斯隆奖学金授予了两位卡罗莱纳的化学家
Abigail 骑士 and Sidney Wilkerson-Hill are the latest of 48 Tar Heels to receive this top award.
Chemists Abigail 骑士 and Sidney Wilkerson-Hill of Carolina have been awarded 2024年斯隆研究奖学金, among the most prestigious awards given to early-career scientists. They are both assistant professors in the 文理学院’ 化学系.
阿尔弗雷德·P. 斯隆基金会于2月11日宣布了该奖项. 20. A total of 126 early-career re太阳城娱乐城ers received fellowships, given to extraordinary U.S. 以及加拿大科学家的创造力, innovation and re太阳城娱乐城 accomplishments make them stand out as the next generation of leaders. 新来的家伙, 谁是由他们的同龄人提名的, are drawn from a diverse range of 53 institutions across seven academic fields.
骑士’s re太阳城娱乐城 is at the intersection of bioinspired materials, chemical biology and polymer chemistry. Her lab focuses on designing novel macromolecular materials with functions inspired by biological systems. She shared in her Sloan re太阳城娱乐城 statement: “Since the advent of synthetic polymer chemistry, 科学家们一直在努力理解, exploit and improve upon the remarkable complex functions of natural biomolecules.” The 骑士 lab is taking inspiration from proteins to design new materials to tackle contemporary challenges in sustainability and human health.
骑士 is the previous recipient of an NSF CAREER Award and a W.M. 凯克基金奖. She received an undergraduate degree from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2010 and a doctorate from the University of California, 2015年在伯克利.
Wilkerson-Hill is an organic chemist whose lab focuses on developing pyrethroids, small molecule pesticides used to combat mosquitoes and other insects. These synthetic materials function by mimicking naturally occurring compounds found in plants and can be used in vector control programs to combat malaria.
“鉴于全球气温的稳步上升, re太阳城娱乐城ers have predicted that insect vectors for malaria will continually become more challenging to combat,他在斯隆商学院的研究报告中分享道. “另外, mosquitoes are quickly developing resistance to pyrethroid molecules because of their sustained use, 哪些被强调为对人类健康的主要威胁.”
New pyrethroids with enhanced performance properties (and identifying new modes of action) are desperately needed, Wilkerson-Hill补充道.
Wilkerson-Hill is the recipient of the 2024 FMC New Investigator Award, which also recognizes the contributions of outstanding early-career scientists, 也是NSF职业奖的前获得者. He received an undergraduate degree from NC State University in 2010 and a doctorate from the University of California, 2015年在伯克利.
“Sid and Abby started their independent careers in the department of chemistry in 2018 and excel in every aspect,化学主任魏友说. “他们确实应该得到这个重要的认可. 多年来, Carolina re太阳城娱乐城ers have received this prestigious recognition 48 times, 其中23名获奖者是焦油脚跟的化学家.
“If there were any secret in sustaining the excellence of Carolina chemistry, I would point to just one thing — recruiting the very best junior faculty and embracing them with collegiality and a nurturing environment to maximize their own potential. 然后，天空是极限.”
自1955年起每年颁发一次, a Sloan Fellowship is among the most coveted awards given to young re太阳城娱乐城ers in part because many past fellows have gone on to great achievements in science. Fifty-seven fellows have received a Nobel Prize in their respective fields. Potential fellows are nominated by their peers and then selected by an independent panel of senior scholars.
“Sloan 研究 Fellowships are extraordinarily competitive awards involving the nominations of the most inventive and impactful early-career scientists across the U.S. 和加拿大，”Adam F. 福尔克是斯隆基金会主席.
