Dear Members of ARCS Oregon Chapter,

I’m writing to thank each and every one of you for your generous support in the form of the ARCS Foundation Oregon Chapter Scholar Award. This amazing award has already helped me through my first quarter at the University of Oregon, not only through ensuring my financial health, but also in knowing that I have the support of an organization that has confidence in my abilities and potential.

This quarter I rotated in the lab of Dr. Jim Prell. With his lab group, I gained hands-on experience using the state-of-the-art technique of native mass spectrometry, on which I organized and presented a short talk. This experience has allowed me to learn about a field of study that had been very new to me. Another exciting opportunity for me to gain new experience will take place during the Winter quarter, when I will be rotating in the lab of Dr. Cathy Wong, learning to use laser techniques to study materials used in solar cells.

Throughout this initial year of graduate school, as I consider with excitement how best to proceed, I am grateful for the confidence you have placed in me and the support that you have provided. For this I would like to thank you, and express how honored I am that I have been chosen for such support. I look forward to future opportunities to thank the members of ARCS Oregon in person, and to providing future correspondence on my activities.

Sincerely,

Michael L. Crawford

First Year Scholar, Dept. of Chemistry, University of Oregon