Austin Maduka
B.S. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Cum Laude
Hometown: New Carrollton, Maryland
Plans: M.D./Ph.D., Duke University
UMBC has provided the best environment for me to challenge myself, discover new passions, and grow both personally and academically. I know that the network of friends and mentors I have made at UMBC will continue to support my growth for years to come.
Austin Maduka graduates from UMBC with a wealth of research experience and an ongoing commitment to supporting up and coming STEM students as they discover their passions and work through early challenges in their studies.
During his time at UMBC, Maduka worked in research labs at Johns Hopkins University for three years, in addition to spending two summers conducting research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He credits these experiences with helping him develop his confidence as a scientific researcher and his science communication skills. He further refined those skills through award-winning presentations at professional conferences, serving as a chemistry tutor at UMBC, and publishing his work as co-author of a peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Austin Maduka presents his research at the MIT Summer Research Program. The photo “depicts my growth in both my skills in communicating science and my confidence in the field,” Maduka says. Photo courtesy Austin Maduka.
Maduka is a Meyerhoff Scholar and MARC U*STAR trainee at UMBC. He received the ASBMB Marion B. Sewer Scholarship for Undergraduates, recognizing his deep interest in a biochemistry and molecular biology career and his commitment to enhancing diversity in science. As a UMBC junior, he also received the Lisë K. Satterfield Scholarship, which honors an exceptional chemistry student with research experience. Additionally, he is a founding member of the Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity.
Maduka’s commitment to giving back to fellow aspiring scientists runs deep. With Daniel Ocasio [link], he co-founded Achievement and Inspiration through Mentorship (AIM), which provides long-term mentoring to underserved teens in Baltimore City. He tutors in chemistry and biology at UMBC and is a Meyerhoff peer advisor, as well as an Eagle Scout.
Writing about his own educational path, and what motivates him to mentor younger students, Maduka recently shared in ASBMB Today:
“It is crucial to realize that support can change a person’s trajectory in life, especially for people in minority, inner-city communities… Although I had a positive outcome, many like me do not. Whenever possible, be a source of support for others. It may have a bigger impact than you would expect.”
This fall, Maduka will pursue a combined M.D./Ph.D. at Duke University.
Portrait by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.
