By now, you’ve already watched many episodes of CBS’s hit sitcom, The Big Bang Theory, with the lovable yet hilarious bandwagon of scientific friends such as Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, and Howard. In addition to these men, we have our very own UCLA Alumna, Mayim Bialik playing Sheldon’s love interest, Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, Penny, and Dr. Bernadette Rostenkowsi-Wolowitz.
The Big Bang Cast with UCLA Alumna Mayim Bialik as Amy Farrah Fowler second right to Sheldon.
Recently, the shows executive producer, Chuck Lorre has created “The Big Bang Theory” scholarship to our very own UCLA STEM students. The Big Bang Theory and the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation has created the Big Bang Theory endowment at UCLA for undergraduate students in the fields of Science, Technology, and Mathematics (STEM). The scholarship has raised up to $4 million dollars up to date which includes the donation from the Chuck Lorre Foundation as well.
Whilst our favorite scientist work at CalTech, you’d assume that the logical choice for this scholarship would be for the Big Bang branded scholarship. But Lorre states that “Unlike Caltech, which is a much smaller, private operation, UCLA had a need for rich scholarships for high performing STEM students who financially are falling short for getting great education.”
The initial plan for the Big Bang Scholarship is that the awarded recipients will be announced in the Fall of 2015 on set of “The Big Bang Theory” which the scholarship will personally meet the first set of students and giving them personal attention.
What better connection for our UCLA STEM students and The Big Bang relations to grow with the current influence of UCLA alumna, Mayim Bialik, who received her PhD in Neroscience and Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Dr. David Saltzberg, who currently serves as the show’s science consultant.
Good Luck STEM Students! May the odds be ever in your favor!