Clark E. Bricker ChemScholars Program
This program is designed to identify talented high school seniors and freshman undergraduates interested in pursuing a degree in Chemistry and providing them with an enhanced educational experience. The program includes individualized advising by a member of the Chemistry faculty and undergraduate research/teaching experiences.
The centerpiece of this program is a scholarship providing $2,000 per year for up to four years to exceptional freshmen ($8,000 total in scholarship support). As a member of the Bricker ChemScholars program, you will be paired with a faculty mentor when enrolling as a freshman at KU. This mentor will provide advice for academic decisions, including course enrollment, during your first semester at KU. During your first semester, you will have the opportunity to meet the entire faculty in the Department of Chemistry and to choose an academic mentor to advise you for the rest of your time at KU.
In addition, you will participate in research in your academic mentor’s laboratory and be given opportunities to present the results of your research at national scientific meetings, in Chemistry Department Seminars, and at the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium sponsored by the KU Center for Undergraduate Research.
As a Bricker ChemScholar, you will be encouraged to enroll in the Chemistry Department Honors program. Upper-level Bricker ChemScholars will have the opportunity to assist with instruction in introductory chemistry laboratories as a paid undergraduate teaching assistant. Finally, in your fourth year, you may be eligible for the Kansas ChemScholars program which comes with a $10,000 scholarship.
The criteria for selection of a Bricker ChemScholar are:
- Declaration of a major in Chemistry
- Excellent academic record in high school
- Continuous enrollment as a Chemistry major
- Maintaining an overall KU grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 Maintaining a 3.5 GPA in Chemistry
- Enrollment in the Chemistry Honors Courses
- Participation in research or teaching each semester starting by the beginning of the junior year
- Completion of CHEM 180 by the end of the sophomore year
The application submission window is April 1st to August 23rd each year. If you have any questions, please contact Lindsey Roe at lindseyp@ku.edu.
This application has five pages of questions:
I. Applicant Information
II. Educational Information
III. Letters of Recommendation - Upload
IV. Short Essay - Upload
V. Signature