Hollings Scholarship Awarded to Three UNC-CH Undergraduate Researchers
04/15/2024
Congratulations to Clara DiVincenzo, Lucy Henthorn, and Isabel Leonard, who were recently awarded the prestigious National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship!
Clara DiVincenzo is a sophomore at UNC majoring in Biology and Statistics and Analytics with a minor in Marine Sciences. At UNC, she is a Buckley Public Service Scholar, Biology Ambassador, Biology Peer Instructor, and Morehead-Cain Scholar. Her research in the Castillo Lab in the Department of Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences focuses on the molecular mechanisms of coral-algal symbioses.
Lucy Henthorn is currently a sophomore studying Environmental Science and Marine Science at UNC. Her current research focuses on the Thermal Limits of different North Atlantic fish species and how acclimation temperature affects their thermal limits, and she plans to write an Honors Thesis focused on predicting the migration and habitat ranges of these fish species based on current climate change models.
Isabel Leonard is currently a sophomore majoring in biology and minoring in marine science. As a part of her NOAA Hollings application, Isabel focused on an independent research project about Queen conch conservation in the Bahamas that she headed from high school and carried into her first year here at UNC. Her research centered around finding ways to prevent overfishing using citizen science by employing commercial fishermen in collecting data about conch sexual maturity. Isabel hopes to be able to continue research like this on a higher level during her internship at a NOAA facility next summer.
Congratulations again to Clara, Lucy, and Isabel, and if you are a sophomore student interested in STEM and hoping to begin a competitive research experience, then please consider the Hollings Scholarship!
The Hollings Scholarship is a national and highly competitive program, and the scholarship provides an academic stipend and a paid summer internship at a NOAA facility. The scholarship and associated internship are heavily research-focused and include two fully funded conference presentations.
In addition to providing valuable research experience, its stipend will allow you to devote as much time to your research as possible. Hollings Scholars are also given a certification for direct hire within federal positions, making your application more competitive for federal jobs. If you are interested in applying for this scholarship in the future, please reach out to Heather Bruck, who runs the Hollings Scholarship Mentor Group on campus. We also encourage you to check out Heather’s great explanation of the scholarship on her website, and see the scholarship’s website for more details about eligibility and how to apply. Support for students applying for the Hollings Scholarship is also available through the Office of Distinguished Scholarships.