Marcy Forti ’22 is the latest Union student to be awarded a Goldwater Scholarship, the premiere undergraduate award for students pursuing careers in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering.
Forti is among 410 sophomores and juniors selected for academic merit from among 1,256 students nominated by their colleges and universities nationwide. Each award winner will receive up to $7,500 to cover tuition, fees, books, and room and board at their institution.
A biology major, Forti is working with Nicole Theodosiou, associate professor of biology, on how the spiral intestine forms within the skate (fish). She does this by characterizing when muscles appear in the intestine, and how the pattern of muscles may be contributing to known mechanical forces that shape the spiral.
“In the lab, Marcy thinks and works like an accomplished researcher,” said Theodosiou. “Despite the COVID-19 disruption, she has made important progress in developing new techniques in my lab that will help us answer a new set of experimental questions, and understand how such a fantastic structure forms in the embryo. I am excited that Marcy will be staying in the lab to fulfill her honors thesis work and that her hard work has been recognized with this award.”
Created in 1989, the scholarship honors the memory of U.S. Sen. Barry M. Goldwater.
Of this year’s scholars, 51 are mathematics or computer science majors, 291 are majoring in the natural sciences, and 68 are majoring in engineering.
The Goldwater program boasts an impressive career track record. Scholars have been awarded 94 Rhodes Scholarships, 150 Marshall Awards, 170 Churchill Scholarships and numerous other distinguished fellowships.
Marcy Forti ‘22
Hometown: Knox, N.Y.
Major: Biology
Activities: President of Women's Union, Admissions Ambassador, Greek Life, Order of Omega, Scholar's Program, Chemistry Department Help Center, private tutor
Research: “I study the developmental process of intestinal formation in the little skate. Ultimately this research has biomedical applications, because as an ancient species, skates can teach us about our own embryonic development.”
Career goal: Obtain a Ph.D. in developmental biology and contribute to veterinary and medical research.