Marquette Student

Earns Prestigious

Goldwater Scholarship

Marquette University student Judd Hultquist, a senior from New

Berlin, WI majoring in biological sciences, was awarded a

Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship - the most prestigious award of

its type for undergraduates in mathematics, the natural sciences

or engineering. The award was presented to Judd in

February 2007.

The Goldwater Scholarship program was established by the United States Congress to foster and encourage excellence in science and mathematics, as well as encourage students to pursue careers in these fields. Goldwater Scholars are selected annually on the basis of academic merit from a field of more than 1,100 mathematics, sciences, and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide.

Hultquist is among 317 Goldwater Scholars selected nationwide on the basis of academic merit. The scholarship provides up to $7,500 per year for college expenses.

Hultquist has been working on a biology research project with faculty mentor Jane Dorweiler, assistant professor of biological sciences for the two years.

“My research focuses on the epigenetic effects of a gene mutation on the maize tassel. Specifically, I am interested in learning how this gene functions to regulate the SBP-box gene family, a family thought to plan an important role in the transition of flowering plants from the vegetative to reproductive state. Very little is known about this gene family in maize, so I aim to identify potential members, examine their expression patterns in developing tassel, and explore how these genes may be regulated in order to bring about floral transition.”

Besides being an excellent scholar, Judd is involved in many programs. He is a member of the Honors Program, Empowerment (a gender equality activist group), and Biology Undergraduate Society (BUS)

After graduation Judd plans on entering the Cellular, Molecular, Developmental Biology and Genetics PhD Program at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.