Douglas Swango - Beckman Scholar for 2023-2024

Congratulations to Douglas Swango, who was selected as a 2023-2024 Beckman Scholar!

My name is Douglas Swango. I am a junior from Tucson, Arizona pursuing a double major in Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and a W. A. Franke Honors Student. This scholarship has helped me fund my research and allowed me to participate in research as a job rather than for credit or volunteering, which has really helped me dedicate more time to the work I am doing in the Pascale Charest lab.

By being a Beckman Scholar, I am also in charge of my own project, and taking a more active role in research rather than simply helping a graduate student has shown me more of what a career in research would entail and look like. By making my own decisions about the direction of the project and what I want to find, taking responsibility for my work (the good and the bad!)I, and like I mentioned earlier, giving the project more of my time and effort, I think this scholarship has given me a more complete understanding of what scientific research is I think having a better understanding and appreciation for research has affected my post-graduation plans.

I have gained a greater interest in applying to graduate school and pursuing a PhD in research rather than going to medical or pharmacy school. Of course, topics within pharmaceutical sciences are still of interest to me and exploring different topics within graduate studies such as toxicology, pharmacology, and drug development is something I am interested in, but this scholarship has definitely helped me refine my plans and solidify what I would like to do moving forward.

Something someone may not guess about me upon meeting me is that I am a big sports fan, both of the UArizona professional teams in general. Growing up in Tucson, I was raised as a Wildcat fan, and whether it is a football, basketball, or baseball game, I really enjoy the gameday atmosphere and being part of the crowd! Bear Down!