Two UA Students Named Goldwater Scholars for 2014-15

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program has selected two University of Alabama students as Goldwater Scholars for 2014-2015. Over the past eight years, UA ranks second among U.S. universities in the number of students receiving scholarships from the Goldwater program.

The students are Brian Goodell, a chemical engineering and physics major from Plattsburgh, N.Y.; and Lynda Truong, a chemistry major from Grand Prairie, Texas. In addition, Anna Moyer, a biology major from Boalsburg, Pa., received honorable mention.

For the eight-year period from 2007 to 2014, UA ranks second in the United States for the number of students named Goldwater Scholars. UA is tied with Arizona State University with 21 scholars during that period and just one behind Harvard University, which had 22 scholars. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is one behind UA and ASU with 20.

This year, 282 Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,166 mathematics, science and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide. The one- or two-year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 a year.

The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established in 1986. The program, honoring U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater, was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in research in the fields of mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering.