Chemistry & Biochemistry Scholarships

The following scholarships are awarded by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry annually. Students must apply each year usually in early March. Scholarships are awarded based on the criteria established by the donors. Students can apply for department scholarships by clicking on the following link.
Chemistry & Biochemistry Scholarship Application

For questions, contact the department advisement center in C104 BNSN.

Kenneth W. Brighton Scholarship

The Kenneth W. Brighton Scholarship awards students partial tuition for Fall and Winter Semesters. It is given in memory of Kenneth W. Brighton, who while a chemistry student at the University of Utah, received a generous scholarship that allowed him to accelerate his education. He completed his Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins and enjoyed a successful career as an industrial chemist with the American Can Company.

H. Tracy Hall Scholarship

The H. Tracy Hall Scholarship awards students partial tuition for Fall and Winter Semesters. Professor H. Tracy Hall was an emeritus member of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry where he spent 26 years of teaching and research in the field of high pressure and high temperatures. Professor Hall invented the process for making industrial diamonds, first with General Electric and second using newly invented presses at BYU.

Ida Tanner Hamblin Scholarship

The Ida Tanner Hamblin Scholarship awards students partial tuition for Fall and Winter Semesters. Mrs. Hamblin was trained at BYU as a dietician, but she had taken enough hours in chemistry that she could have graduated with a degree in chemistry. Mrs. Hamblin, her husband claims, was the first woman to graduate from BYU that could have been awarded a chemistry degree.

Boyd A. Waite Scholarship

The Boyd A. Waite Scholarship awards students partial tuition for Fall and Winter Semesters. Preference is given to juniors and seniors with financial need who havehelped fellow students in the department to succeed. Dr. Waite received his B.S. Degree in Chemistry at Brigham Young University in 1978. As a student at BYU, he became a peer mentor for many students, helping them with their homework. He often remained after a lecture to explain difficult concepts to fellow students. He constantly exhibited curiosity during lab classes such that students were motivated to better understand the concepts they were learning.

Byron J. Wilson Scholarship

The Byron J. Wilson Scholarship awards students, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 who have financial need, partial tuition for Fall and Winter Semesters. Preference is given to students involved in the Accessibility Center. Dr. Wilson was a professor of chemistry at BYU for 31 years. Students appreciated Professor Wilson’s well-prepared lectures complete with colorful examples and anecdotes that related chemical principles to everyday life. His presentations made chemistry come alive for his students.

Hiram and Permelia Dayton Scholarships

The Hiran and Permelia Dayton Scholarship awards biochemistry majors half-tuition for Fall and Winter Semesters, and is renewable with continued qualification, including a minimum 3.5 GPA. Hiram and Permelia Dayton were taught the restored gospel and baptized by the Prophet Joseph Smith in Ohio in 1832. Persecution changed their lives almost immediately. They joined the saints and traveled to the Salt Lake Valley, arriving in October 1849. Their faith, devotion, courage, perseverance, and church service are commemorated by this scholarship.

Dennis V. and Shirley J. Knudson Scholarship

The Dennis V. and Shirley J. Knudson Scholarship awards partial tuition to students with career interests in environmental chemistry or chemistry education. It is given in memory of Dennis V. Knudson, a BYU Chemistry graduate, who had a career in environmental engineering, focused on developing oil refinery waste systems that would not negatively impact the environment. Dennis was frugal by nature whether it was with money or natural resources. His frugal living provided for this endowed scholarship.

Parley Nels and P. LeRoi Nelson Scholarship

The Parley Nels and P. LeRoi Nelson Scholarship awards chemistry majors partial tuition for Fall and Winter Semesters. Students with financial need who have exhibited leadership and scholastic ability are eligible for this award. Dr. K. LeRoi Nelson established this scholarship in honor of his grandfather and father. Dr. K. LeRoi Nelson, a graduate of Utah State University and Purdue University, began his career at BYU in 1956, serving as chair of the department from 1968-1971.

The Richard L. Snow Family Scholarship

The Richard L. Snow Family Scholarship awards partial tuition for Fall and Winter Semesters to majors in The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry who exhibit scholastic ability and have financial need. Professor Richard L. Snow studied with Dr. Henry Eyring at the University of Utah, where he earned his PhD. He began his tenure at BYU in 1957 and was a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry for more than 35 years. He specialized in thermodynamics and quantum chemistry and was renowned for his ability to explain and teach complex concepts of physical chemistry. Richard and his family became attached to BYU during his time as a professor and desire this scholarship to help students develop a vision for the future, supported by a BYU education.

The Lawrence Mark Lee Memorial Scholarship

The Lawrence Mrk Lee Memorial Scholarship awards partial tuition for Fall and Winter Semesters to majors in the final year of their academic program who have maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.0. Dr. Lawrence Benson and Marilyn Joyce Lee established this award in memory of their son, Lawrence Mark Lee. They were the parents of seven sons, dedicated to the gospel of Jesus Christ and service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Edward G. Paul Scholarship

The Edward G. Paul Scholarship awards partial tuition for Fall and Winter Semesters to majors in The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry for leadership and scholarship. To be eligible, students are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.4 and have need for financial assistance. Dr. Paul was a professor of organic chemistry at BYU for 31 years. He loved teaching and enjoyed explaining the complexities of a difficult subject to pre-medical and nursing students. He was awarded the Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Teaching Award and the student-nominated Cougar Groomer for Outstanding Teaching award.

The Doug and Nancy Lawson Scholarship

The Doug and Nancy Lawson Scholarship awards partial tuition to department majors for Fall and Winter Semesters. Dr. Lawson graduated with a Chemistry MA from BYU, followed by doctoral and postdoctoral work in atmospheric chemistry at Florida State University. During his career as an atmospheric scientist, he worked at different institutions, including the Electric Power Research Institute, General Motors Research Laboratories, Colorado State University and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. He also served on National Academy of Sciences committees on air pollution research