Texas A&M Awarded Beckman Scholars Program Grant

Texas A&M University’s 10-year tradition of recognizing promising students excelling in STEM majors and undergraduate research as Beckman Scholars will continue in 2025, led by two faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences. 

Dr. Alex C. Keene, professor and head of the Department of Biology, and Dr. David Powers, professor and associate head for undergraduate studies in the Department of Chemistry, will serve as co-directors of the Beckman Scholars Program at Texas A&M, originally established in 2014 by Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Studies and Executive Director of Texas A&M LAUNCH Dr. Sumana Datta and involving students and faculty from the university’s three largest colleges. 

Since 1998, the California-based Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation has identified colleges and universities across the nation to apply for Beckman Scholars Program selection. These institutions then undergo a two-part review led by a panel of scientific experts and earn selection based on their dedication to undergraduate research in chemistry, biological sciences and/or interdisciplinary combinations thereof and their ability to compete in national-level programs. 

During the past decade, Texas A&M’s program has supported 18 extraordinary second-semester freshmen — half of them from the College of Arts and Sciences — majoring in specific STEM fields for a 15-month intensive faculty-mentored research and leadership experience jointly funded by the Beckman Foundation and Texas A&M. University officials learned in December that Texas A&M is once again among the 14 institutions representing the 2025 class of Beckman Scholars Program awardees who will share in more than $2.1 million in science funding earmarked to support six scholar-mentor pairs per institution, with two scholars named per year for the three-year award term at each university.

A Luminary’s Legacy 

Driven by their curiosity and dedication to research, Beckman Scholars follow in the footsteps of Arnold Beckman, who started his studies at age 10 in a tool shed and founded Beckman Instruments in 1935 while a professor at the California Institute of Technology. On the way to building his company into a leading source of instruments and supplies for both basic and clinical research, Beckman invented the pH meter and the spectrophotometer, earning induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame alongside Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell. 

Beckman Scholars are chosen at Texas A&M and other select campuses across the country each year on the basis of an intensive written application and interview process that probes each candidate’s goals, values and commitment to a career in scientific research and community service. At the start of their undergraduate research careers, they are paired with top Beckman faculty mentors during the summer prior to their sophomore year, embarking on research projects that they will continue through graduation. 

“Texas A&M University is known for its large, STEM-focused campus and is uniquely positioned to train the next generation of scientific and medical leaders,” Keene said. “We are grateful to the Beckman Foundation for its continued investment in our campus and its research enterprise that helps ensure our ability to provide exceptional undergraduate research and educational experiences and contributions.” 

Beyond reinforcing the significant role Texas A&M plays in preparing the next generation of STEM leaders and its demonstrated strength in undergraduate research in the sciences, Powers says the new grant is a reflection of the recently retired Datta and her pioneering efforts to ensure the success of Texas A&M’s program as well as its Beckman Scholars. He notes the impact of that success extends beyond the individual scholars, driving innovation in undergraduate research programming across the Texas A&M campus. 

Nurturing The Future 

Moving forward, oversight of Texas A&M’s Beckman Scholars Program will transition from the Office of the Provost to the College of Arts and Sciences — specifically, the Departments of Biology and Chemistry. According to Keene, future scholars will engage in intensive research activities, benefit from close mentorship by faculty and peers, and participate in a variety of robust undergraduate programs, such as the University Honors and Undergraduate Research Ambassadors programs. Key milestones will include leadership training, critical thinking seminars, competitive internship opportunities, and preparation for prestigious graduate programs and fellowships. 

“The Beckman Scholars Program provides unparalleled resources for personal growth and leadership development,” Keene said. “From freshman year through graduation, scholars will be engaged in intensive research activities designed to nurture their future as scientists and innovators. 

“Dr. Powers and I are honored to represent Texas A&M and the close partnership between our two departments along with the collaborative mindset of the College of Arts and Sciences that made this successful endeavor possible. We look forward to carrying on this proud Texas A&M tradition and seeing what our scholars accomplish.” 

Freshman students interested in being considered for selection as 2025 Beckman Scholars are encouraged to apply by February 15, 2025. Learn more about the Beckman Scholars Program or the Office of Undergraduate Research.