Helen White grew up on Vashon Island, Washington where she attended Vashon Island High School. She chose to study chemistry because of her interest in radiochemistry, and because it paired well with her Radiation Health Physics degree.

Helen decided to go to OSU because of the campus and proximity to everyone she cares about. Compared to other schools, Oregon State had more to offer–academic and otherwise–so there wasn’t a doubt in her mind when it came to choosing a university.

Currently, Helen is performing research in the radiation center on campus with Dr. Chemey’s group. In the winter she will transfer projects from analyzing crystalline structures they were creating in the lab to working on a radiochemical separations project. Previously, she worked on a computational project using a DFT program in order to simulate metal hexaboride structures and explore their capabilities in holding radioactive waste materials. To get into research, Helen emailed and asked around professors she was interested in working with. Since then, she notes it has been an incredibly enriching and rewarding experience. Helen plans on attending graduate school immediately after graduation, hoping to pursue a PhD in radiochemistry and focus on working in nuclear waste management.

Outside of school and work, she loves to be outside and enjoys going for walks, bouldering, running, and frolicking, all the things she says help keep her sane. Beyond that, she loves to read, which can be a much-needed break from chemistry. Right now, Helen’s favorite book is The Wall by Marlen Haushofer. It is a short, devastating, dystopian fiction that was written in 1963 which talks about a woman’s experience a person in a way that is not normally explored.

Helen’s favorite food is saltine crackers. She is the first in her family to go to college, which she adds is “an immeasurable privilege, especially in the state of the world now where a bachelor’s degree may afford a person a well-paying job.” She says that her biggest hope is to move into a financial place in her life where she can support those who have supported her in the past.

At OSU, we believe everyone deserves to be addressed by their correct name. That’s why University Information and Technology has launched Namecoach. This transformative tool makes it easy to record and share your name pronunciation and listen to name recordings made by others. Namecoach is available to OSU students, faculty and staff to help make OSU a more inclusive place to learn, work, and grow. Get started and learn more by visiting beav.es/namecoach.

Grass Fellowship
The Grass Foundation recognizes and supports efforts to use neuroscience to unite thoughtful people across various socioeconomic and geographic barriers.

The foundation invites applications for its 2024 Grass Fellowship program. Administered by the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, the fellowship program supports investigator-designed, independent research projects by scientists early in their careers, providing 14-week fellowships and support including a stipend, laboratory space, animals, equipment, and supplies for a summer in residence at MBL. In addition, the investigator, his/her spouse or legal domestic partner, and dependent children are provided housing and round-trip travel to the MBL.

Fellows will function as an intellectual and social group within the MBL scientific community while sharing space in the Grass Laboratory. In a weekly private seminar series, investigators at MBL will discuss their work with fellows. In addition, a yearly Forbes Lecturer will spend a portion of the summer in the Grass Lab interacting with fellows. Childcare benefits are available and supported by the foundation.

Supported approaches include neurophysiology, biophysics, integrative neurobiology, neuroethology, neuroanatomy, neuropharmacology, systems neuroscience, cellular and developmental neurobiology, and computational approaches to neural systems. The foundation also has a longstanding interest in epilepsy-related research. Comparative and integrative neuroscience have been of particular interest in recent years. Anthropogenic environmental impacts—including climate change, chemical and sensory pollution, and ocean acidification—may impact the brain at the cell and circuit level in poorly understood ways. In partnership with the Grass Foundation, the Kavli Foundation supports Grass Fellows who explore this area through their research related to neurobiology and changing ecosystems.

Due 12/1/23 

Energy Fellowship
In an effort to foster education and innovation in the area of societal production and utilization of energy, the Link Foundation invites applications for 2-year fellowships of $35,000 / year for students working toward a Ph.D. degree.

Applications will be evaluated by a panel of experts in the energy field. Criteria for evaluation are as follows:
The project. Is it innovative? Is it technically sound? Does it offer potential for significant impacts on societal energy supply and utilization? Other criteria as appropriate.
The candidate. Important criteria include intellectual ability and achievement, evidence of creativity and initiative, and potential for a career that will impact energy supply and utilization.

Preference will be given to candidates who have a well-defined thesis direction but who still have enough time remaining working toward their Ph.D. that receipt of a Link Foundation Fellowship could make a difference.

Due: 12/1/23

American Society of Nephrology

Ben J. Lipps Research Fellowship
The American Society of Nephrology aims to elevate care by educating and informing, driving breakthroughs and innovation, and advocating for policies that create transformative changes in kidney medicine worldwide.

ASN invites applications for its Ben J. Lipps Research Fellowship, which awards grants of $50,000 per year for up to two years to nephrology fellows under the direction of a sponsor in support of original research on any aspect of the spectrum of kidney biology and disease. This fellowship serves to establish the beginnings of an independent care.

Due: 12/6/23 

Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Award
The ASN invites applications for its Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Award Program, which will provide grants of up to $30,000 per year for up to two years to PhD students under the direction of a sponsor in support of original research on any aspect of the entire spectrum of kidney biology and disease. 

The goal of the KidneyCure Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Program is to fund PhD students to conduct original, meritorious research projects. This program will foster early career-stage PhD students, under the direction of a sponsor, who are highly motivated to make contributions to the understanding of kidney biology and disease.

Due 12/6/23

Pre- and Postdoctoral Training Awards
The Autism Science Foundation invites applications for its Pre- and Postdoctoral Training Awards from graduate students, medical students, and postdoctoral fellows interested in pursuing careers in basic and clinical research relevant to autism spectrum disorders.

The proposed training should be scientifically linked to autism but may be broadened to include training in a closely related area of scientific research. The foundation will consider all areas of related basic and clinical research, including but not limited to human behavior and co-occurring medical conditions across the lifespan (language, learning, behavior, communication, social function, motor skills & planning, epilepsy, sleep, repetitive disorders); neurobiology (anatomy, development, neuroimaging); pharmacology; studies that address disparities in access, care, and research; improving research in underserved communities; neuropathology; genetics and gene/environment interactions; epigenetics; immunology; molecular and cellular mechanisms; studies employing model organisms and systems; intervention research (behavioral, pharmacological or a combination of the two), and studies of treatment and service delivery.  

ASF welcomes scientific research in all fields; however, it is especially interested in projects that address previously under-researched communities. These include profound autism, those with severe and challenging behaviors, and autism disparities in racial and ethnic minority groups or those with socioeconomic challenges.
Awards are over one year and include $35,000 for predoctoral students and $50,000 for postdoctoral students.

Due: 12/8/23 

Burroughs Wellcome Fund

Postdoctoral Diversity Enrichment Program
Postdoctoral Diversity Enrichment Program (PDEP) provides a total of $60,000 over three years to support the career development activities for underrepresented minority postdoctoral fellows in a degree-granting institution in the United States or Canada whose training and professional development are guided by mentors committed to helping them advance to stellar careers in biomedical or medical research.

Due 1/18/24

This event is designed to explore the profound impact of effective written communication on professional success. Join for insightful discussion and practical tips on leveraging writing skills to enhance your career prospects, whether through resumes, reports or persuasive communication in the workplace. 4:30 p.m., Nov. 9 in Moreland Hall, Room 330.