Two University of Arkansas Students Named as Goldwater Scholars; Two Get Honorable Mention

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Two University of Arkansas students have been awarded prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships, the top national award for students in mathematics, science and engineering. Rachel Lee of Siloam Springs and Matthew Naglak of Searcy are among the 278 students in the nation to be named Goldwater Scholars. They will each receive a $7,500 scholarship. Lee and Naglak are junior physics majors in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and the Honors College. Professor Gregory Salamo is the research mentor to both.

Two University of Arkansas students also received honorable mentions. Colin Paul is a junior honors chemical engineering major from Tulsa, Okla. His mentor is professor Jamie Hestekin. Matt Sample, a junior honors biology major from Gentry, has been mentored by professor Mack Ivey.

“I am very proud of each of these students,” said Chancellor G. David Gearhart. “They all have amazing academic records as well as a clear commitment to research. The recognition they have received makes clear that our programs are preparing students to succeed at the national level. I look forward to reading about their accomplishments in the years to come.”

The University of Arkansas had its first Goldwater Scholar in 1990. Since then, 41 University of Arkansas students have received the award.

 “It’s a remarkable record,” said Bill Schwab, interim dean of Fulbright College. “One that is made possible by the close partnerships forged between faculty and students. We have students who are equal to any at top institutions across the country. We provide them with special opportunities to conduct research, and they thrive.”

Goldwater Scholars are selected from a field of more than a thousand mathematics, science and engineering students, who must be nominated by their institution. Each institution puts forward its top four students. The scholars are chosen on the basis of academic merit and research experience. They must have strong support from a research mentor as well.

Rachel Lee, a Bodenhamer Fellow and National Merit Scholar, is a biophysics major. She plans to earn a doctorate in biophysics and become a faculty member, mentoring undergraduates and graduate students in research. Her first significant project began in her sophomore year, when she developed a heat transfer model for a Jeep under the guidance of professor Roy Penny. The project led to a publication. Next, she began working with a multidisciplinary team, funded by a Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant and directed by Salamo.

Matthew Naglak, majoring in biophysics and mathematics, is a Sturgis Fellow and an Arkansas Governor’s Distinguished Scholar. He also plans to earn a doctorate in physics and teach at the university level. Naglak is currently serving as president of the math club and is the activities coordinator of the Society of Physics Students. He participated in a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates at Baylor University in the summer of 2007, where he and a lab partner developed a software application being used by the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. At the University of Arkansas he is also a member of Salamo’s research team.

Salamo was not surprised to see these two students selected for recognition.

“It has been rewarding to see two young people so energetic and creative make progress on the important problem of selective drug delivery to a cancerous tumor. Rachel, who is always optimistic and enthusiastic, found a way to load a liposome, or artificial cell, and make sure that all the drug enters the liposome as it is loaded and does not leak out without an external stimulus that is designed to release the drug at the right moment and at the targeted location in the body.

“Matt, who is always focused and determined to find an answer, discovered a way to make large liposomes that enable him to ‘watch’ a drug passing in and out of the cell using an optical imaging system. They are very creative students, who are making a difference in this lab, and who will be among those who make a difference throughout their lives,” he said.

“Our faculty members are thrilled that Rachel’s and Matt’s academic efforts have been recognized with such a prestigious award,” said Surendra Singh, chair of the department of physics. “These are very special students, and they join a stellar group of Goldwater Scholars from our department. I am certain they will have distinguished careers as researchers.”

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to honor Sen. Barry M. Goldwater, and the first scholarships were awarded in 1988. The purpose of the program is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue careers in these fields. Universities and colleges may nominate up to four students each year.

Previous Goldwater Scholars from the University of Arkansas went on to become a Rhodes Scholar, a Marshall Scholar, a Gates Cambridge Scholar, a Fulbright Scholar, a Udall Scholar and seven National Science Graduate Fellows. They have pursued doctoral work at prestigious programs including University of Virginia, University of Michigan, University of California-Berkeley, Cambridge, Columbia, Cornell, MIT, St. Andrews (Scotland), Oxford, Princeton, Penn, Stanford, Washington University and more.

Previous University of Arkansas recipients include:

• Whitney Gammill: Biochemistry, 2008
• Jordan Greenlee, Electrical Engineering, 2008
• Rachel Thomas, Biochemistry, 2008
• Natalie J. Anderson: Biophysical Chemistry, 2007
• Randy P. Carney: Chemistry, 2007
• Phillip A. Cleves: Biology, 2007
• Hannah DeBerg: Physics, 2006
• Aireal Haley: Biochemistry, 2006
• Rebecca Adair: Biophysical Chemistry, 2006
• Josh Liu: Industrial Engineering/Chemistry, 2005
• Justin Vines: Physics, 2005
• Rohitha Sriramaratnan: Biochemistry, 2005
• Rebecca Claus: Physics/Mechanical Engineering, 2004
• David Deitz: Biophysical Chemistry/Political Science, 2004
• Kristin Fitzgibbon: Tectonics/Geophysics, 2004
• Ashley Altom: Physics, 2003
• Leremy Colf: Chemistry, 2003
• Diana Dunn: Mathematics, 2003
• Matt Lohse: Chemistry, 2003
• Michael Barnes: Physics, 2002
• David Norris: Physics, 2002
• Ben Hood: Physics and Computer Science/Engineering, 2001
• Erin Scherer: Biochemistry, 2001
• Matt Whitley: Biochemistry, 2001
• Adam Delisse: Mathematics, 2000
• Laura Fields: Physics, 2000
• Anna Terry: Chemistry, 2000
• Michael Berumen: Zoology, 1999
• Elizabeth Dunn: Chemistry, 1999
• Jimmy McCarley: Chemistry, 1999
• Tim Foster: Electrical Engineering, 1998
• Jason Reed: Mathematical Sciences, 1998
• Ruth Plymale: Biological Sciences, 1997
• Josephine Ta: Biological Sciences, 1996
• Brandon Bolinger: Mathematical Sciences, 1994
• Bao Dang: Chemistry, 1994
• Nam Le: Chemistry, 1994
• Susan Folkert: Geology, 1993
• Todd Williams: Mathematical Sciences, 1990