Within three months of starting Calvin, Nathanael Kazmierczak was side-by-side in a research lab receiving mentorship from chemistry professor Doug Vander Griend. Within a year and a half, Kazmierczak was the first author on a journal publication.

Kazmierczak, a sophomore chemistry and music double major, is the latest Calvin student to be named a Goldwater Scholar, widely considered the top research award for undergraduate students and awarded to only 240 students nationwide.

In addition, junior biochemistry and writing double major Brianna Busscher was one of 307 students nationwide selected as a Goldwater Honorable Mention.

Both Kazmierczak and Busscher say that their Calvin experience has not only deepened their love for research but also equipped them for future explorations.

“Research provides me with a way to use the intellectual gifts God has given me to discover knowledge previously hidden to mankind,” said Kazmierczak. “I believe my research experience at Calvin has given me the scientific understanding and problem-solving ability to be a productive graduate student researcher.”

“Being part of this community played a significant role in my decision to pursue research as a career,” said Busscher. “Beyond learning research skills, I have come to appreciate the beautiful complexity of creation during my time at Calvin. I am continually stunned by how carefully and splendidly God put the world together.”