Life Sciences Awards

 

The Life Sciences Awards are designed to encourage and promote “cutting edge” innovation in the field of life sciences. Monetary Awards will be presented to a scientist; a high school educator; and two high school students.

Deleted 04/02/2020 (Archived.) 85.104 Agency: Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use Fiscal Year 2012: In 2012, the Fifth Annual Life Sciences Awards, sponsored by the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce were presented on July 19, in Washington, D.C. The Life Sciences Awards are intended to recognize, through four monetary awards, a scientist; one high school educator; and two current high school students all of whom exemplify excellence in the field of life sciences. The 2012 Life Sciences Awards recipients are:


Daniel G. Colley, Ph.D., Professor of Microbiology and Director of the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, was awarded the 2012 $10,000 Distinguished Life Sciences Scientist Award. Dr. Colley is a renowned scientist most notably in the area of tropical medicine and parasitology, with a main focus on the immunology of schistosomiasis, a debilitating, chronic worm disease that affects 240 million people worldwide, in order to control and eliminate it.

Camilla Walck, Ph.D., International Baccalaureate (IB) Biology Teacher, Princess Anne High School, Virginia Beach, Virginia, was awarded the 2012 $5,000 Life Sciences Educator Award.
For the past 17 years, Dr. Walck has worked for the City of Virginia Beach Public Schools. Dedicated to teaching and learning both in and out of the classroom, her passion for biology is contagious - engaging and exciting her students to learn about the scientific world. A National Board Certified teacher, an adjunct professor at Virginia Wesleyan College, and an international evaluator for International Baccalaureate biology, Dr. Walck was selected as one of six teachers to visit Cardiff, England to collaborate on the IB grading process.

Vaishnavi Rao, Junior, Canyon Crest Academy, San Diego, California, was awarded the 2012 $1,000 Life Sciences Student Award. Vaishnavi's passion and love for science, especially for neuroscience and the brain, began in elementary school. Most recently, her pioneering research on neurotransmitter plasticity at the University of California, San Diego, has been recognized as having far-reaching applicability in potential therapies targeting neurological disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease. Her work has received tremendous recognition at local, State as well as International (Intel ISEF) Science Fairs. Recently, she also won the San Diego Brain Bee 2012 and placed 6th overall at the USA National Brain Bee competitions held in Baltimore, Maryland.

Justin Roth, Sophomore, West Branch High School, West Branch, Iowa, was awarded the 2012 $1,000 Life Sciences Student Award. Taking accelerated math and science classes beginning in elementary school, Justin joined an extra-curricular science club in middle school. As a result of the science club projects he has been involved in, three ordinances have been introduced in the town of West Branch, three bills have been introduced to the Iowa State Legislature (with one being passed), and West Branch High School has started saving $10,000 annually on its energy costs, brought about by his eighth grade science club team's research into energy cost savings brought about by replacing high-cost, low efficiency T12 fluorescent bulbs to T8 lighting. Justin has also worked with his church to help establish a community clothes pantry to enable those in need to receive clothes and school supplies at no cost to them. He also volunteers in packaging many shipments of food to Africa and Haiti through Kids Against Hunger. In addition, Justin enjoys participating in his high school's extra-curricular activities. He plays football and wrestles and plays trombone in the marching, concert, jazz, and show choir bands. Fiscal Year 2013: This program was deferred for FY 2013. Fiscal Year 2014: No Current Data Available Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Coins and Fellowship Foundation, Title IV, Section 400-429, Public Law 102-281, 106 Stat. 139-145, 20 U.S.C 5701-5708. This is a competition NOT a grant application. Individuals compete and their accomplishments are judged on how they exemplify excellence in life sciences. Nominees must be involved in the field of life sciences research or life sciences education as follows: scientist; current high school educator; current high school students in Biology, Chemistry or other life sciences courses. In public/private partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Foundation will present four Life Sciences Awards to U.S. citizens permitted by their employer or any other relevant authority to accept a monetary award bestowed by the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation, a Federal government agency. Four monetary awards will be presented as follows: one $10,000 award to a scientist; one $5,000 award to a current high school educator; and two $1,000 awards to current high school students in Biology, Chemistry or other life sciences course who are judged to exemplify excellence in life sciences.
Distinguished Life Sciences Scientist Award
The $10,000 Distinguished Life Sciences Scientist Award will be presented to a scientist who is making or has recently made a significant and positive contribution related to developing a "cutting edge" innovation in the field of life sciences.
Life Sciences Educator Awards
The $5,000 Life Sciences Educator Award will be presented to a current high school educator, with at least five years of teaching experience, and who is making or has recently made a significant and positive contribution related to promoting the study of life sciences to students.
Life Sciences Student Awards
Two $1,000 Life Sciences Student Awards will be presented to current high school students who are making or have recently made significant and positive contributions related to the study of Biology, Chemistry and other life science courses. No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Only Nominations that meet the eligibility requirements are accepted. Nominations will be accepted from all 50 States. All Nominations are received online at www.ccolumbusfoundationawards.org. The deadline is Tuesday, February 12, 2013. All Nominations are read by the Board of Trustees of the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation to select the Semifinalists. Nominators are notified of the Nominee’s selection as a Semifinalist and asked to provide background material to support the Nomination. A national Evaluation Committee reviews and comments on the Semifinalist’s background material. The Foundation Board and the U.S. Chamber ultimately select the winners. The Awards will be presented in Washington, D.C., in July 2013. Feb 26, 2013 Not Applicable. Not Applicable. Not Applicable. Not Applicable. No restrictions for Direct Payments for award to scientists, high school educator or current high school students. Not Applicable. Not Applicable. Not applicable. Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.
Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program. Not applicable. Lump sum payments awarded at ceremony. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum. None. Main website: http://www.christophercolumbusfoundation.gov. Judith Shellenberger, 110 Genesee Street, Suite 390, Auburn, New York 13021 Email: JUDITHMSCOLUMBUS@CS.COM Phone: (315) 258-0090 Fax: (315) 258-0093. http://www.ccolumbusfoundationawards.org 76-8187-0-7-502. (Direct Payments for Specified Use) FY 12 $17,000; FY 13 est $0; and FY 14 est $17,000 - In 2010 and 2011 only, an additional $25,000 in research funds was presented to the recipient of the Chairmen's Distinguished Life Sciences Award to be used to hire a graduate student to assist with the research or the funds may be used toward the research itself. In order to receive the research funds, a comprehensive outline on the research project must be submitted and approved by the Foundation. Discontinued in 2012. (Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use) FY 12 $17,000; FY 13 est $0; and FY 14 est $17,000 - In 2008 and 2009, Awards were presented as follows: one $25,000 Award per year to a scientist; one $10,000 Award per year for a high school AP Biology or AP Chemistry teacher; one $5,000 Award per year for an AP Biology student and one $5,000 Award per year for an AP Chemistry student.
In 2010 and 2011, the number of awards was increased to seven as follows: one $25,000 award to a scientist with an additional $25,000 for research funds; three $10,000 awards to current high school educators; and three $5,000 awards to current high school students who are judged to exemplify excellence in the field of life sciences. Two high school student awards were presented in 2010. In 2012 and 2013, one $10,000 Distinguished Life Sciences Scientist Award, one $5,000 Life Sciences Educator Award and two $1,000 Life Sciences Student Awards will be presented. $1,000-$10,000. Not Applicable. Not Applicable.