Neuroscience undergraduate named Goldwater Scholar
Wasan Kumar '22 receives the prestigious Goldwater scholarship Heading link
Congratulations to Wasan Kumar for winning the Goldwater scholarship! Kumar received the sought after scholarship based on his academic merit in the field of science.
Wasan Kumar has conducted research on the effects of heavy metals in promoting cardiovascular diseases in the laboratory of Dr. Andre Kajdacsy-Balla, professor of pathology in the UIC College of Medicine.
“My research looks specifically at the influence of cadmium on increasing the uptake of lipids by macrophage cells in vitro, which is a crucial first step in the progression of atherosclerosis,” Kumar is quoted saying. Apart from the Goldwater Scholarship, Kumar has received grants from the Liberal Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Initiative and the Honors College. “Developing projects like this from start to finish has taken a lot of work but has really energized me towards pursuing research.”
The Goldwater scholarship, which is named for the late Republican senator from Arizona and presented by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, will cover up to $7,500 in tuition, books and related fees during the 2019-20 academic year for Barmada and Kumar, who are both UIC Honors College members.