Campbellsville University

Campbellsville University student receives Appalachian College Association Ledford Scholarship

Campbellsville University student receives Appalachian College Association Ledford Scholarship

By Ariel C. Emberton | 04/14/2021

Campbellsville University student receives Appalachian College Association Ledford Scholarship

Scheyer works in one of the labs at Campbellsville University on the KCNE3 research. The scholarship he received will assist with his research over the next year. (Campbellsville University Photo by Ariel C. Emberton)

By Ariel C. Emberton, staff writer/photographer, Office of University Communications

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - Matthew Scheyer, a junior of Knifley, Ky. majoring in chemistry and minoring in physics, has been selected as a recipient of the Appalachian College Association's Ledford Scholarship.

Dr. Steven Alston, chair of the Division of Natural Science and professor of physics, said it is a great honor for the university to have a student be selected as a recipient of the Ledford Scholarship.

Scheyer said Dr. Indra Sahu, assistant professor of physics, encouraged him to apply to the summer scholarship program. “He helped make sure everything I submitted for the scholarship was well written,” Scheyer said.

In order to qualify for the scholarship, Scheyer had to submit an abstract of the research he will be working on this summer along with letters of recommendation from the chief academic officer at the university and Sahu. “The last thing needed to qualify for this scholarship is to agree to present your summer research findings on your campus in the fall semester,” Scheyer said.

He said the award will help offset the cost of the chemicals needed for his summer research, as well as provide him with a stipend to use during the summer so he can focus primarily on research instead of looking for a summer job.

“I will be conducting research using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to study the structural and dynamic properties of KCNE3 membrane protein in different membrane environments. This will be conducted under the supervision of Dr. Sahu and the KCNE3 research group at Dr. Sahu's research laboratory.

“Each member of the research group will also be working on their own research revolving around KCNE3. The advanced EPR laboratory at Miami University will also be used to collect some of the EPR data used in my summer research,” Scheyer said.

Research for some amino acid sites for the KCNE3 in various mimic membrane environments will be completed by the beginning of August. Research on the structural and dynamic properties of other amino acid sites of KCNE3 will be completed over the course of the coming year.

During his summer research, Scheyer will have help from Sahu, William David Carbo, Conner Campbell, Mustakim Hussian, Afsana Begum, Isaac Asare and Patrick Logan William.

“I believe that anyone interested in summer research should apply to this scholarship. This scholarship allows the student researcher to learn and experience research without having the worries of school or a job,” Scheyer said.

There were 44 scholars named this year for the 35 institutions that make up the ACA and enroll 77,000 students.

Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 13,500 students offering over 100 programs of study including Ph.D., master, baccalaureate, associate, pre-professional and certification programs. The website for complete information is www.campbellsville.edu.