Ashley Blake of Clemson University is heading into summer break as a Goldwater Scholar, one of the nation’s most competitive and prestigious honors for undergraduates pursuing careers in science and engineering.
Blake, who will be a senior in the fall, is majoring in chemical engineering with a concentration in biomolecular engineering.
After graduation, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. and ultimately wants to found her own company, focusing on gene therapy and neuroscience research to help cure neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
“I’m hoping I can help certain people with unimaginable diseases really find a way to live with them,” Blake said.
Blake, who is from Fort Mill, initially chose Clemson because it was in state but learned of the University’s research strength after arriving on campus. She said the opportunities she has had at Clemson played a big role in securing the Goldwater Scholarship.
Two of her key mentors have been Jessica Larsen, the Carol and John Cromer ’63 Family Endowed Associate Professor, and Kimberly Weirich, an assistant professor in materials science and engineering.
Blake has been conducting research into drug-delivery systems with Larsen. The goal is to create a system that would be able to slip past the blood-brain barrier to deliver drugs to parts of the brain where they can be most effective.
David Bruce, chair of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, congratulated Blake on landing the Goldwater Scholarship.
“This is a well-earned recognition of Ashley’s talent, work ethic and commitment to research,” Bruce said. “Earning a Goldwater Scholarship places her among the top undergraduate researchers in the country, and we’re excited to see where her work leads.”
Over the summer, she plans to conduct research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Last summer, Blake conducted research with Stephanie Schubert through a DAAD RISE scholarship at Germany’s Friedrich Schiller University Jena.
Blake is the daughter of Paul and Jenna Blake of Fort Mill.
