Whitworth Chemistry Professor Receives Fulbright Award to Conduct Important Research in Norway
The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program, fostering mutual understanding through academic and cultural exchange around the world.
As part of the award, Wheeler will collaborate with scientists at the University of Oslo to investigate how amino acids, the fundamental building blocks of proteins, assemble to form new materials.
“I'm excited about this opportunity to immerse myself in another culture while working alongside international scientists exploring the intricacies of molecular organization in crystals – efforts that will help shape the next generation of materials,” Wheeler says. “It will also be a deeply meaningful experience, rich with opportunities to bring these lessons home and connect our students and community to the wider scientific world.”
"Dr. Wheeler's selection as a Fulbright Scholar is a remarkable honor that is well deserved," says Erica Salkin, dean of the College of Arts, Sciences & Education. “This is an opportunity that will benefit so many. Dr. Wheeler will expand his groundbreaking research, learning from and contributing to his international collaborators. He will bring new ideas back to his faculty colleagues in chemistry, a remarkable group of scholars in their own right. And he will share what he has learned with his students through his unwavering commitment to undergraduate student development and mentorship and Whitworth’s mind-and-heart mission.”
The Fulbright appointment complements a recently awarded National Science Foundation (NSF) grant of more than $400,000 supporting Wheeler’s project, “RUI: Peptide Quasiracemates.” The project entails using a range of advanced scientific methods and computational analysis.
A key component of the NSF grant is expanding research opportunities for undergraduate students. Whitworth students will participate in every stage of the scientific process, from laboratory synthesis and physical characterization to hypothesis testing, data analysis, conference presentations and manuscript preparation.
In addition to supporting undergraduate research, the project will engage local high school students and educators in STEM-focused research experiences designed to increase interest in science and technology fields.
The grant will also strengthen Whitworth’s Crystallography Center, established by Wheeler, enhancing its role as a research resource for students and faculty from smaller colleges and universities throughout the region.
About Whitworth University:
Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private Christian liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Contacts:
Trisha Coder, associate director of media relations, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu.
