Hometown: Boise, Idaho
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Physics, with emphasis on biophysics and astrophysics
Future Plans: After receiving his Ph.D. in physics and biomolecular science, Ward would like to study membrane and cellular communication for drug-delivery applications, as well as early cellular evolution. He will pursue a postdoctoral position and a university appointment.
Honored Faculty: Dr. Daniel Fologea, Assistant Professor, Department of Physics
Jason Ward is the first person in his family to earn a bachelor’s degree. Now, his aspirations include a Ph.D. in physics and biomolecular science and a university appointment.
Indeed, his academic performance bodes well for his future. He has been a fellow with the Southwest Idaho Bridge-to-Baccalaureate program and the IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (funded by the National Institute of Health). He has also worked in the Fologea Lab researching synthetic cellular membranes, stimulating protein channels using Python programming, developing new drug delivery systems, and advancing knowledge of protein channels — that last project being published in the journal Sensors.
Ward is also becoming a regular on the conference circuit, presenting at the Biophysical Society Meeting; the INBRE Conference at the University of Idaho three years in a row, and won the Fast Pitch Science Competition; the McNair Research Conference; and the Undergraduate Research Showcase at Boise State.
He taught physics labs for five semesters on campus, assisted in chemistry and physics courses, mentored cohorts of B2B applicants, grading papers for upper-division physics classes, and participated at NASA Ames in a Mars Rover programming competition.