Hofstra student Resa Nelson becomes university's first Rhodes scholar
Hofstra University biology major and newly announced Rhodes Scholar Resa Nelson in the lab at Hofstra University on Friday in Hempstead. Credit: Newsday/Howard Schnapp
Most people see sargassum seaweed as a stinky mess that mars the ocean beaches of Caribbean islands such as Antigua.
Resa Nelson sees the future.
The 21-year-old biology major was named Hofstra University’s first Rhodes scholar this month for her research on ways to turn sargassum seaweed into biofuel, a source of energy made from organic matter. If successful, her research could one day not only provide renewable energy but also help restore beaches afflicted by the abundant plant that emits a rotten-egg smell as it decomposes, making it a nuisance in areas that depend on tourism.
The scholarship is one of the most prestigious academic honors in the world, providing funding for graduate-level studies at Oxford University in England. Scholars are selected by the charity that runs the program for their academic achievement, character and leadership.
A senior in Hofstra’s Honors College, Nelson "embodies everything Hofstra stands for: curiosity, academic excellence and a deep commitment to service," Hofstra President Susan Poser said at a news conference held in a science laboratory at the university, amid Bunsen burners on black tables. Addressing Nelson, she said, "Resa, you have made history at Hofstra, and we are so very proud of you."
Nelson was chosen by the Rhodes Trust, which runs the scholarship program, to represent the Commonwealth Caribbean and plans to start at Oxford next fall, according to Hofstra.
Wearing a red, green and gold madras shirt to represent her native Antigua, Nelson said she was "deeply humbled" by the honor. "It's a deep sense of pride to represent your country, to represent your region, doing something that you just love," she said. Of scientific research, she said, "I love the creative process. It's almost like art, where you can choose where you want to go and choose your own adventure."
The senior said she is grateful to her parents, Arlene and Garfield Nelson, her brother, Ethan, her grandparents, great-grandparents, friends and Hofstra educators such as her mentor, professor of biology Javier Izquierdo.
Izquierdo said most research on biofuels focuses on plants that are more easily digested by the bacteria that can turn plants into fuel. Seaweed is a "risky" material to try to turn into biofuel, since it is salty and much harder for the bacteria to digest, he said.
But when she first pitched the idea of trying to turn it into biofuel, he said, he replied, "Absolutely! Let’s do it."
Nelson is doing groundbreaking research, he said.
"We're on unknown terrain, but we're starting to see some positive, encouraging results, and that's very exciting," he said. "Hofstra has provided all these different opportunities to Resa, and she has made the best out of it. ... She’s a great student, and she's also a wonderful person [who] likes to give back to the community."
The Rhodes scholarship recognizes Nelson for her "extraordinary intellect, academic talents and drive along with her compassion, her humility and a deep desire to make the world a better place," Charlie Riordan, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, said at the news conference. The honor also reflects Hofstra’s "growing national and international visibility" as a research institution, he said. Earlier this year, Hofstra was named an R2 university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, indicating it spends at least $5 million on research and awards at least 20 doctoral degrees a year.
The Rhodes scholarship is "a premier academic achievement" for a student and "an important indicator that an institution is doing an excellent job focusing on job one: providing a high-quality education to its students," Hironao Okahana, managing researcher and chief of planning and impact at the American Council on Education, said in a statement.
Nelson said she aims to earn master’s and doctoral degrees and eventually run her own lab, where she hopes to develop a new stem cell line that will help researchers determine whether medical treatments will work well on people of Afro-Caribbean descent. Research has shown that treatments can affect people differently depending on their racial background, she said.
"That’s my big dream," she said. "We can take a stem cell line and we can turn it into anything, and then that can be used as a tool, a diagnostic tool."
Maura McDermott covers education. Since joining Newsday in 2012, she also has worked on the investigations team and covered real estate and the business of health care.
