2 UA Students Named Goldwater Scholars

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program has selected two University of Alabama students as Goldwater Scholars for 2016-2017.

They are: Andrew Raddatz, a chemical engineering student from Austin, Texas; and Jacob M. Robinson, a chemical engineering major from Dexter, Missouri. In addition, Samantha Dyroff, a chemistry major from Des Peres, Missouri, received an honorable mention.

From 2007 to 2016, UA is No. 1 in the United States for Goldwater Scholars, with 27. Harvard is second, with 26.

This year, 252 Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,150 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, which honors 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.

About the students:

Andrew Raddatz has conducted research with cancer stem cells for the past two years. His work focuses on the effects of fluid shear stress on acute myelogenous leukemia (blood cancer) and leukemia stem cells. His faculty mentor is Dr. John Kim, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering.  When he is not studying or in the research lab, he enjoys playing ultimate Frisbee and playing trombone in the Million Dollar Band. Raddatz also participates in UA’s Computer-Based Honors Program. He is interested in pursuing a research career after obtaining a doctorate in computational biochemistry and bioinformatics. His parents are Dave and Robin Raddatz.

Jacob Robinson, son of Mark and Rhonda Robinson, is pursuing a career focused on researching novel screening methods and treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. He was accepted into the Emerging Scholars program before arriving at Alabama. This helped him become involved in undergraduate research early during his freshman year. Jacob has worked with Dr. Margaret Liu, assistant professor in UA’s department of chemical and biological engineering. His research has focused on metabolically engineering Clostridium bacteria to maximize biobutanol production. Outside of the lab, Jacob has been involved in DREAM and READ Alabama, organizations devoted to mentoring and reading to local elementary students. After graduation, he plans to attend medical school and pursue a doctor of medicine/doctorate.

Honorable mention:

Samantha Dyroff, daughter of David and Christine Dyroff, is pursuing a career in medicinal biochemistry. Her research interests include the development of new, less invasive techniques for oncology diagnoses. She hopes to engage in clinical work to expand medical care to underprivileged communities. While pursuing her undergraduate studies, she has conducted research at UA and at the Washington University in St. Louis Medical School. At UA, she works with Dr. John Vincent, a professor of chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences. One of her favorite projects involved testing the efficacy of chromium on colorectal cancer. She is working with Vincent on determining the rates at which chromium binds to protein in animals with elevated glucose levels, as seen in diabetic patients. In addition to her research, she serves on the director board of UA for St. Jude and HOSA, and as scholarship director for her sorority. Her volunteer work is focused on serving those with learning disabilities and advocating for mental health awareness. She plans to further her education with a graduate medical degree.