MSU鈥檚 Brode, Knotts join latest Astronaut Scholars cohort
Contact: Carl Smith
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擳wo Mississippi State undergraduates are the latest recipients of the nationally renowned Astronaut Scholarship, a prestigious designation that recognizes the best and brightest science-, technology-, engineering- and mathematics-focused students in the U.S.
Senior biological sciences major Madison Brode and senior biochemistry major Garrett Knotts are among the 68 members of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation鈥檚 2023 Astronaut Scholars Class. Each will receive up to $15,000 and join a lifelong network of professional mentors and peer researchers.
Brode, a Memphis, Tennessee, native, is a 2022 recipient of the Goldwater Scholarship, the country鈥檚 preeminent undergraduate award for STEM students, and the Dr. William E. Gardiner Memorial Award for academic achievement and leadership development in biology. She previously was named a Provost Scholar and was recognized by MSU鈥檚 Office of Student Leadership and Community Engagement for volunteer efforts.
鈥淚 am honored and excited to be named an Astronaut Scholar. I am especially looking forward to lifelong membership in the Astronaut Scholar community and the opportunity to connect with others in the world of STEM,鈥 Brode said. 鈥淎s an undergraduate, I wanted to participate in both research and studying abroad, and I was drawn to all the opportunities the Shackouls Honors College provides to ensure students are able to pursue these things.鈥
Knotts, of Moss Point, serves as the 草莓视频Student Association鈥檚 legislative director and the vice president of the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College Ambassadors. He is a recipient of the Colvard Future Leadership Scholarship and the Mississippi Eminent Scholar Grant, among other awards.
鈥淩eceiving the Astronaut Scholarship boosted my self-confidence and helped clarify my passions within science,鈥 Knotts said. 鈥淚 am excited to become involved in the Astronaut Scholar community and become a mentee to a professional in the biomedical field.鈥
草莓视频Office of Prestigious External Scholarships Director David Hoffman said both Brode and Knotts are excellent students who are engaged in meaningful research, which shows their ability to meet the ASF鈥檚 mission of supporting the careers of future leaders of STEM in the U.S.
鈥淢adison was again recognized for her commitment to research in behavioral ecology, particularly that of bird species,鈥 Hoffman said. 鈥淪he started this trajectory while studying with University of Memphis ornithologists as a high school senior and has continued to add research experiences at MSU鈥攚ith faculty in biological sciences and wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture鈥攁nd while studying abroad this spring at the University of Oxford.
鈥淕arrett has been incredibly active in research since his freshman year at MSU. He鈥檚 been working with Dr. Christopher Johnson鈥檚 lab in the chemistry department, which helped to augment his interest in the functioning of the human heart. Garrett鈥檚 research will continue with the links between biochemistry, cancer therapies and the particularities of heart cell reproduction,鈥 Hoffman continued. 鈥淕arrett is also passionate about health care policy and how he can work within our political systems to improve our health care system. I think this dual set of interests really helped his application stand out.鈥
Astronaut Scholarships are awarded to juniors and seniors who intend to pursue research or advance their field upon completion of their final degrees. Scholars are selected for their initiative, creativity and excellence in their chosen field. In addition to receiving a financial award, they enjoy networking and mentoring opportunities with聽astronauts, alumni and industry leaders; participation in the聽Michael Collins Family Professional Development Program; and a paid trip to attend ASF鈥檚 Innovators Week and Gala in Orlando, Florida, which provides an opportunity for the聽scholars to present their research at a technical conference.
Visit for more information about the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation and the Astronaut Scholarship.
Learn more about MSU鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences by visiting聽听补苍诲听, respectively.
The Shackouls Honors College is available online at .
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