Beckman Scholars Program at Vanderbilt University
In 2008, Vanderbilt received its first support from the Arnold & Mabel Beckman Foundation to support undergraduate research in Chemistry and Biological Sciences. We have been fortunate to receive several renewals of the program since that time, graduating a superb group of scholar-scientists. The program is directed by Prof. Jeff Johnston (Chemistry), along with co-Director Lauren Parker-Jackson (Biological Sciences).
Vanderbilt is one of the select universities named in 2025 and will be supported in 2025-2028 for support by the Beckman Scholars Program. Beckman Scholars conduct laboratory research for two summers and one academic year (15 consecutive months). Students receive stipends of $6,800 each summer and $4,600 for the academic year. A total of six Scholars will be supported in 2025-2028. Two Scholars will be named in each of the three years (2025/26/27).
“15 years of the Beckman Scholars Program: Providing unparalleled undergrad research opportunities” April Evans, College of Arts & Science News 2024
Beckman Scholars Tammy Le, Charu Balamurugan, Ahmed Imami, Camilla Guel, Sarah Hourihan and Professor Jeffrey Johnston. (Liz Chagnon / Vanderbilt University)
2025-2026 VU Beckman Scholars
2025-2026 VU Beckman Scholar: William Kim
William is a senior at Vanderbilt University majoring in Chemistry. He grew up in Portland, Oregon and joined the D.E. Kim Research Group in the spring of 2024 to study synthetic organic chemistry. Within this realm, William’s research is focused on the synthesis of complex natural products of high biological relevance. Work towards this end enables the easier access of important chemicals while also increasing the knowledge of chemical reactivity important for many fields. Outside of the lab, William volunteers at Vanderbilt Medicine’s Shade Tree Clinic and enjoys reading and long-distance running.
2025-2026 VU Beckman Scholar: Galen Wei
Galen Wei is a rising senior double majoring in computer science and chemistry. He is from Gallatin, TN, although he spent his earliest years in Edmonton, Alberta. He joined the Yang lab in the fall of 2023 to pursue research in the intersection of chemistry and computation. His proposed research will cover the prediction of enzyme kinetic constants from amino acid sequences and SMILES strings using deep learning, with the goal of identifying enzymatic reactions with enhanced reactivity or selectivity. His additional research interests include document understanding, pure mathematics, and geometric deep learning. Outside of school, Galen enjoys solving crossword puzzles, playing the piano, and climbing.2024-2025 VU Beckman Scholars
2024-2025 VU Beckman Scholar: Tammy Le
Tammy is a rising junior studying Molecular and Cellular Biology. Tammy’s research career in the Chazin Laboratory began in the summer of 2023 within the Vanderbilt START program. Her work focuses on the RAGE transmembrane receptor and the development of its inhibitors. Her approach to this project uses techniques such as virtual screening and fragment-based drug design. Outside of the academic setting, she is involved in the Vietnamese Student Association and Global Engagement Fellows on campus. In her free time, Tammy enjoys photography, baking, and reading. As a Nashville native, you can find her visiting the Downtown library or snapping photos at the farmer’s market.
2024-2025 VU Beckman Scholar: Ahmed Imami
Ahmed is a junior at Vanderbilt University in the College of Arts and Sciences double majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Psychology with a Business minor. He grew up in Melbourne, Florida surrounded by Disney and the beach. He joined the Zwiebel Lab in December of 2022 as an intern. His research involves the development of a next-generation, volatile excito-repellent against Anopheline mosquitoes. In this context, it will examine the direct targeting of odorant receptors (OR) that underlie insect chemosensory signaling. The global implications aim at reducing the transmission of Malaria as well as other mosquito borne illnesses and limiting agricultural contamination caused by various agricultural pests. In addition, he is involved in the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students, Camp Kesem, Autism Tennessee, and VUcept. In his free time, he loves to play basketball, eat at Taco Mama and Satay, and spend time with friends.