Announcing Emmanuel's 2026 Beckman Scholars: Maya Berg '28 and Precious Kamara '28

The BSP is Berg’s first foray into undergraduate research, but it felt to her like the perfect next step going into her junior year. 

A biotechnology major with a minor in data analytics, she is excited to explore research that aligns with subject matter she’s interested in and can pursue with her skillset – at the intersection of environmental science and human health.

Berg was on her way home for spring break when she found out she’d gotten the scholarship. She said it was great to have a special moment with her parents to deliver the news, especially since they’ve always been her “anchors.”

“This achievement meant a lot – as a first-generation college student, it’s really validating – and assuring me that I’m on the right track,” Berg said.

With Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Natalie Karagodsky as her mentor, Berg is looking into synthetic chemicals, also known as PFAS – which are known to pollute our water and soil – to understand their physiological and biochemical effects. They are observing how PFAS impact a common model organism, tiny worms called C. elegans, and aiming to better understand the molecular signals that indicate the underlying effects of PFAS, as well as which stress signals may protect the worms from PFAS.

“Worms have molecular pathways similar to humans,” Berg explained, “so the lab can potentially find more context on how humans react to PFAS.”

Diving into the lab work has had a bit of a learning curve, because before Berg can dive into her specific portion of the research, she has to get up to speed on the work that has already been done by Dr. Karagodsky and Emmanuel student researchers who have come before her.

“Maya is incredibly hardworking, deeply curious, and brings a fantastic attention to detail in her work,” Dr. Karagodsky said. “What truly sets her apart is her unwavering steadiness – a quality that is invaluable in scientific research. I feel very lucky to have her on the team and can’t wait to see everything she achieves!”

And fortunately for a first-time researcher, Berg said Emmanuel’s labs are the perfect place to learn the ropes.

“All the faculty and students in the lab are so supportive,” she said. “I know I can ask anyone a question there when I need help. Everyone supports each other that way at Emmanuel.”

When looking for colleges that were strong in STEM, that was a key factor, Berg added.

“It’s an intimidating field – which is why I picked a place like this. I wanted a place where I could easily make connections with my professors and peers,” she said.

She plans to continue making progress on lab practices and techniques, but Berg is eager to have this opportunity to hone those skills this summer and beyond. And as she grows her skillset and gets the patterns down, she knows that it will be a huge help in her junior and senior science courses as well.

Kamara always wanted to be a therapist, which led her to studying psychology when she started at Emmanuel – but it was her passion for learning that inspired her to take on a neuroscience major – so she could explore the inner workings of the brain as well as the mind.

“I love to learn things and find the truth in things,” Kamara said, which is why research is so appealing to her in the first place. “I’ll do something multiple times to get it right. Even when I’m roller-skating for example, I will memorize the same curb over and over until I can skate around it.”

For someone so invested in her own learning, the opportunity to apply for the BSP was too good to pass up. At first, she was just taking a chance on herself, but the more time she spent on the application and studying the content of the research, the more Kamara felt like she had to become a Beckman Scholar.

“When I found out, I just felt really proud of myself. All I wanted was to do something meaningful – and to get in on my own merit means a lot,” she said.

Kamara loved being able to celebrate at home with her mom in that moment. As a first-generation college student, Kamara said that her education has always been incredibly important to them both.

Although she’s already gotten involved in psychology-focused research at Emmanuel, this is Kamara’s first wet-lab research opportunity, which she’s loving more and more every day. From the start, she said Dr. Crofton has been a welcoming mentor.

“From our first meeting, Precious was very intellectual and inquisitive, showing strong motivation for research, along with a commitment to making a difference through science,” Dr. Crofton said. “Precious brings a unique perspective and drive to make an impact, particularly through addiction research.”

For the research, Kamara is using mouse models to better understand the underlying mechanisms that contribute to addiction. She intentionally picked a topic that she knew little about to challenge herself – and conveniently, it is one where psychology and neuroscience are intertwined in a number of ways.

Giving the mice a choice between water and alcohol or water and alcohol mixed with caffeine, Kamara is observing how their environment influences that choice. With this info, the research can help inform how and why some people are susceptible to developing alcohol use disorder, and how their environment plays into that process.

Her goal is still to pursue therapy as a career, but also to continue pursuing research while working with a range of people, such as children on the autism spectrum or adults with degenerative diseases.

And when she gets there, Kamara hopes to use her expertise to lean more toward advocacy, too.

“My hope is to be able to represent my community and be a voice for people like me, and to help address the stigma toward therapy and mental health,” Kamara said.

Emmanuel College is committed to conducting high quality animal research in an ethical and responsible manner.