For the twenty-fourth consecutive year, USC students have been named Goldwater Scholars. A total of 48 Goldwater Scholarships have been won by USC students since 1990. Of those, 47 Goldwater Scholars have been members of the South Carolina Honors College, and this year we have our first Capstone Scholar winner.
Juniors Jory Fleming and Ryan Geiser have been named 2016 Barry M. Goldwater Scholars. Nationally, 257 Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of over 1,200 mathematics, science, and engineering students, nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide.
The Goldwater Scholarship is awarded nationally to sophomores and juniors pursuing bachelors' degrees in natural sciences, mathematics, or engineering and who intend to pursue a career in research and/or college-level teaching. The one or two year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, room and board for up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. Each university may only nominate four students for this award.
A Capstone Fellow, Fleming is pursuing a double major in Geography and Marine Science, with a minor in Geophysics. He is actively involved in research, and has interned for the SC Air National Guard and will intern with NOAA this summer. An advocate for literacy and science education, he was Co-Founder of Cocky's Canine PAALS, volunteers with PAALS and Cocky's Reading Express, and served as Education Outreach Coordinator for SEAS. Fleming has been a U101 Peer Leader and is now a Senior Peer Leader. During the 2015-2016 academic year, Fleming was also awarded the Abraham Anson Memorial Scholarship, Charles Bussman Scholarship from MITS, the Incight Disability Scholarship, and the USGIF Geospatial Intelligence Scholarship. A 2015 NOAA Hollings Scholar, he plans to pursue a PhD in Oceanography and a Masters in Marine Affairs, studying the nexus of science and policy in order to deepen people's connection to the oceans and protect U.S. interests at sea.
Geiser is a member of the South Carolina Honors College, majoring in Biomedical Engineering and minoring in Chemistry. During his time as an undergraduate, Geiser has actively been involved with Alzheimer's research, as well as work at the Centers for Disease Control and Palmetto Health Children's Hospital. Geiser worked as a Resident Mentor in the Honors Residence Hall and served as a Senator in the Student Government Senate and President of the Biomedical Engineering Society. In addition, Geiser has served as the Vice President of the Society of Physics Students, Treasurer in the Methodist Student Network, Class Standards Chair for Theta Tau, and a Carolina Creed Ambassador in the Carolina Judicial Council. Geiser has been committed to volunteering since growing up in the Boy Scouts of America, where he ultimately reached the rank of Eagle Scout. Geiser plans to pursue a M.D./Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and conduct research that integrates medical technologies and procedures to engineer better health.
The University's Goldwater Committee, co-chaired by Dr. Douglas Meade (Mathematics) and Dr. Scott Goode (Chemistry), includes faculty members Dr. Melissa Moss (Chemical and Biomedical Engineering), Dr. Susan Alexander (South Carolina Honors College), Dr. Ralf Gothe (Physics and Astronomy), Dr. Zhengqing Fu (Biological Sciences), and Dr. David Barbeau (Earth and Ocean Sciences). The committee worked closely with all University nominees in preparing their applications. The Office of Fellowships and Scholar Programs (www.sc.edu/ofsp) further assisted the Goldwater applicants.