 "Photo: Matt Lanter | Student Life")
Allyson Gibson, a doctoral candidate in physics in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, was one of 85 women nationwide to receive the prestigious Philanthropic Educational Organization Scholar Award for the 2008-2009 school year.
The $15,000 merit-based award is given to women who are either pursuing a doctoral-level degree or engaged in postgraduate study or research. More than 640 women applied for the award.
In addition, Gibson was one of seven named, endowed scholars receiving the title of Martha Anne Reynolds Endowed Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) Scholar.
Gibson, a fourth-year doctoral candidate who has already received a master’s degree in physics at the University in 2005, studies heart tissue in the developing heart, quantitative cardiovascular tissue characterization on fetal hearts and type II diabetes patients, using ultrasound imaging.
She completed her work under Professors James Miller and Mark Holland.
“Hopefully, [my research] will improve someone’s life someday, if we can improve diabetes [treatments]or understand the developing heart,” Gibson said.
Gibson has received several other awards, including the Department of Physics’ 2008 Shull Prize for Outstanding Teaching Assistant, the 2003 Virgil I. Grissom Astronaut Fellowship and selection to the 2001 USA Today All-Academic Team. She also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels and has helped abused women and children.
As part of her physics research, Gibson participated in projects in the School of Medicine and spent four months working for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. She is also a teaching assistant at the University’s physics department.
Holland, who believes that the award represents how far women have come in scientific disciplines in recent years, said that for Gibson, the award was well deserved.
“She does fine work that reflects very well on her and on our group in general,” Holland said. “Allyson is very easy to work with, very easy to get along. It’s quite pleasing working with her.”
After receiving her doctoral degree, Gibson intends to continue with ultrasound research. The interdisciplinary nature of her research gives her the opportunity to interact with different types of people, she said.
“I want to be at the interface of the medical world and the engineering/technical side,” she said.
P.E.O., founded in 1869, was one of the first organizations dedicated to the advancement of women in education. It supports women’s education through grants, loans and scholarships, and has 250,000 local chapters in the country.
Jan Foster, University staff and longtime member of P.E.O., said that Gibson’s leadership qualifies her for the award.
“She really is going to be a leader in her field, not just in science, but in anything she gets involved in,” Foster said.
With additional reporting by Ben Sales
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