Clare Boothe Luce was a playwright, journalist, U.S. Ambassador to Italy, and the first woman elected to Congress from Connecticut. In her bequest establishing the Clare Boothe Luce Program, she sought “to encourage women to enter, study, graduate, and teach” in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering. The CBL Program has become one of the single largest sources of private funding for women’s STEM higher education in the United States. Since 1989, the Program has awarded more than $228 million in support of 3,348 women through grants to 210 colleges and universities, including 67 Minority-Serving Institutions.
At Le Moyne College, the Clare Boothe Luce Research Scholars program supports undergraduate women majoring in chemistry, computer science, cybersecurity, mathematics, and physics. The program is designed to motivate and prepare high-potential women for success in graduate school and academic or research careers through engagement in mentored research, networking, and career preparation activities.
For more information about Ambassador Luce, please visit the Henry Luce Foundation website.
Current first-year students, sophomores and juniors may apply for summer 2025 or academic year 2025-26 awards; applications are due by March 14, 2025. Please review all of the Learn More information below and contact Dr. Dixie Blackley, CBL Program Director, to inquire about the program or to request an application (email: [email protected]).
Meet our 2024-2025 CBL Scholars
Katherine Smith '26 is a chemistry major and biology minor from Ogdensburg, NY. This is her first year as a CBL Scholar. Ureas and their derivatives are essential in pharmaceutical development and medicinal chemistry. Katherine’s project focuses on synthesizing novel biphenyl thioureas and testing their properties to determine if they have pharmacological capability for pain remediation and treating central nervous system disorders. Katherine's faculty mentor is Dr. Joe Mullins. Beyond her research interests, Katherine is a member of several clubs on campus and serves as a Stempower mentor. Katherine plans to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry and a career in pharmaceutical chemistry after graduating from Le Moyne.
Olivia Waterbury '26 is a chemistry major and business administration minor from Brewerton, NY. This is her first year as a CBL Scholar. Olivia’s project focuses on synthesizing novel diaryl ureas because their diaromatic structure has activity across multiple Central Nervous System diseases. Ureas are important in the development of medicinal chemistry because they can form stable hydrogen bonds to protein receptors. Olivia's faculty mentor is Dr. Joe Mullins. In addition to her CBL experience, Olivia completed an analytical chemistry research internship at Upstate Freshwater Institute where she analyzed freshwater samples for their varying concentrations of Nitrogen containing compounds. Beyond her research interests, she is a member of the Chemistry Club, Diversabilities Club, and Strength and Fitness Club, and serves as a Stempower mentor. Olivia plans to pursue a master’s degree or Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry after graduating from Le Moyne. She aspires to work in synthesis laboratories making compounds for pharmaceutical drugs.
Meet our 2023-2024 CBL Scholars
Sadie Davis '24 is a chemistry major and Integral Honors student from Liverpool, NY. This is her second year as a CBL Scholar. Her project seeks to alkylate and purify different carbocyclic curcuminoids to obtain unique substructures that hold valuable properties in pharmacology. Sadie's faculty mentor is Dr. Joe Mullins. In addition to her CBL experience, Sadie works as a laboratory assistant in the Chemistry department where she is gaining valuable experience in preparing solutions, setting up experiments, and following safety procedures for handling hazardous chemicals. Beyond her research interests, Sadie leads Organic Chemistry Workshops, participates in the ERIE21 program, and serves as a Stempower mentor. Sadie plans to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry after graduating from Le Moyne. Click here to learn more about Sadie's experience as a 2022-2023 CBL Research Scholar.
Zoe Genant '24 is a chemistry major and mathematics minor from Parish, NY. This is her second year as a CBL Scholar. Her project focuses on synthesizing biphenyl thioureas and guanidines to obtain molecules with modified substituents and studying their properties to determine whether they have pharmaceutical potential for the treatment of central nervous system disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. Zoe's faculty mentor is Dr. Joe Mullins. In addition to her CBL experience, Zoe participated in a summer 2022 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at Syracuse University where she synthesized short peptides, tested their capabilities to catalyze reactions, and studied the 𝛽-sheet amyloid structures of the self-assembling peptides, eventually finding a peptide capable of catalyzing a retro-aldol reaction. Beyond her research interests, Zoe serves as a Stempower mentor and as treasurer of Dolphins Connect with Homeless Outreach, and participates in several other student clubs. After graduating from Le Moyne, Zoe plans to take a gap year, and then pursue a Ph.D. or a combined M.D.-Ph.D. program.
Katya Germakovski '25 is a computer science major and mathematics minor from Baldwinsville, NY. Their faculty mentor is Dr. Aparna Das. Katya began their CBL project in the spring 2024 semester, and will continue this work in fall 2024. Their project seeks to make coding faster and easier by exploring the possible benefits of various naming and formatting conventions. In addition to their CBL experience, Katya interned with the Atla Equipment Company in 2022, creating warehouse and database related applications, and participated in a summer 2023 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at the University of Texas at Austin, creating data visualizations in JavaScript. After graduating from Le Moyne, Katya plans to work in industry for a few years and then pursue a Ph.D. in Neural Engineering.
Meet our 2022-2023 CBL Scholars
Brittany Cripps '23 is a chemistry major and mathematics minor from Hilton, NY. She is continuing work she began as a
2021-2022 CBL Research Scholar with
Dr. Joe Mullins, her faculty mentor. Brittany's CBL project focuses on the urea functional group, a structural feature in many compounds that demonstrate promise for the treatment of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. Her poster presentation at the regional meeting of American Chemical Society in October 2022 offered a valuable opportunity to share their results with other researchers. In addition to her CBL experience, Brittany participated in a summer 2022 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at the University of Rochester and a summer 2021 REU at Syracuse University. Beyond her research interests, Brittany mentors first-year chemistry majors through the
Stempower program and participates in the different off-campus excursions that Le Moyne offers (e.g., visiting the Baltimore Aquarium, white water rafting in the Adirondacks). Brittany is currently employed at Bausch & Lomb, with later plans to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Rochester.
Bryanna Howes '23 is a chemistry major and criminology minor from Gansevoort, NY. She is continuing work she began as a
2021-2022 CBL Research Scholar with
Dr. Anna O'Brien, her faculty mentor. Her research focuses on synthesizing a ligand and determining a reproducible procedure for purification with the goal of complexing it with chosen metals to create a thin film to coat electronic film chips for electronic devices. In addition to her CBL experience, Bryanna participated in a summer 2021 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at Syracuse University where she contributed to two projects: (1) Air Force-funded research related gunshot wound technology that resulted in a
co-authored publication; and (2) research focused on a hydrogel for Crohn’s fistulas that also resulted in a
co-authored publication. Beyond her research interests, Bryanna engages with campus life through ERIE21,
Stempower, and several student clubs and also contributes to the Syracuse community through volunteer activities. Bryanna is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Forensic Science and Management at the SUNY Albany. From there, she hopes to work in a lab as a toxicologist, or in a similar concentration.
Sadie Davis '24 is a chemistry major and Integral Honors student from Liverpool, NY. She continued as a CBL Research Scholar for a second year. Read more about her project above.
Zoe Genant '24 is a chemistry major and mathematics minor from Parish, NY. She continued as a CBL Research Scholar for a second year. Read more about her project above.