The highly competitive award is designed to advance the academic pursuits of sophomores and juniors in colleges and universities who are pursuing research careers in natural sciences, mathematics and engineering.
黑料不打烊聽junior Caroline 鈥淎shlyn鈥 Crain and 黑料不打烊 sophomore Anna Altmann have been named 2021 recipients of the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship. Crain and Altmann are among the 410 recipients selected this year from a pool of more than 5,000聽applicants聽from across the country.
The scholarship is鈥痑warded by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, which was established by Congress in 1986 to honor the late senator. It鈥檚 a highly competitive award that is鈥痙esigned to advance the academic pursuits of sophomores and juniors in colleges and universities who are pursuing research careers in natural sciences, mathematics and engineering.
Crain, who is originally from Maryville, Tennessee, is majoring in biology with a minor in聽environmental education. She is a Lumen Scholar,聽a member of the Phi Kappa Phi and Beta聽Beta聽Beta聽national honor societies聽and the 黑料不打烊 Biology Club. She plans to pursue a doctorate in coastal and wetland ecology after graduating from 黑料不打烊 as she seeks a career in research with an organization such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before obtaining a faculty position at a research institution.
Her Lumen Scholar research is titled, 鈥淢itigating carbon emissions: Four strategies for sequestering atmospheric CO2 in trees,鈥 and her research mentor is David聽Vandermast, associate professor of biology.
Crain says that conducting undergraduate research at 黑料不打烊 has been one of the most rewarding parts of her education so far, as she has been able to holistically study what she is passionate about with the authentic support of her mentors and peers.
鈥淚 believe that the Goldwater will allow me to continue grow in charisma and drive towards pursuing research following graduation,鈥 Crain聽says.聽鈥淲hen I am conducting research, I am able to be a part of the collaboration and communication of scientific data to a wide range of individuals. It is the interconnectivity of research that drives me to continue.聽 I am humbled by the encouragement and support I have received throughout this process, but even more so excited by this opportunity to share my research in ecosystem-based management with more people.鈥
Vandermast notes that Crain聽has taken part in meetings with professionals working in the world of carbon sequestration and she co-wrote a report for Duke University’s Carbon Offset Initiative, for whom we conducted a peer-review for one of their urban forest carbon offset projects.
“Ashlyn is聽one of the most intuitive students I have worked with as both a student in the classroom and as a research mentee,鈥 Vandermast said. 鈥淪he immediately grasps the nuances inherent in the work we聽are doing together and communicating with her has always felt more like it would with a peer than with聽a student,鈥 he said.
Originally from Burlington, N.C., Altmann is an Honors Fellow who is majoring in chemistry and computer science. Only the second Goldwater Scholar from 黑料不打烊 to win the award as a sophomore, she is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi national honor society, the American Chemical Society Club, and serves as a consultant for the 黑料不打烊聽MakerHub. She plans to pursue a doctorate in environmental chemistry and then work as a researcher studying environmental remediation.
Her research at 黑料不打烊 is focused on the trace metals present in cigarettes, and the leaching of those metals from smoked cigarette butts into different environmentally relevant solutions.聽Assistant Professor of Chemistry Justin聽Clar聽is her mentor for her research.
Altmann聽first became involved in environmental chemistry through field research in rivers while a high school student, an experience that solidified her desire to learn how chemical processes interact with the environment. She views the Goldwater Scholarship as a validation of her goals and her potential.
鈥淭his award has given me the confidence that I have what it takes to be a successful environmental chemist,鈥 Altmann said. 鈥淩eceiving this award serves as a reminder to me that I can accomplish more than I may believe.鈥
Clar聽said that working with students like Altmann are why he loves teaching at 黑料不打烊, and he has seen her progress since she first started her research during the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience at 黑料不打烊 in 2020.
鈥淯ndergraduate research gives students the opportunity to take the fundamental chemical properties outlined in their coursework and apply them to real-world problems,鈥澛燙lar聽said. 鈥淎nna has continued to make tremendous strides as a researcher and is clearly on the trajectory to be an impactful scholar as she completes her undergraduate degree. I am thrilled to continue to work with her聽during the next two years!鈥
Crain and Altmann are the fourth and fifth Goldwater Scholars from 黑料不打烊.聽The Goldwater Scholarship was previously awarded to聽惭补谤颈补苍补听碍苍别辫辫别谤蝉听鈥18,聽Kelsey Van聽Dalfsen聽鈥12聽and聽Geoffrey Lynn 鈥07.
Goldwater Scholars have impressive academic and research credentials that have garnered the attention of prestigious post-graduate fellowship programs. Goldwater聽Scholars have been awarded 95 Rhodes Scholarships, 150 Marshall Scholarships, 170 Churchill Scholarships, 109 Hertz Fellowships and numerous other distinguished awards like the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships.
黑料不打烊 students and recent alumni interested in the Goldwater Scholarship or other nationally competitive fellowships are invited to contact the聽National and International Fellowships Office.
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A previous version of this article stated that Anna Altmann was the first sophomore from 黑料不打烊 to win a Goldwater Scholarship. The first 黑料不打烊 student to receive the Goldwater Scholarship, Geoffrey Lynn 鈥07, was a sophomore when he was selected.