"Faculty, staff, and students at UMBC constantly motivate me to try new things. At UMBC, I have also been able to explore my non-science interests, both inside and outside of the classroom. These experiences have furthered my development into a well-rounded individual."
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Akua Nimarko
Plans: Ph.D., Neurosciences, Stanford University
Summa Cum Laude
B.S., Biological Sciences; B.S., Psychology
Hometown: Columbia, MarylandWhen Meyerhoff Scholar and valedictorian finalist Akua joined a UMBC research lab at the end of her freshman year, it opened up a world of professional opportunities. Since then, she has presented her research at conferences around the country, been published in Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, and worked in several Ivy League research labs, including Nobel Prize winner Eric Kandel’s lab at Columbia University. These accomplishments enabled her to win the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship, a national scholarship for undergraduates in the sciences. Akua is also involved in many campus organizations, serving as vice president of the Food Recovery Network, a member of the Student Hearing Board, and SUCCESS peer with The Shriver Center. This summer, she will participate in the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, a scientific conference in Germany that brings young researchers together with Nobel prize winners, before starting a neuroscience Ph.D. program at Stanford.