University students received the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship Program and Excellence in Education Foundation this month.
Jacquelyn Zimmerman, biological science senior, Nickolas VanMeter, physics and mathematics senior, and Katherine Faust, biological sciences junior, were among the 323 award recipients selected from a nationwide pool of 1,081 applicants.
Patrick Casey Jr., biological engineering sophomore, received honorable mention.
The award is given to encourage research and development in the fields of science, mathematics and engineering. The University may nominate four students each year for the award.
The scholarship pays for undergraduate tuition, fees, books and room and board beginning this year.
Drew Lamonica Arms, a former Rhodes Scholar who helps students apply for prestigious awards, said students who plan to pursue upper doctorate degrees in science, math or engineering qualify.
“[The award] was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in the fields of mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering,” according to the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship Web site.
Arms said applicants must be engaged in original research and must have long-term research plans.
Faust said she has been doing research on two species of Jamaican hummingbirds.
Faust said she hopes to obtain a doctorate in either ecology or evolution and continue doing research with birds.
Arms said the award is a great stepping stone for students interested in achieving high levels of research in their selected fields.
Arms said the students’ accomplishments are extremely important for the University.
Arms said having three recipients puts the University above schools such as Harvard, which only has two.
According to the scholarship’s Web site, the award, which was created in honor of Arizona Sen. Barry M. Goldwater, is federally endowed and has been given for 18 years.
 
Contact Ginger Gibson at [email protected]