UA Students Receive Prestigious Goldwater Scholarships

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Two students at The University of Alabama have received one of the country’s most elite academic scholarships.

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation selected two UA sophomores, Thomas Glenn Kelly, a chemical engineering major from Jasper, and Renee N. Rivas, a biological sciences major from Plano, Texas, as 2006 Goldwater Scholars.

The UA students were among 323 undergraduate sophomores and juniors selected on the basis of academic merit to be this year’s Goldwater Scholars. More than 1,000 mathematics, science and engineering students from schools nationwide were nominated by their colleges and universities for the prestigious award.

The one and two year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year.

Thomas Glenn Kelly
Thomas Glenn Kelly

Goldwater Scholar – Thomas Glenn Kelly

Kelly has conducted research with Dr. David Dixon on three projects in the UA chemistry department. Last April he displayed his work at the College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Poster Competition. He is a member of Omega Chi Epsilon, Tau Beta Pi, Computer-Based Honors Program, Alpha Lambda Delta and Golden Key. Kelly’s plans for the future include becoming a professor of chemical engineering with a focus on catalysis and simularion.

“Glenn is passionate about his quest for a career in science and he refuses to be distracted from excellence in everything he does,” said Dr. Shane Sharpe, director of UA’s Computer-Based Honors Program. “He is driven by his pursuit of answers to scientific challenges and his desire to explore and understand unexpected results.”

In his first project, Kelly investigated the use of transitional metal catalysts as applied to methane activation, which may result in important applications in the chemical process industry. The results of his findings are being prepared for publication in an academic journal and he will present his findings at a national conference.

Currently, Kelly is working on a project where he is involved in the prediction of the fluoride affinities of fluoride phosphines, which have applications as electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries.

Renee N. Rivas
Renee N. Rivas

Goldwater Scholar – Renee N. Rivas

Rivas, who is the recipient of an NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate Fellowship, has career plans of studying the molecular pathology of disease and earning medical and doctoral degrees to direct a biomedical research lab in a hospital setting.

Rivas has worked in the Caldwell Lab, directed by Drs. Guy and Kim Caldwell of the UA biological sciences department, since the fall of 2004. There, she has worked on two projects concerned with the pathological consequences of cellular stress in a uniquely tractable model organism, C. elegans. She also has a special interest in immunotherapies for neurodegenerative disorders using DNA-based vaccines.

“Renee truly understands the science she learns in the laboratory and classroom and displays an uncommon passion for knowing more … Her goal is to combine human physiology with basic science towards eventual cures. I am confident that this goal is easily within the grasp of this extremely talented, dedicated and resourceful young researcher,” said Dr. Kim Caldwell, UA assistant professor of biological sciences, in a letter of support for Rivas.

Rivas is a member of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Program, Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society.

The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established in 1986. The Scholarship Program honoring Sen. Barry M. Goldwater was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in the fields of mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering. The Goldwater Scholarship is the premier undergraduate award of its type in these fields.

Contact

Cheryl S. Altemara, University of Alabama Libraries, 205/348-1416, caltemar@bama.ua.edu