banner home staff contact directions sitemap
   STAFFORD FELLOWSHIP home > support hwi > stafford fellowship  
 

The Stafford Fellowship Endowment

The Stafford Fellowship was established by then board chair, Constance Stafford Constantine, as part of Hauptman-Woodward's plan to support young scientists. Mrs. Constantine is the granddaughter of Helen Woodward Rivas, Hauptman-Woodward's founding benefactor.  The fellowship was funded by the Constance W. Stafford Trust (trustees: Walter F. Stafford III, Reid W. Stafford, Constance S. Constantine and Robert Plache), Walter & Sue Stafford, William and Margaret Constantine, and Walter and Constance Constantine.

The seed funding is intended to provide support for graduate student fellow(s) using the earnings from the endowed fund.  The Staffords and Constantines have been lifelong supporters of HWI’s research and active participants in the business of running HWI. In fact, Connie Constantine served for many years on HWI’s board in various capacities including a term as Chairman of the Board.  Walter Stafford, who is a scientist with Boston Biomedical Research Institute, currently sits on HWI’s board.

Donors who provide funds for endowments such as the Stafford Fellow Program receive satisfaction from the knowledge that their funds live on by providing ongoing funding to help support educating future scientists. Today, the Stafford Endowed Fund provides partial support to two graduate students, Bobby Huether and Kristin Wunsch.  When Huether and Wunsch complete their educational careers at HWI, other graduate students will be chosen.

The Stafford Fellowship is a permanent endowment.  For more information on how you can partner with this fund and support graduate education at HWI, please call Tricia Furnari our Development Director at 716-898-8609 or email: tfurnari@hwi.buffalo.edu

  
constantine  

About Robert Huetherhuether

Robert Huether is currently a graduate student in the University at Buffalo's Structural Biology Department, housed at HWI.  Huether, working in the laboratory of Dr. William L. Duax, focuses on molecular, structural and bioinformatic analysis of a protein superfamily that is central to growth and development. He has developed techniques to identify the substrates of short-chain oxidoreductase (SCOR) proteins and created a database that facilitates improved annotation of proteins in the gene bank.

Before becoming a graduate student at HWI, Huether spent time volunteering at HWI. His interest in science, coupled with his long-time affinity for computers, has led him to a career in bioinformatics. Huether received a bachelor’s degree in 2004 and a master’s degree in 2005 in Biological Science from the University at Buffalo. He anticipates graduating from HWI later this year. Next, he plans to pursue postdoctoral training in structural bioinformatics.

About Kristin Wunschwunsch

Also a graduate student in the Structural Biology Department, Kristin Wunsch is working in the lab of Dr. Edward Snell. Wunsch is studying the process of X-ray-induced structural changes in metalloproteins. Specifically, she is interested in the roles that a metal cofactor and the environment play in the amount of damage that occurs during X-ray data collection.

In 2005 and 2006, Wunsch was a part of the Summer Student Intern program at HWI. Wunsch says she has always liked lab work and favors methods-related research because it involves both biology and engineering. She says, “it is the best of both worlds.”  Wunsch received a bachelor’s degree in 2006 from Syracuse University and anticipates graduating from HWI in 2011. Following her studies at HWI, she plans to pursue postdoctoral training.


donate
700 Ellicott Street Buffalo, New York 14203-1102 Tel: 716 898 8600 Fax: 716 898 8660