Former Salutatorian Lands Prestigious Scholarship
Hannah Payne, who was salutatorian of Huntington High School’s Class of 2007 and is now a junior at Dartmouth College, has been awarded a prestigious Barry M. Goldwater scholarship for the 2010/11 academic year.
Ms. Payne, who is president of the Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science and who previously served as its editor-in-chief, is double-majoring in neuroscience and engineering science at the Ivy League school. She is one of just 278 current sophomores and juniors in the United States to be recognized by the Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education program.
The Goldwater program aims to provide America with a source of top scientists, mathematicians and engineerd by awarding scholarships to college students who plan to pursue careers in these fields.
“The Goldwater scholarship is a huge honor,” Payne said. “I am grateful to the many people who have helped cultivate my interest in neuroscience and engineering up to this point.”
A selection panel sifted through more than 1,100 scholarship nominations submitted by universities across the country. Recipients were chosen based upon their academic merit. It is regarded as the premier undergraduate award of its type and provides a financial grant of up to $7,500 towards tuition, fees, books, housing and meals.
“The award will be very helpful as I continue research next year, and it confirms my enthusiasm to attend graduate school for neuroscience,” Ms. Payne said.
At Dartmouth, Payne worked as a “Women in Science Project” intern in the lab of Fabio Pellacini, an associate professor of computer science. This year she is participating in the James O. Freedman Presidential Scholars program, working in the lab of Dr. Bucci, an associate professor of psychological and brain sciences.
Members of Dr. Bucci’s lab team are studying the retrosplenial cortex, “a part of the brain that is not well understood, but is thought to be important for learning and memory through the association of multiple cues,” Ms. Payne said.
At Huntington, Ms. Payne participated in the extracurricular, music and athletic programs, earned top grades and was named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist and an Advanced Placement Scholar with distinction. She completed a highly sought after internship at the Cold Spring Harbor Lab and even played violin in the orchestra.
As a senior, Ms. Payne earned the Cold Spring Harbor Lab Research Award, Robert J. Buchanan Award, Edna Van Wart Mathematics Award, Office of State Comptroller Award and Sons of the American Revolution Award.
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