Union College is proud to announce that three of its students, Hannah Baker, Ethan Heck, and Laurel Nolan, have been selected as recipients of the 2023 Appalachian College Association (ACA) Ledford Research Scholarship.

The ACA awards scholarships annually to support students' ongoing educational objectives. Ledford Scholars present their research from a diverse range of fields, including health sciences, social sciences, and humanities.

To fund their research, materials, and travel expenses, the program will provide a stipend to Baker, Heck, and Nolan over the summer. Additionally, each student will receive guidance from a faculty mentor at their home institution.

Assistant Professor of Biology, Libby Megna, will serve as a mentor for Heck. His research will focus on using machine learning to combat racial bias in skin cancer diagnosis. Dr. Fidelis Achenjang, Professor of Chemistry, will mentor both Baker and Nolan in their work on building a knowledgeable database on rat-tailed maggots in Central and Southern Appalachia.

Baker, Heck, and Nolan, along with the other 40 scholars, will present their research in the fall at the ACA's annual summit. The ACA's website will feature video presentations of their research findings.

Baker, who is studying biology, is a junior from Corbin, KY, while Heck and Nolan, also biology majors, are seniors hailing from Pineville, KY.