2023-24 Goldwater Scholars and nominees

2023-24 Goldwater Scholars and nominees

Two undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University Bloomington have been awarded Barry Goldwater Scholarships, while two undergraduates were nominees, according to Jo Anne Tracy, assistant dean for research and director of science outreach. Students are nominated for the scholarship by faculty and researchers they are affiliated with.

The Goldwater Scholarship Program is one of the oldest and most prestigious national scholarships for the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics. It offers financial support, based upon merit and need, and encouragement to sophomores and juniors studying those fields. The scholarship supports their research as they prepare for advanced degrees and careers in related fields.

“I offer my warm congratulates our two Goldwater Scholarship nominees and two Goldwater Scholarship winners for 2023,” said Rick Van Kooten, Executive Dean of the College.“

The College’s Goldwater Scholarship recipients and nominees are:

Lindsey Way

A Microbiology and Middle Eastern Languages and Culture double major, Lindsey Way has been awarded a Goldwater Scholarship. Lindsey has been a researcher in the lab of Dr. Xindan Wang where she studies the mechanisms of chromosome dynamics, conducts experiments in cell growth and development, performs research techniques from basic molecular cloning to advanced strain engineering, and administers molecular approaches including next generation sequencing and analyses.

Her work in the Wang Lab and formative classes with Dr. Julia van Kessel have helped her build a strong foundation as she pursues her dream of earning a doctoral degree in Molecular Biology. Lindsey aspires to conduct post-doctoral research, become a faculty member at a research university, and lead a lab as a principal investigator.

Lindsey Way ('24), double major in the Department of Biology and the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, College of Arts and Sciences

Alex Kuklish

A major in Neuroscience and a chemistry minor, Alex Kuklish has been awarded the Goldwater Scholarship. He’s a researcher in the neurodevelopment lab of Dr. Anna Kalinovsky and led his own research project on the role of cannabinoid signaling in the regulation of axon growth and development.

Alex’s research with Dr. Kalinovsky, as well as with another group run by Dr. Ken Mackie, has prepared him for his professional goals of earning a doctoral degree in Neurobiology, teaching at a research university, and conducting lab research as a principal investigator studying the biological mechanisms causing neurological diseases.

Alex Kuklish ('24), major in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and minor in the Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences

Daisy Robles-Magallanes

A Neuroscience major and researcher in Dr. Manuel Baizabal’s lab, Daisy Robles-Magallanes is a nominee for the Goldwater Scholarship. She has been busy researching the impacts of heterochromatin modifications on neurogenesis, and developing skills in immunohistochemistry, molecular biology, and bacteriology. Her work in the Baizabal and, earlier, Landeta labs has helped her develop her presentation skills and made her known for delivering exemplary conference presentations.

Daisy’s research in these labs and her conference presentations are indicative of her success in obtaining her professional aspirations. She plans to obtain a doctoral degree in Neuroscience, conduct post-doctoral research, and become a faculty member at a university where she can advance the opportunities of underrepresented minorities in STEM.

Ariel Tysver

An Animal Behavior major, Ariel Tysver is a nominee for the Goldwater Scholarship. Ariel has been laying the groundwork for her future by working with Neuroscience, the IU Center for the Integrative Study Animal Behavior, and the Midwest Center for Biodiversity, led by Dr. Ellen Ketterson. She has been researching potentially negative human-animal interactions in the natural world as they relate to disease ecology.

Ariel’s research is laying the foundation for her aspirations to pursue a dual degree program combining a D.V.M and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences or Ecology. With these degrees, she plans to become a veterinary scientist and conduct wildlife conservation-based research that will examine medical interventions that could diminish the adverse effects of zoonotic diseases on humans and natural populations.