MU student to work with nuclear pharmacists at Decatur Memorial Hospital
Millikin University physics and mathematics double major Marshall Youngblood has been named the recipient of the Summer 2018 Clinical Nuclear Science Fellowship at Decatur Memorial Hospital (DMH).
As part of the fellowship, Youngblood will receive a $3,000 stipend and a $750 housing stipend provided to Millikin University's Institute for Science Entrepreneurship through the Decatur Memorial Foundation. Youngblood will be working at DMH for eight weeks beginning in June.
"The Millikin University Institute for Science Entrepreneurship is very pleased that Marshall Youngblood is the recipient of the 2018 Clinical Nuclear Science Fellowship," said Dr. David Horn, professor of biology at Millikin. "Thanks to the Decatur Memorial Foundation, Marshall will have a performance learning opportunity that will prepare him well for a future career in science."
Youngblood, a junior from Jerseyville, Ill., will be working with nuclear pharmacists to learn about the synthesis and quality control involved with PET radiopharmaceuticals.
"I will have the opportunity to assist nuclear pharmacists who work on projects with radioactive material," said Youngblood. "I'll be learning what they do as nuclear pharmacists – it's an amazing opportunity."
Youngblood found his niche in physics and mathematics when he started as a freshman at Millikin. From a career standpoint, he sees himself becoming an engineer or possibly pursing a doctorate to teach and perform research. He adds that Millikin prepared him for the fellowship through hands-on lab work and unique courses such as Physics Entrepreneurship taught Dr. Casey Watson, associate professor and chair of the Physics Department at Millikin.
"In Physics Entrepreneurship, we take projects and we discuss ideas about how we could market those projects for the future," said Youngblood. "It's given me a lot of practical hands-on work, especially for someone going into the physics field. In mathematics, I've had opportunities to tutor which has given me chances to cement my own knowledge as well as help others learn new things."
Youngblood added, "I hope to learn more about being a nuclear pharmacist and I think doing this fellowship will provide me a path to decide if this is a career I want to go towards."
Formed by Dr. David Horn, Dr. Casey Watson and Dr. George Bennett, professor of chemistry at Millikin, the Institute for Science Entrepreneurship serves as a bridge between external clients, faculty and students of Millikin to provide high quality services for science-related organizations.
Millikin faculty leaders from chemistry, biology and physics worked with health care business leaders at Decatur Memorial Hospital and Zevacor Molecular to launch a clinical nuclear science program; also a part of Millikin's Institute for Science Entrepreneurship. Science faculty created two new courses in Clinical Nuclear Science co-taught by physics, chemistry and biology faculty, and Millikin students and faculty have made on-site visits to Decatur Memorial Hospital and Zevacor Molecular in Noblesville, Ind., home of the largest privately-owned cyclotron in North America.
The Millikin Clinical Nuclear Science Program provides upper-level biology, chemistry and physics majors with another pathway from being a science student to developing a science career.
