UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Ryan Henrici, a senior majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology, has been named the 2015 recipient of the Eric A. Walker Award.
The award is presented annually to the student who has contributed most to enhancing the reputation of the University through extracurricular activities. The award is named after the former University president who served from 1956 to 1970.
For the past two years, Henrici has researched the behavioral patterns of a particular protein complex that causes birth defects and cancer. His work in infectious disease research earned him a Marshall Scholarship, which will fund two years of graduate school research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine where he will study malaria and global medicine. Additionally, his research conducted alongside Professor Song Tan has been published in Nature.
Henrici is equally dedicated to elevating his peers. He is currently establishing the first University-wide peer mentoring program to augment faculty advising for freshmen.
“As a student leader in academic scholarship, I hope to be a role model to underclassmen to similarly maximize their undergraduate education and inspire the necessary change for more resources for engaged scholarship,” said Henrici.
Henrici, a native Wayne, Pennsylvania, attained multiple other honors, and is the first Penn State student to be awarded the National Astronaut Scholarship and Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship in the same year.