Honors College junior Amanda Bruckstein has been awarded the 2023-2024 George Williams Garrett Memorial Scholarship. Reflecting on winning the scholarship, Bruckstein stated, “I am so grateful for the George Williams Garrett Memorial Scholarship, which is making my Honors thesis project possible.” Bruckstein majors in nutrition and foods with a minor in exercise science. She is working with Dr. Caroline Smith, associate professor in the Department of Public Health and Exercise Science, as both her research mentor and thesis director.
In her thesis, “The Effects of Hyperhydration and Menstrual Cycle Phase on Exercise Performance in Aerobically Trained Women,” Bruckstein aims to examine if there are differences in performance across the menstrual cycle and with individuals who are adequately hydrated (euhydrated) and slightly overhydrated (hyperhydrated). She notes that,
"Historically, women have been underrepresented in research studies. I am really excited to conduct a study involving female subjects and I am hopeful that the data will be beneficial to female athletes.”
Dr. Smith added, “Amanda is incredibly deserving of the George Williams Garrett Memorial Scholarship which is providing the support necessary for her to realize her ambitious research goals. Amanda's immense work ethic, ability to think critically, and dedication to research are exemplary. Her research is a complex project aiming to explore the effects of hyperhydration (consuming slightly excess fluid) versus normal hydration status on performance across the menstrual cycle. This is a highly understudied topic and may have important performance implications, particularly in hot environments.”
Reflecting on her experience in the Honors College, Bruckstein shared,
“The most beneficial part of my Honors education at App State has been my freshman honors seminar, HON 1515: Introduction to Research. The instructor of this course, Dr. Scott Collier, encouraged all students to get involved in research, which has helped enormously with my critical thinking and creating numerous learning opportunities. This is ultimately how I met Dr. Smith, the director of the Thermal and Microvascular Physiology Lab, and the advisor of my Honors thesis project. This class sparked my interest and love for research!”
With Dr. Smith’s support and oversight, she is currently finalizing documents for the Institutional Review Board and reviewing the final itemized budget. This includes planning all equipment, consumables and associated costs necessary to complete the study. The funding from the George Williams Garrett Memorial Scholarship is being used to obtain the necessary consumables and resources.
With a planned graduation of May 2025, Bruckstein will continue working on her thesis through the fall of 2024. She plans to attend a conference during her final semester to present the findings of her thesis research. She also plans to present her research internally within the University as it progresses. Once the research project is complete, they plan to publish the work in a national physiology research journal.
After graduation, Bruckstein plans to pursue a master’s degree in nutrition followed by a dietetic internship. Her long-term career goal is to become a performance dietitian. The George Williams Garrett Memorial Scholarship is helping to make these goals possible.
Mrs. Sheila Garrett established the George Williams Garrett Memorial Scholarship in 2017 in honor of her late husband George Williams Garrett. Mr. Garrett, an Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam, was a mathematician and systems analyst. Mrs. Garrett is a medical technologist whose career spanned 45 years. The Garrett family is devoted to scientific research, especially research focused on medical applications.
The George Williams Garrett Memorial Scholarship provides as much as $2000 support to students in the Honors College at Appalachian pursuing careers in scientific research with preference given to students who are planning to work in medicine or medical research. Honors College students in good standing and performing research in fields related to the biomedical field are eligible to apply. This scholarship supports research and related travel expenses outside of coursework.
The top photo features Amanda Bruckstein. Photo submitted.
