The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation presented all four of the University's nominees last week with the Goldwater Scholarship, which provides up to $7,500 per year to second- and third-year students who intend to enter the fields of mathematics, science and engineering. The money applies toward the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board.\nThe University nominated four third-year students for the national scholarships - College student Ruffin Evans and Engineering students Stuart Keech, Matthew Aronson and Jeneva Laib. They were among the 278 students nationwide who were selected to receive the scholarship out of a pool of 1,111 nominees.
The number of students who won the scholarship is particularly significant, as four is the maximum number of scholars that can be nominated from a university, and as a result it is the maximum number of students who can win, GSEF administrative officer Lucy Decher said. To have all four of those nominees win reflects very well on the University, she added.
"It is a big honor for the University of Virginia to have four winners," Decher said. "There aren't many state schools who have this honor or many schools at all nationwide," Decher said.
Biology Prof. Michael Timko, who serves as the University's representative to the Goldwater foundation, said the students represent a wide range of disciplines.
"Each of them is clearly very accomplished in terms of not only their in-class activities because they all have stellar GPAs, but they have all done work outside the classroom and are involved in various independent research projects both here at the University and other places during the summertime," Timko said.
Aronson, a chemical engineering major, is currently researching the creation of biodiesel from the lipids in algae. He said he intends to pursue a doctorate in chemical engineering in the future and perhaps work with alternative energy.
Evans said he also intends to go to graduate school to study either physics or chemistry, the two disciplines in which he is majoring. He is currently doing research on the use of fluorescent nanoparticles for biomedical imaging.
Keech, meanwhile, is majoring in aerospace engineering and studying a laser tomography system for the diagnosis of combustion efficiency in a hypersonic airplane. Graduate school is also on the horizon for his future career plans.
Laib, a biomedical engineering major, said she is researching the coordination of molecular motors, which are involved in intracellular transport and, if damaged, can contribute to the development of diabetes, memory problems and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Although grateful for the award, some of the students were especially enthusiastic to learn that so many of their peers had received recognition.
"I didn't think I would win; I was really surprised actually," Evans said, adding that he was "really glad to see so many people from U.Va get it. I'm honored that U.Va. even nominated me, but to really receive the scholarship was great."
Keech agreed that this year's number of winners from U.Va. was pleasantly surprising.
"I had learned that one or two of the students U.Va. nominates every year usually win, but all four of us ending up winning was fantastic," he said.
Moveover, to have all four nominees win demonstrates just how strong the research opportunities given to undergraduate students are at the University, Laib said.
"It's great for U.Va. overall as a liberal arts college to have four winners," Aronson said. "It's shedding light on science and math at U.Va. because others might not think of it as that kind of university."
The University has produced 55 Goldwater scholarships since the scholarship's inception in 1986, Decher said, more than any other college or university in Virginia including The College of William & Mary and Virginia Tech. This is the fifth year that there have been four scholars at the University.
Read More
Student Council votes to relocate Hereford orchard and basketball hoop
By Lauren Seeliger | 43 minutes agoStudent Council passed a resolution Tuesday to relocate the orchard and basketball hoop of Hereford Residential College due to construction in the surrounding area.
Dean Rucker honored with Z Society’s highest honor, Pale Z Award
By Brendon Bordwine | 17 hours agoThe Society has a storied history of honoring University leaders with the Pale Z.
Students receive free STI testing through U.Va. Health and Wellness
By Jackie Bond | YesterdayThrough funding from Student Council, students are now able to receive free STI testing with SHW which includes tests for HIV, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and Hepatitis C.
