Two Georgia Tech students, Charles Hong, Biomedical Engineering, and Ethan Ray, Materials Science and Engineering, have received the 2024 Goldwater Scholarship. The scholarship helps undergraduates to continue their education and pursue research careers in STEM fields. Each recipient will receive up to $7,500.
Charles Hong aspires to build medical robotics to help surgeons conduct remote operations. "The process of applying for the fellowship was a way to understand myself better as both a researcher and an individual," he notes. "Reflecting on and understanding how to write about my work helped me to grow tremendously.”
Ethan Ray envisions a future where he “can synthesize and fabricate functional nanomaterials and nanostructures for accessible technologies in underserved geographical zones and to teach as a professor.” Moreover, Ethan notes, “Receiving the scholarship will sharpen my research focus and bolster my commitment to improving the human condition through science.” Ethan is also a recipient of the Stamps President’s Scholarship.
“This year, the applicant pool was especially competitive," Karen E. Mura, Prestigious Fellowships Advisor, noted, "which made it that much harder for the GT Goldwater Committee to select the four nominees for the final competition. I enjoyed assisting each student with their application essays and am thrilled for our students’ success. Being selected as a Goldwater Scholar is a significant accomplishment for these undergraduates and it will directly impact their graduate and professional future.”
From an estimated pool of more than 5,000 college sophomores and juniors, 1,353 natural science, engineering, and mathematics students were nominated by 446 academic institutions to compete for the 2024 Goldwater Scholarships.
Of the students who reported, 188 of the Scholars are men, 236 are women, and virtually all intend to obtain a Ph.D. as their highest degree objective. Fifty-seven Scholars intend to pursue research careers in mathematics and computer science, 237 in the sciences, 80 in medicine, and 64 in engineering and materials research. An increasing number of the Goldwater Scholars have published their research in leading professional journals and have presented their work at professional society conferences.
Students interested in applying for fellowships should visit the OUE Prestigious Fellowships website and reach out to Prestigious Fellowships Advising for more information.