31 exceptional MIT students named Burchard Scholars for 2014
Students selected to be Burchard scholars
are some of MIT's liveliest undergraduates.
They are unafraid to wrestle with new ideas.
March 9, 2014 — The School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences has named 31
Burchard Scholars can come from any school or department of the Institute, and this year’s honorees major in a range of disicplines, from biology to linguistics, from chemistry and electrical engineering to political science. "What binds the group together," says Margery Resnick, professor of literature and director of the Burchard program, "is a powerful curiosity about ideas."
“The Burchard scholars are some of MIT’s liveliest undergraduates,” she says. “Selection is extremely competitive, and the students chosen are unafraid to wrestle with new ideas.”
Ideas and conversation at dinner seminars
Named in honor of the School's first dean, John Ely Burchard, the Burchard Scholars Program brings undergraduates together with distinguished members of the faculty for a series of eight dinner seminars that reflect the range of research in the School. Past gatherings have featured talks on: the presence of law in everyday life; how American social policies really work; what philosophy tells us about how to make big decisions; political misinformation; and the art of discovery.
“The Burchard dinners are, for faculty and students alike, an oasis in our busy lives,” Resnick notes. “I look forward to every dinner as the powerful ideas generated by our faculty are reflected upon, challenged, and enjoyed by this wonderful group.”
Expanding horizons, in community
The Burchard gatherings are famous not only for presenting leading edge research, but for building a warm, supportive community, and giving students experience in the art of intellectual give-and-take — a skill students value for success in every field.
“Engaging and engaged are defining characteristics of MIT's Burchard Scholars,” Resnick says, noting that many past winners have gone on to receive other distinguished honors, including Rhodes, Marshall, and Truman scholarships and fellowships.
Deborah K. Fitzgerald, Kenan Sahin Dean of the School, congratulated the 2014 Burchard Scholars at a reception held in their honor on February 10, 2104
The 2014 Burchard Scholars are:
Elizabeth Berg ’16
Physics
minor, Literature
Halide Bey ’15
Biology; Political Science
Kathryn Buggs ’16
Economics
minor, Spanish
Matthew Davis ’16
Physics
Alexandriya Emonds ’15
Electrical Engineering; Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Sofia Essayan-Perez ’15
Brain and Cognitive Sciences
minor, Applied International Studies
Hope Flaxman ’16
Chemistry
minor, Economics
Marisa Fryer ’15
Environmental Engineering
minor, Literature
Beth Hadley ’15
Computer Science
minor, Music
John W. Halloran, Jr. ’15
Political Science
Felicia Hsu ’15
Biological Engineering
Emily Kellison-Linn ’16
Computer Science and Engineering
Kelly Kochanski ’15
Physics; Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Science
Emily LaVerriere ’15
Brain and Cognitive Sciences; Biology
minor, Literature
Taibo Li ’15
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Carl Lian ’15
Mathematics
minor, Music
Royal Morris ’15
Comparative Media Studies; Computer Science and Engineering
minor, Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Olivia Murton ’15
Linguistics
Alyssa Napier ’16
Chemistry; Linguistics
Quynh Nguyen ’15
Biology
minor, Ancient & Medieval Studies; Chemistry
Kayvon Pedram ’15
Chemistry
Julie Ramseier ’15
Biological Engineering
minor, Music
Stephen Suen ’15
Comparative Media Studies
Caitlin Tan ’16
Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Phong T. Vo ’16
Physics
Anna Walsh ’16
Computer Science and Engineering
Spencer Wilson ’15
Mechanical Engineering
minor, Comparative Media Studies
Anthony Yu ’16
Economics; Mathematics
Laura Zhang ’15
Mathematics and Computer Science; Writing
minor, Economics
Joanne Zhou ’15
Biology
minor, Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Penghui Zhou ’16
Economics; Computer Science
minor, Psychology
Warm congratulations to all!
Suggested Links
About the Burchard Scholars Program
Former Buchard Scholars
Burchard Scholar Program | Seminar Topics and Special Events
Editorial and Design Director: Emily Hiestand
Writers: Kathryn O'Neill, Emily Hiestand
Communications Assistant: Kierstin Wesolowski
Published March 9, 2014