Oxford Bound
Will Rice College senior Grant Belgard has earned a 2008 Marshall Scholarship. The nationally competitive scholarship will support Belgard as he studies biochemistry at the University of Oxford, where he plans to do computational work to understand how a particular class of membrane proteins behaves in the cell. This knowledge could be important for developing drugs related to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, stroke and epilepsy.
“I’m interested in developing and implementing practical and interdisciplinary solutions to problems of medical significance,” Belgard said. “We live in exciting times. As our fundamental understanding of traditional scientific fields grows, there are ample opportunities to innovate at the interface.”
Belgard said his research experience with Michael Wong, associate professor in chemical and biomolecular engineering and in chemistry, has been an invaluable part of his scientific education. Supported by the Rice Undergraduate Scholars Program, Century Scholars and the Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology, Belgard worked with Wong on nanomaterials, and the team submitted a patent application on the work.
“I am thrilled and delighted that Grant has received this award, as he is most deserving,” Wong said. “He’s not just academically strong — a triple major with great grades — but he also helps other people. Grant represents the best of Rice students, and I know he will be successful in whatever he does in the future.”
Belgard is involved in the Houston Scholars Program (HSP), which aids economically disadvantaged high school students attending Houston’s most highly selective schools. HSP provides the students who attend school on academic scholarships with boarding and support. Belgard is one of four resident staff members who live with the students to serve as mentors, tutors, disciplinarians and friends.
“My undergraduate research and courses that stressed analysis have prepared me for the accelerated nature of a British graduate program,” Belgard said. “But Rice also has been an ideal environment to aggressively pursue wide-ranging interests, providing intellectual discussions with peers and professors and exposure to serious community service opportunities.”