Fellows are students under the age of 18 who have completed a
significant piece of work in science, mathematics, technology, music,
literature, philosophy or outside the box. The work of a Davidson Fellow must have the potential to make a
positive contribution to society. Since 2001, 146 Davidson Fellows
have been recognized by the Davidson Institute and each Fellow has
received a $50,000, $25,000 or $10,000 scholarship.
Positive contributions to society
made by the 2009 Davidson Fellows include:
- Developing a
system to identify bone marrow donors in a fraction of the time
and cost than previous methods; potential for use with organ
methods of identifying low-energy paths for spacecraft.
computer simulations to determine how various patterns affect an
epidemic’s spread across a social network.
- Studying an
enzyme in the bacteria that causes staph infections with results
that could lead to new antibiotics.
mankind’s best achievements through music.
- Creating a
literary portfolio exploring different facets of distance in
arsenic metabolism in Bangladeshis to find ways to treat longtime
a molecular mechanism showed to influence breast cancer cell
proliferation & migration.
- Creating a
metamaterials negative index refraction lens with applications in
stealth technology and radio frequency signal switching.
- Developed a
data storage technique by exploring nanofabrication methods for
spintronics with applications in nanotechnology and
the foundation of evil through a graduate-level philosophy
of Davidson Fellows recognized since 2001 include:
Inventing a new type of solar panel
Improving the mathematics of digital
signal representations used in cell phones and music players;
Designing a computer model to aid
physicians in patient diagnosis;
Research in the field of number
theory, with results that have broad implications in cryptography,
specifically to protect against identity theft.
Used antimicrobial properties from
bees’ honeystomachs to create a preventative measure protecting
honeybees from the fatal American Foulbrood Disease (AFB), which
affects the pollination of billions of dollars in agriculture crops
Developed a new drug delivery method
to increase the efficiency of chemotherapy treatments, thereby
controlling tumors in areas where surgery is not an option.
Developed an effective method of
treating malignant glioma, the deadliest form of brain cancer,
combining chemotherapy and gene therapy.
Researched the physics of dust
particles to aid in the design of exploration and support systems for
Martian spaceflight missions.
Investigated the relationships of
specific proteins in the human immune system in order to develop more
effective treatments for HIV patients.
Researched the effects of residual
pesticides on human breast cells and neurons
Performed advanced musical
compositions for piano, cello and violin at Carnegie Hall and the
Created a literary portfolio focused
on deepening our understanding of human responses to grief
Discovered new insights in how DNA
“bends” under certain circumstances to form RNA, providing a
foundation for future research in nanotechnology and biocomputation.
Confirmed the existence of a
super-massive black hole in a neighboring galaxy found by analyzing
NASA data studying the amount of radiation emitted from Centaurus A.
Discovered a biological connection
as to why people gravitate toward religion.
Developed mathematical modeling of
gasoline sprays to reduce automobile emissions.
Utilized the herb fenugreek as a
cost-effective, safe and natural way to preserve fruits and
vegetables, and as a non-toxic water purifier.