BCBP offers five undergraduate scholarships: Nelson #1, Nelson #2, Pace, Tsutsui and Deere Scholarships. Each year we award $1000 ($500 per semester) to one or more outstanding students per scholarship. Scholarships are only available to current students and the criteria for each scholarship are listed on the application.
Submitting scholarship applications
2023 Scholarship Applications Submissions dates: April 10 – May 10
- Application—Once available fill in all fields of the application and upload the supporting documents listed below:
- Scholarship Activities Sheet Template (failure to use the template will result in disqualification).
- Essay—Please describe your research experience and explain how you plan to use your degree in the future.
- One letter of recommendation.
- For the Tsutsui & Pace Scholarships, the letter can be from any faculty member.
- For the Nelson #1 and Nelson #2 and Deere Scholarships, the letter must be from your research supervisor.
- Do not include your name or UIN on the attached documents.
- If you need to make any corrections to the information you submitted, please contact the Biochemistry and Biophysics Undergraduate Office at biobiougradadv@tamu.edu and they will make the changes for you.
List of scholarships and awards
Nestor Bottino Outstanding Senior Award
Prof. Nestor Bottino’s contributions to the Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics were many and his abiding interest curricula development and the undergraduate teaching programs. A long valued member of our community, Prof. Bottino came to Texas A&M University as a postdoc with Dr. Raymond Reiser before continuing as a teacher and scientist until his death is 1983. Named in his memory, this award was established to recognize the academic excellence of undergraduate students.
To be considered for this award, you must be a biochemistry or genetics major graduating in the current academic year (e.g., May, August, or December). Students must first be nominated by a faculty member, lecturer, or current student. A call for nominations is sent to all faculty members and current students in February. The recipient of this award will receive a plaque and $150 and be announced at the Departmental Graduation Reception in the spring.
Linda Fisher Memorial Scholarship
The Linda Fisher Memorial Scholarship is offered to students participating in study abroad. If you are a biochemistry or genetics student, will be studying abroad, and would like to apply for the Linda Fisher Memorial Scholarship, please send an email to the Biochemistry and Biophysics Undergraduate Office at: biobiougradadv@tamu.edu.
Nancy M. and Brock D. Nelson #1
This scholarship awards full-time students in good standing pursuing a degree in biochemistry or genetics. In addition, students that are classified as juniors exhibiting excellence in research and academics are preferred.
Nancy M. and Brock D. Nelson #2
This scholarship awards full-time students in good standing. Students from out-of-state are preferred. This award is only available to BICH or GENE majors.
Dr. Ethel Ashworth Tsutsui
This scholarship awards full-time female students in good standing. This award is only available to BICH or GENE majors.
Dr. Nick Pace
This scholarship awards full-time students in good standing. This award is only available to BICH or GENE majors.
Dr. Michelle Williams Deere
The Dr. Michelle Williams Deere ’92 Endowed Scholarship was established in 2022 and recognizes the research accomplishments of students majoring in genetics who are entering their junior year. To be eligible for this award, you must be a Genetics major in academic good-standing, apply during the Spring semester of your sophomore year, be conducting molecular genetics research in the laboratory of a faculty member in the Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, or be scheduled to enter the laboratory no later than the Fall semester of your junior year. Though not a requirement, preference will be given to students who are the first in their family to attend college (i.e., first-generation student) and who graduated from a high school in Leander, TX, especially Vista Ridge High School. The recipient of this scholarship will receive $500 in both the Fall and Spring semesters of their junior year, for a total of $1000 over the two semesters.
University and College-level Awards
- Senior Merit Award
- Earl Rudder Memorial Outstanding Student Award
- Dean’s Outstanding Award
- Barry Goldwater Scholarship
- LAUNCH Undergraduate Research


