FROM THE ALABAMA SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
Mobile, Ala. – Graduating from the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science (ASMS) is not the only thing May Jung of Autauga County is celebrating this week. Jung received news that she is a 2021 Emmy Noether Award Gold Medalists for The Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation. The Emmy Noether Awards seek top aspiring female research scientists in any STEM (science, technology, engineering, or math) field to help realize their potential careers through financial and networking assistance. As a Gold Medalist, Jung will be awarded up to $75,000 for a qualified graduate level research program and will be inducted as a 2021 Emmy Noether Scholar.
As part of the selection process for the award, Jung described her academic interests in environmental engineering, public health, and medicine. She explained to the committee the ASMS Research Fellows program, which boosted her interest in bioremediation. She also shared about the Biomedical Engineering Innovation course she took from Johns Hopkins University and the genetic analysis and database research she conducted under the mentorship of ASMS faculty member Dr. Elisa Rambo. Specifically, Jung is passionate about how a better understanding of environmental sciences, such as watershed ecology or green infrastructure, can help with devising sustainable solutions for disease control and improving human health.
When asked about her reaction to being selected as a Gold Medalist, Jung described, “The award from Emmy Noether will be a tremendous help in funding my graduate school education towards my long-term career goals. The award pushes me to further link my studies in the field of environmental science and public health and provides the encouragement and the resources to actively pursue interdisciplinary research.”
The 2021 Emmy Noether Scholars seek to become leaders in STEM research careers. After graduating from ASMS, Jung will attend Harvard University where in her first year she will most likely study in two different areas: Environmental Science & Engineering and Human Developmental & Regenerative Biology. After graduating from Harvard, Jung hopes to be accepted to a joint M.D. and Ph.D. program where she can further combine her interest in environmental engineering with medicine.
Jung will receive a medal from The Brown Foundation and be honored at the Emmy Noether Award Ceremony.
About ASMS: The Alabama School of Mathematics and Science is the state’s only fully public and residential high school for sophomores, juniors, and seniors pursuing advanced studies in math, science, computer science, and the humanities. ASMS is a research-focused learning community committed to innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and diversity with a mission to empower motivated Alabama students to improve their community, state, and nation. Tuition, room, and board are free. Learn more at asms.net
About the Brown Foundation: The Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation works to alleviate human suffering. Based in Metairie, the Brown Foundation primarily serves the Gulf South but also supports quality programs throughout the United States. The Foundation believes in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and developing new treatments for the sick while assisting with community benefit and human interest programs. The Brown Foundation also directs four educational initiatives: The Emmy Noether Scholars program, a summer camp program, a service learning program that promotes service learning in K-12 schools in Louisiana and Mississippi and a STEM program that supports K-12 STEM curriculum development in Louisiana and Mississippi schools.
