Alex Nixon may be studying the small world of nanotechnology, but he has big plans for his future. Now, the Department of Bioengineering, at George Mason University, has rewarded this rising senior with the first-ever Katona Scholarship for Bioengineering Excellence and made his big plans more attainable.

Alexander Nixon (on left) recipient of the first Bioengineering Department named scholarship in honor of Professor Peter Katona (on right). Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services/George Mason University.

The Katona Scholarship for Excellence in Bioengineering is available to rising seniors with a declared major and open to bioengineering students pursuing any concentration within the degree program. The students selected for the scholarship must demonstrate strong academic performance, professional leadership within the university or outside, and exceptional promise for a successful bioengineering career that would benefit society.

Nixon came to Mason for the research opportunities and has enjoyed working in the various campus laboratories. His current project is with the Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine designing a patch to assist in the detection and diagnosis of skin cancers using the center’s nanotrap technology.

After completing his undergraduate degree, Nixon plans on attending graduate school and Mason’s new PhD in Bioengineering is his number one choice.

This article reprinted from materials provided by George Mason University.