Prize Recipient

Amanda McCoy

Background:

Amanda McCoy is a rising junior concentrating in Chemistry and Physics at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Born in Baltimore, Maryland and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Amanda is an avid Steelers fan ready to wave her terrible towel.  Amanda graduated at the top of her class from North Allegheny Senior High School in 2004, where she first developed her interest in Physics through the encouragement of her AP Physics teacher, Mr. John Kernion. She has always been fascinated by the laws of physics operating on the real world, most specifically the human body. Having participated as a varsity athlete in track (pole vault), cheerleading, and gymnastics, Amanda is well aware how Newtons laws regulate the bodys aerial movement. She now plans on moving on beyond the bodys interactions in the classical mechanical world to examining how the body interacts with other physical phenomena, such as the use of radiation for cancer therapy and medical imaging. It is Amandas goal to use her undergraduate physics knowledge to pursue a career in medicine focusing in the specialty of radiation oncology or radiology. At Harvard, Amanda serves as the secretary for the Harvard Society of Black Scientists and Engineers (H.S.B.S.E.), is a member of the Harvard Crimson Cheerleading Squad, works as a Course Assistant for Harvard undergraduate calculus classes, and is an active member in both the Association of Black Harvard Women (A.B.H.W.) and the Harvards Black Students Association (B.S.A.).