Biochemistry student earns prestigious scholarship

MEGAN NESBITT Staff Writer

Thomas Schodl, a junior biochemistry major, was recently awarded a prestigious nationally-recognized scholarship. The Barry M.Goldwater Scholarship is an undergraduate scholarship awarded to students in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering disciplines. Schodl is the first Truman State University student to receive the Goldwater scholarship in 10 years. This year, over 5,000 students applied for the 2023-2024 scholarship, which covers tuition, fees, books, and, room and board. Schodl was one of 413 undergraduate students selected from around the country to receive the scholarship.

Schodl said they didn’t know the scholarship existed until last year when they saw a headline of someone winning the scholarship.

“I contacted financial aid and told them I wanted to apply for this,” Schodl said. “I had to fill out an application to be Truman’s campus nomination.”

The scholarship is targeted toward all undergraduates in STEM, with the biggest focus on students studying life sciences. Applicants typically are involved in research and plan on continuing their education in the field.

Schodl said the application process was based on research experience and motivation to get a PhD and doing research as a career.

“There were two sections to the application, a research essay and a career goals essay,” Schodl said.

Schodl wrote their research essay on the research they do at Truman where they use a genetic mouse model to study the effects of Alzheimer’s on the brain centers that control respiratory functions.

“I specifically focus on the nucleus tractus solitarius, or the NTS, which is the first site of integration of signals from your organs,” Schodl said. “I study the structure and how it changes between control animals and Alzheimer’s animals.”

Schodl conducts their research under the supervision of Daniela Ostrowski, who also helped them with the application for the Goldwater scholarship. Ostrowski focuses on Alzheimer’s research and is in charge of a lab on campus that allows students to pick their concentration, under the umbrella of Alzheimer’s.

Ostrowski assisted Schodl’s application process by proofreading the research paper they had to write.

“I helped Thomas write about their research, but I also wrote a letter of recommendation for the application,” Ostrowski said. “I wrote about how they have the skills to be a really good researcher in the future.”

Although Schodl is very skilled in STEM and heavily involved in their research, they have many other interests.

“I really like music and I have a cat I like to play with named Marie, she has a lazy eye,” Schodl said.

Schodl is also passionate about photography and enjoys using a film camera. It allows them to step away from STEM and explore other creative outlets.

This summer Schodl will do an internship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in biology.