A fellowship from the National Science Foundation allowed Stephanie Walter '08, of Syracuse, NY, not only to pursue independent research in chemistry, but also to learn about the environment and culture of Thailand. Walter, a chemistry major and graduate of William Nottingham High School, was awarded a Research Experience for Undergraduates fellowship to study in Bangkok, in a 10-week program at Chulalonghorn University in the summer of 2007. The program is administered through the University of California at Santa Cruz.

Walter is a member of the women's lacrosse team, the leadership honorary Omicron Delta Kappa, the chemistry honor society and the national academic honor society Phi Beta Kappa, and she serves as president of the campus chapter of the American Chemical Society.

"I lived in Bangkok and worked alongside Thai graduate students at Chulalongkorn University," Walter says. "My research focused on optimizing a sensitive and efficient detection method for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), which are single-base mutations that are common in the human genome. Detection of SNPs can assist in predicting hereditary diseases and lead to developing personalized medical treatments.

“Over the summer,” she continues, “I became good friends with the Thai students I was working with and was able to travel all over Thailand on weekends and really learn about the culture. It was an amazing opportunity, unlike anything I've ever experienced before. I would love to go back. I encourage others to travel to Thailand."