The Beckman Scholars Program gives first- and second-year students in select research labs a rare opportunity: 15 months of mentored, full-time research support from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation.

Two Syracuse University students participated in the cohort of scholars for the first time in 2026: Joanna Lepper ’28, who is double majoring in applied data science in the School of Information Sciences and biotechnology in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Sydney Choy ’28, who is double majoring in medicinal chemistry and biology in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Lepper has been working in the lab of biology professor Angela Oliverio, developing tools to make protist genome analysis—the reading and interpreting of the DNA of a diverse group of single-celled, non-animal/plant/fungus organisms—more accessible. Choy has been working in chemistry professor Robert Doyle‘s lab developing imaging agents to detect liver disease.

Kate Hanson, director of the Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE), says the Beckman Scholars Program provides an “unparalleled opportunity” for students interested in research careers to excel through a sustained undergraduate research experience.

During the 15 funded months, scholars are supported by mentors and engaged in activities with the University’s Beckman cohort, the BioInspired Institute and opportunities with the Beckman Foundation.

“We are eager to continue building the Syracuse Beckman cohort with promising students committed to research,” Hanson says. The program supports two students for 2027-2028 and two for 2028-2029.

As part of the scholarship program, Lepper and Choy attended the Beckman Symposium in Irvine, California.

“Becoming a Beckman Scholar has been an incredibly rewarding experience even just a few months in,” Choy says. “Immediately, you are introduced to a whole new world of science and a network of individuals that span across many disciplines.”

Below, Choy and Lepper share more about their research.

Joanna Lepper 

Lepper says she was drawn to the project in Oliverio’s lab of building a pipeline to recover microbial eukaryote, or protist, genomes from samples because of the technical work involved. She’s spent the past several months testing software for assembly, binning, quality control and taxonomic evaluation, then compiling the strongest tools into a resource designed for researchers without a bioinformatics background.

Aiming for a career as a computational scientist, she says the hands-on coding experience has been “so valuable.”

“My project aims to simplify complicated downloads and commands into a single line of code, so I was drawn to the idea of aiding in the accessibility of genome analysis,” she says, pointing to a previous project of hers that focused on how understudied protists remain.

Where she once planned to head straight into research through industry, she’s now weighing graduate school, buoyed by a support system she says makes the prospect feel less intimidating.

“It’s also solidified that bioinformatics is the place for me,” Lepper says. “I love coding and statistics, but I also fell in love with science, so it’s a happy medium. There’s a new drive, after receiving this award, that really makes you want to change the world, and a new realization that you can, if you put your mind to it.” 

Sydney Choy

Choy has worked in Doyle’s lab since her freshman year, and her project as a Beckman Scholar builds on that foundation. She’s developing peptide-based PET imaging agents that target an immune system protein, interferon-gamma. The aim is to non-invasively detect, diagnose and monitor metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, a progressive liver disease, reflecting the lab’s focus on unmet clinical needs.

“With my interest in the intersection of medicinal chemistry and healthcare, a project that allowed me to explore my own curiosity while developing future diagnosis techniques stood out heavily to me,” she says of choosing her project. “As I continue to take more rigorous science courses, I get to see how my research is applicable across various fields and disciplines.”

Choy says balancing lab work with the rest of her life, including time away from family over the summer, was the hardest part of the 15-month commitment. Still, she found comfort in Doyle’s lab, calling it “a very positive and supportive environment” that let her see a new side of Syracuse outside the classroom.

“Prior to becoming a Beckman Scholar, I could not fully dedicate my time to research, leaving me in less of an independent role,” she says. “Yet, this past summer my understanding and ability to take initiative and strive for progress grew immensely.”

What to Know About Applying

First- or second-year students are eligible to apply for the program through the SOURCE Fellowship process if they are working in labs led by Beckman Mentors. Mentors include Doyle, Oliverio, Carlos Castañeda (chemistry and biology), Heidi Hehnly (physics), Jay Henderson (biomedical and chemical engineering), Chih Hung Lo (biology), Zhen Ma (biomedical and chemical engineering), Jessica MacDonald (biology), Dave Mozhdehi (chemistry), Shikha Nangia (biomedical and chemical engineering), Jenny Ross (physics), Mirna Skanata (physics), Shahar Sukenik (chemistry) and Jialiu Zeng (biomedical and chemical engineering).

Students interested in the program should note that an “Intent to Apply” form is due Feb. 11, 2027, and the full application is due Feb. 25, 2027. Students can contact Hanson at khanso01@syr.edu, or through Orange Success, to discuss interest, even if they have not yet joined a lab.