritt
was always
interested in the sciences, and chose physics over biological
sciences or
chemistry because “they had more pretty toys.”
Elizabeth
(Eli) Sklute transferred to Mount Holyoke from Mills College
in Oakland, California, two years ago. She
originally
intended to
major in chemistry, but her plans changed when she, by
chance, met Darby Dyar, associate professor of astronomy and
geology
and chair
of astronomy. Dyar was looking to hire a student laboratory
assistant to help build a database of Mössbauer spectra
of minerals. Sklute happily took the job and soon developed
a passion for geochemistry.
“I love the field of geochemistry, and I love working with Darby and
in the sciences here at Mount Holyoke, “ said Sklute. “In
the Five College area, opportunities are endless. There
is so much brainpower around here.”
After graduation Sklute hopes to spend a year working
with Dyar on Mössbauer and other spectroscopic techniques
that will be relevant to Mars exploration over the next
ten approach to her craft, achieves
also an open-endedness and a respect for mystery.”
Since
1924, the first year the competition had contestants from other
schools,
27 Mount Holyoke women have placed either first or second.
|
