Three Syracuse University Undergraduates Receive Prestigious Goldwater Scholarship
Three Syracuse University students—one researching proteins, one mapping geothermal heat beneath Greenland’s ice sheet and one engineering bacteria-fighting surfaces for medical implants—are recipients of the 2026 Goldwater Scholarship.
They are the following:
- Mallory Brown ’27, a neuroscience and statistics major in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program;
- Kenna Cummings ’27, a geology major in A&S; and
- Khuong Pham ’27, a biomedical engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) and a member of the Renée Crown University Honors Program.
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to honor U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater, the five-term senator from Arizona. The program provides a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers by awarding scholarships to students who intend to pursue research careers in these fields. The Goldwater Foundation received 1,485 nominations this year from around the country and 454 students were selected for the scholarship.
Each Syracuse University Goldwater Scholarship nominee worked with the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA) to prepare their application. A faculty committee, headed by James Spencer, professor of chemistry in A&S, selected Syracuse’s nominees for the national competition.
“We are so proud of Kenna, Khuong and Mallory. They each stand to make significant contributions to their respective fields, and society, throughout their scientific careers, and it is exciting to see them honored with this award,” says Melissa Welshans, assistant director of CFSA. “The selection of three Syracuse students this year is a testament to the robust support for undergraduate research and excellent faculty mentorship students receive here.”
You can read more about their research and the award via this SU News Story: https://news.syr.edu/2026/04/03/3-earn-goldwater-scholarships-among-nations-most-competitive-stem-awards/