Rider Professor Receives $3K Grant From National Science Society

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ — An assistant professor at Rider University will receive a $3,000 grant from the Society for Science & the Public, the society announced this week. Jamie Ludwig, of Lawrenceville, is one of 50 advocates from across the country who will share in $164,000 in grants.

Advocates are educators and scientists supported by the Society’s Advocate Grant Program. They will expand opportunities for underrepresented and low-income students by helping them to develop STEM projects that can then be entered into science research competitions, an entryway to higher education and STEM careers.

Ludwig, who teaches organic chemistry and biochemistry courses, has been actively involved in scientific outreach since her undergraduate days. Most recently, she has served as the program director for the Rider Project SEED program.

Each summer, three local high school students are invited to Rider University to engage in research with chemistry faculty on a variety of projects. Last year was Ludwig’s first year with the program. She was able to help those SEED students prepare their projects for competition in the local Mercer County Science Fair. She looks forward to expanding her Advocate efforts this year.

In addition to the stipend, Ludwig will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, DC for the Advocate Training Institute. There, she will learn best practices, connect with other Advocates and received training from Society staff. Throughout her one-year term, she will connect with other Advocates and Society staff in-person and through conference calls, ensuring continued support and vital training.

“By building an awareness of science research opportunities and science competitions, the Society’s Advocates are setting students up to realize their full potential in STEM fields,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of the Society for Science & the Public and Publisher of Science News. “The program opens the door for all students, regardless of background, to have the opportunity to gain critical exposure to build a career in science. The Advocate Grant Program is making way for future leaders.”

The advocates program has been around for four years, and has grown each year. It launched in 2015 with nine advocates. The following year saw an increase to 31, and last year, there were 45. It is funded by the Arconic Foundation, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, and Regeneron.

Of the 50 Advocates, seven have been selected as Lead Advocates, who will receive an additional $2,000 to oversee a cohort of newer Advocates. Cohorts typically include six to eight Advocates and they are loosely grouped based upon program type. This year’s Lead Advocates are:
1. Laurel Bingman, Northbrook High School, Houston, Texas
2. Charmain Brammer, SUCCESS Academy DSU, St George, Utah
3. Jennifer Claudio, Oak Grove High School, San Jose, California
4. Priscilla Lumbreras, Granbury High School, Granbury, Texas
5. Douglas Masterson, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
6. Elizabeth Proctor, Jasper County High School, Monticello, Georgia
7. Brenda Rubenstein, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island

2018-2019 Advocates:
1. Marvin Bayro, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2. Maya Bhagat, Franklin Learning Center, Philadelphia Pennsylvania
3. Cheyenne Branscum, Shawnee Middle School, Shawnee, Oklahoma
4. Denise Caceres, Philadelphia High School for Girls, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
5. Celia Castellanos, Foshay Learning Center, Los Angeles, California
6. Carrie Cox, Oak Grove High School, Chamberlain, South Dakota
7. Jennifer Donnelly, Union City High School, Union City, New Jersey
8. Amy Douglas, Captain Shreve High School, Shreveport, Louisiana
9. Creighton Edington, Media Arts Collaborative Charter School, Albuquerque, New Mexico
10. Errik Ejike, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska
11. Conrad Faine, American Senior High School, Hialeah, Florida
12. Lisa Franchetti, Carver High School for Engineering and Science, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
13. Shannon Fraser, Priest River Lamanna High School, Priest River, Idaho
14. Mark Friedman, LA Maritime Institute/Animo High School, Inglewood, California
15. Constantina Green, Lower Richland High School, Hopkins, South Carolina
16. Cynthia Hopkins, Kaffie Middle School, Corpus Christi, Texas
17. Tinika Jackson, Eastern Senior High School, Washington, District of Columbia
18. Merridith Joly, Washington Technology Magnet School, St. Paul, Minnesota
19. Stephanie Jones, Benjamin E. Mays High School, Atlanta, Georgia
20. Vincent Joralemon, Frank McCourt High School, New York, New York
21. Kehkashan Khan, CCA Academy, Chicago, Illinois
22. Frank LaBanca, Westside Middle School Academy, Danbury, Connecticut
23. Mindy Levine, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island
24. Jamie Ludwig, Rider University, Lawrenceville, New Jersey
25. Reny Mathew, Greyhills Academy High School, Tuba City, Arizona
26. Samantha McCubbins, Karen Wagner High School / TSTEM Academy, San Antonio, Texas
27. Pradip Misra, Bagdad High School, Bagdad, Arizona
28. Andrew Moore, Port Huron High School Port Huron, Michigan
29. Deborah Morgan, South Sevier High School, Monroe, Utah
30. Alexis Mychajliw, La Brea Tar Pits & Museum, Los Angeles, California
31. Marteen Nolan. Crocker R-2 High School, Crocker, Missouri
32. Lorraine O'Shea, Valley Middle School, Grand Forks, North Dakota
33. Heather Overkamp, I. C. Norcom High School, Portsmouth, Virginia
34. Pamela Patterson-Anhalt, Shawano Community High School, Shawano, Wisconsin
35. Ashley Poloha Wellborn, Pasadena Memorial High School, Pasadena, Texas
36. Chris Reeves, Camdenton High School, Camdenton, Missouri
37. Jeanne Richardson, Graham Junior High School, Graham, Texas
38. Devon Riter, Lower Brule Research/Lower Brule Tribal School, Lower Brule, South Dakota
39. Sunada Roberts, SciTech High School, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
40. Tracy Rumbaugh, Omaha Central High School, Omaha, Nebraska
41. Diana Techentien, Guardian Catholic School, Jacksonville, Florida
42. Kiwanna Wade, Helena-West Helena Schools, West Helena, Arkansas
43. Carolyn Walling, Iowa City West High School, Iowa City, Iowa

The attached image of Jamie Ludwig was provided