Hi! My name is Bryce Machalek and I am the lead ambassador for the Henson Honors Program. I’m a biology major in the biotechnology track, which basically means I’m not pre-med. I envision myself ultimately getting a Ph.D. and being a principal investigator with my own lab. I’m especially interested in finding ways to combat antibiotic resistance and persistence.
I’m a member of the Henson Science Honors Program. I participated in a first year Living Learning Community (LLC) focused on environmental science, and a sophomore LLC focused on education. I’m involved in the Honors Student Association, which does volunteer and service work, has seasonal parties, and is a great way to connect with fellow honors students. I believe my involvement in the honors program set me apart as a candidate for a summer research internship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD. I spent the summer of 2022 working in a microbiology laboratory at NIH. My research focused on the interactions between two species of opportunistic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) that are associated with cystic fibrosis.
I’m a graduate of the Presidential Citizen Scholars Program (PCS) cohort of 2023, which emphasizes community service and civic engagement. As a PCS scholar, I regularly volunteered during community events in downtown °®Æï¼§. For the PCS capstone project, two other students and I sought to prevent some of downtown °®Æï¼§’s surface runoff from polluting the Chesapeake Bay. We worked with the City of °®Æï¼§ and several nonprofit groups to remove asphalt from an unused parking lot at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland and replace it with garden soil and native white oak trees, which will absorb stormwater, clean the air, and provide shade.
I’m also vice president of the Starnet Society, affectionately nicknamed the “Nerd Club,” which focuses on gaming, sci-fi, fantasy and anime.
I grew up in Potomac, MD and attended Montgomery County Public Schools. I’d be happy to tell you about my experience at SU, the Henson Honors Program, LLCs, PCS, and student-run clubs.