Danny Brower Memorial Scholarship Winner 2021 - Erika Haws

“The financial support provided by the Danny Brower Scholarship is very helpful and will allow me to spend my final semester focusing on learning and completing my honors thesis. Just as importantly the validation and the support of the MCB department are incredible. It means so much to me that others believe in my ability to succeed!” said Erika Haws about winning the Danny Brower Scholarship.

The Danny Brower Memorial Scholarship was established by the department of Molecular and Cellular Biology in the College of Science to honor the professional accomplishments of Danny Brower, Professor and scientist for over 25 years at the University of Arizona.  Danny took great joy in watching young students become captivated with scientific research, both in the laboratory and the classroom. In Danny’s first year as an undergraduate at Stanford, he was enrolled in naval ROTC to help finance his education. He soon discovered that there were other ways to fund his interest in biology. Consequently, Danny was happy to provide research opportunities in his lab for numerous undergraduates and would be thrilled to know that this scholarship will help keep young scientists in the laboratory. In addition to his many contributions to undergraduate education, Danny was widely recognized as an accomplished scientist and academician, as demonstrated by his numerous publications and service as the Head of Molecular and Cellular Biology.

Haws knew from an early age that she wanted to pursue a college degree and that she would do so in one of the sciences. From an early age, she was fascinated by many science related topics, so deciding which discipline was right for her was challenging. “How could I limit myself and choose just one subject to commit to when so many things piqued my interest?” she pondered. While attending Mesa Community College she took many exploratory classes trying to discover where her true interests lie when she unexpectedly discovered a passion for molecular and cellular biology after attending the Mesa Community College Special Projects course. “When I walked into that little biotechnology laboratory at my community college it was like love at first sight. It smelled of ethanol and LB agar, occupants donned crisp white lab coats, and there was a sense of order that appealed to me on a deep level. I was briefed by the man who is now my fiancé on the special project they had undertaken using the budding technology CRISPR to genetically edit the cells of patients impacted by a debilitating and ultimately fatal genetic disease. Here in this small lab merely steps away from an overpriced hotdog stand, was technology that could change the lives of people everywhere. This gene editing tool had the potential to cure not only genetic diseases but to aid in cancer treatments and combat food insecurity worldwide. The applications are limitless. These goals suddenly seemed accessible and I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I walked away late that evening knowing this was what I wanted to do, something I could dedicate my life to. I became a regular at the special projects meetings, learning cell culture, aseptic technique, the ins and outs of cellular biology, and of course CRISPR. I began taking courses in biology and chemistry, revelling at each new thing I learned and feeling like I was slowly filling in this intricate puzzle I had happened upon. This progressed into more technical courses like organic chemistry.” She began going to virology seminars at the ASU Biodesign Institute, visiting biotech companies like TGen and labs at the University of Arizona College of Medicine clinical and translational sciences. She read research papers and biotechnology procedures in any spare time she had.

Haws transferred to the University of Arizona in 2020 on a community college transfer scholarship and was accepted into the honors college and declared molecular and cellular biology as her major with a biochemistry minor. 2020 was challenging for everyone but the small successes Haws experienced made things more manageable, she told me. “The pride I felt when mastering a technique in the lab or the moment of comprehension when learning a complex molecular process. As frustrating as setbacks in the lab can be once you are able to solve the problem that has baffled you for several days or weeks it is a wonderful feeling.” 

Like many College of Science students, Haws has been a student researcher during her time at the University of Arizona; she has been a part of Dr. Frans Tax’s lab since she arrived at UArizona. “I am so fortunate to have found Dr. Tax and been accepted into his lab, he is a huge advocate for student success. Being in his lab has given me hands-on experience and the opportunity to apply the knowledge that I am acquiring in my classes. It is much easier to understand the concepts learned in the lecture if you have opportunities to apply them. In addition to the educational benefits I also genuinely enjoy spending time in the lab, the research I do on Arabidopsis thaliana is fascinating.”  She enjoys her research working with Arabidopsis thaliana to understand the complex relationships between the specific genes, the plant hormone auxin and root growth. “The research I am doing on these delightful little plants will be the subject of my honors thesis. I get a great deal of satisfaction from my work in his lab and look forward to the next steps in my project.” Her interest in plants extends outside of the lab, as she has an extensive collection of various ornamental and edible plants that she cultivates. She tend a plot at a local community garden where she grows seasonal vegetables. “My garden has been so productive that it supplements my groceries each month.”

She plans on putting her experiences in Dr. Tax’s lab to work after she graduates in December of 2021. “It is my hope to attend graduate school at the University of Arizona to get my PHD in Molecular and Cellular Biology or an adjacent field. After that, I plan to pursue a career in research.”