Undergraduate Women in Math and Sciences Earn Clare Boothe Luce Research Awards
CBL Awards provide women undergraduates with the opportunity to work on an advanced research project in computer science, mathematical sciences or physical science.
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – In keeping with its strategic goals of creating more opportunities for student success and of investing in its science programs, Iona College is pleased to announce the selection of seven undergraduate students for the prestigious Clare Boothe Luce Research (CBL) Scholar awards for Summer 2019.
The CBL research awards recognize the accomplishments of a group of women undergraduates and provide them with the opportunity to deepen their education by working on an advanced research project in computer science, mathematical sciences or physical science. Each student will work closely with a faculty research mentor throughout the award period.
The award is enabled by a grant awarded to Iona College from the Henry Luce Foundation to support Iona women undergraduate students who are majoring in the physical sciences, mathematics and computer science – fields where women have been historically underrepresented nationally. Since its first grants in 1989, the Clare Boothe Luce Program has become one of the single most significant sources of private support for women in science, mathematics and engineering in the United States.
"I secured the Clare Boothe Luce (CBL) Research Scholarship for Iona College in 2018, with the goal of expanding the catalytic impact that undergraduate scholarly activities have made all across the campus, instilling into future generations of students the value of scholarly and creative endeavor," said Sunghee Lee, Ph.D., Board of Trustees Endowed Professor. "This award of $120,000 from the Henry Luce Foundation supports Iona women undergraduate students who are studying in fields where women have been historically underrepresented."
"This summer is the second year of this prestigious grant, and I am very proud to name seven highly qualified women scientists as CBL Research Scholars," Dr. Lee added. "These students will be deeply involved in scholarly activities with Iona faculty all throughout the summer 2019. I am confident that all CBL scholars at Iona will blossom into life-long learners who value inquisitiveness and knowledge."
Dr. Lee has worked tirelessly and successfully to bring Iona undergraduates, particularly women, into the sciences and has provided students with extensive professional experiences, such as publication of their work, research with scientists and professors, and access to grants and awards.
2019 Clare Boothe Luce Research Scholars:
Althea Chokwe
Class of 2022
Major: Computer Science
Mentor: Jongwook Kim, Ph.D., Computer Science
Frances Hoey
Class of 2022
Major: Mathematics and Physics
Mentor: Abigail Bishop, Ph.D., Mathematics and Physics
Kathryn Kenny
Class of 2020
Major: Computer Science
Mentor:Jongwook Kim, Ph.D., Computer Science
Summer Pabon
Class of 2021
Major: Chemistry
Mentor:Marius Draeger, Ph.D., Organic Chemistry
Dennise Romero
Class of 2020
Major: Chemistry
Mentor: Kathleen Kristian, Ph.D., Inorganic Chemistry
Marnie Skinner
Class of 2020
Major: Chemistry/Biochemistry
Mentor: Sunghee Lee, Ph.D., Biophysical Chemistry
Samantha Zurbriggen
Class of 2022
Major: Chemistry/Biochemistry
Mentor: Sunghee Lee, Ph.D., Biophysical Chemistry
ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of more than 50,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona is widely recognized in prestigious rankings, including The Princeton Review’s 2025 national list of “The Best 390 Colleges” and The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse’s “2024 Best Colleges in America,” which ranked Iona at #66 in the nation overall and #8 in the nation among Catholic schools. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just six percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review recognized Iona’s on-campus MBA program as a “Best Business School for 2023.” Iona also offers a fully online MBA program for even greater flexibility. In July 2021, Iona announced the establishment of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, which is now principally located on Iona’s Bronxville campus in collaboration with NewYork-Presbyterian. Connecting to its Irish heritage, the University also recently announced it is expanding abroad with a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.