P.E.O. SCHOLAR AWARDS | PSA
P.E.O. Scholar Awards is proud to have provided over $32 million in support for 2,730 women in doctoral programs in the U.S. and Canada since its inception. These amazing women are going to change the world! The Scholar Awards Board of Trustees are pleased to announce the selection of Endowed and Named P.E.O. Scholars for the 2022-2023 academic year. We would like to thank the donors of these awards and extend congratulations to each of the recipients and nominating chapters. Endowed awards are supported by gifts in endowment funds administered by the P.E.O. Foundation. Only the interest earned is used for the award; the principal remains intact. Named awards are one-time awards in the amount of a P.E.O. Scholar Award given by individuals or chapters. The complete listing, photos and biographies of all 2022-2023 recipients can be viewed on the Scholar Awards page on the P.E.O. International member website at www.peointernational.org . Named and Endowed ScholarAwards 2022 by Becky Daniel, Chairman, Terry Northcutt and Lisa Cooley, P.E.O. Scholar Awards Board of Trustees
Kristin Barker NOMINATING CHAPTER: PX, San Leandro, California SCHOOL: University of California, Berkeley FIELD OF STUDY: Ecosystem sciences DEGREE: Ph.D.
Andrea Sylvia Biscoveanu NOMINATING CHAPTER: AF, Doylestown, Pennsylvania SCHOOL: Massachusetts Institute of Technology FIELD OF STUDY: Astrophysics DEGREE: Ph.D.
Kristin Barker did not know wildlife ecology existed until after she had already begun a successful career in the software industry. Spending so much time in the office inspired her to volunteer for an outdoor association where she was assigned to help with a bat study. And just like that, she decided to return to school, to a far more challenging and less lucrative career but one where she could influence lives of both animals and people. She focuses on migration ecology, predator-prey interactions and human influences on wildlife behavior. Kristin holds a B.A. in English from the University of Georgia, a B.A. in biology (summa cum laude) from Western State Colorado University, an M.S. in wildlife biology from the University of Montana and now pursues a Ph.D. in ecosystem sciences at the University of California, Berkeley. She explains that “Musicians get to create songs, authors get to create stories and painters get to create art. But scientists get to create knowledge—what could be more exciting than that?” Her goal is to work as a research biologist for a wildlife management agency. Kristin has received the Helen G. Shull Memorial Scholarship.
Andrea Sylvia Biscoveanu’s interest in physics began when her adviser suggested she take a physics class. Her first foray into high-energy astrophysics research solidified her interest in this field, as she was drawn to the challenge of contributing to mankind’s understanding of our universe. She graduated summa cum laude from Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in physics and a B.A. in Spanish. Her current Ph.D. work focuses on gravitational waves. Professors write: “She is the go-to person for pretty much everything because I know she will turn everything into gold”; “her combination of curiosity and the ability to master something new is the mark of a scientist’s scientist”; and from her oral exam committee “this was fun!”, “we kept pushing the edges of her knowledge and couldn’t find any weakness,” and “we could just have her teach our classes now.” Not only is she a top-notch scientist, but also an accomplished violinist who finds time to perform at nursing homes and hospitals. She uniquely leverages both her right and left brain. After graduation, she plans to become a professor at a Ph.D.-granting institution. Sylvia is a Charlotte Mateer Obert Named Scholar.
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September–October 2022 | THE P.E.O. RECORD
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