Tracey Kwong, an undergraduate student at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has been named a 2004 Goldwater Scholar by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation.
The Goldwater Scholarship is a prestigious national competition for undergraduates in the fields of mathematics, science, and engineering. The scholarships provide up to $7,500 per year for sophomores and juniors from across the country to cover the costs of tuition, fees, and other expenses.
The foundation awarded 310 scholarships this year, selecting the scholars on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,113 students nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide. Another UCSC student--Aaron Wolf, a junior majoring in physics and Earth sciences--received an honorable mention in this year's competition.
Kwong is a junior majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology. She has been conducting undergraduate research on methods of asymmetric synthesis in the laboratory of Bakthan Singaram, professor of chemistry and biochemistry. Kwong plans to continue her education in graduate school and pursue a career in health-related research involving drug discovery and development.
"She is an excellent student and has made valuable contributions to our research. I am pleased to see her get this recognition," Singaram said.
The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to honor Senator Barry Goldwater. The purpose of the foundation is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue careers in these fields.
