Newswise — Washington, D.C. - The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) and The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation will be presenting Dr. Bruce Jackson, Professor and Chair of the Department of Biotechnology and Forensic DNA Science at MassBay Community College, the 2015 CUR-Goldwater Scholars Faculty Mentor Award. The award will be presented on April 17, 2015 at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, Eastern Washington University.
In recognition of the important roles that faculty mentors play in the success of Goldwater Scholars, the award is presented jointly by CUR and the Goldwater Scholarship Foundation to acknowledge individual faculty who have made outstanding contributions to the success of undergraduate researchers who have gone on to be Goldwater Scholars. Dr. Jackson is a research leader, productive scholar, teacher, and personal mentor to the twenty MassBay Community College students who have achieved Goldwater Scholar awards. President John O’Donnell, MassBay Community College affirmed this stating, “This award is a testament to Bruce Jackson's tireless dedication to his students and to his work at MassBay to help develop and grow our renowned sciences and undergraduate research programs. In large part to Dr. Jackson's service, MassBay continues to produce a record number of Goldwater Scholars and provide deep and meaningful opportunities for scientific research to our students. MassBay Community College is extremely honored to accept this award on Dr. Jackson's behalf to help build future generations of scientists and scholars.”
A pioneer and advocate for high-quality and cutting-edge undergraduate research in a community college setting, Dr. Jackson has built a well-designed and developmentally-scaffolded program of undergraduate research for biotechnology students at MassBay, one that prepares students for both graduate study and Massachusetts’ thriving biotechnology industry. As Elizabeth Ambos, CUR’s Executive Officer notes: “Bruce Jackson exhibits pride and delight in his students’ research and career accomplishments, and is an inspirational model for faculty who seek to combine research and teaching.”
W. Franklin Gilmore, President of the Goldwater Scholarship Foundation, notes “I have known Dr. Jackson for many years having served with him on the independent panel that reviews applications for Barry Goldwater Scholarships. Bruce is a true champion for undergraduate research and especially undergraduate research as a teaching method in two-year colleges and community colleges. I have visited the facilities where he has mentored students for more than twenty years. His facilities are excellent for undergraduate research and he has personally mentored the twenty Barry Goldwater Scholars from his institution. This number is the record for the number of scholarships awarded to students at a community college.” ##
Council on Undergraduate Research: The Council on Undergraduate Research (www.cur.org) supports faculty and student development for high-quality undergraduate student-faculty collaborative research, scholarship, and creative activities. More than 700 institutions and over 10,000 individuals belong to CUR. CUR believes that the best way to capture student interest and create enthusiasm for a discipline is through research in close collaboration with faculty members.
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship Foundation: The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation was established by Congress in 1986 to honor Senator Barry Goldwater, who served his country for 56 years as a soldier and statesman, including 30 years of service in the U.S. Senate. The purpose of the Foundation is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue research careers in these disciplines. The Goldwater Scholarship is considered the premier undergraduate award of its type in these fields.
RSS