Two students have been named recipients of the highly competitive Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program, one of the nation’s most prestigious honors for undergraduate students pursuing research careers in science, mathematics, and engineering.
Ethan Song (Class of 2028) and Angela Bao (Class of 2027) were selected for their outstanding academic achievement and demonstrated commitment to research. The scholarship recognizes students who show exceptional promise as future leaders in their fields.
“The Goldwater Scholarship recognizes students who have the curiosity, discipline, and vision to become the next generation of research leaders,” said Chandra S. Pemmasani, founder and CEO of UWorld. “UWorld is proud to support these scholars as they pursue discoveries that will advance science, strengthen healthcare, and benefit society.”
For Song, the award represents an important milestone in a growing research career. “Being named a Goldwater Scholar is an incredible honor and an early milestone in my research career, where I hope to apply computation to develop and optimize catalytic organic reactions,” he said. He credits his success to the mentorship of Alan Goldman at Rutgers University and Marissa Lavagnino at Cornell University. We asked Dr. Lavagnino to comment on the significance of Song being named a Goldwater Scholar, to which she replied, “Ethan has shown a remarkable ability to carve his own path through the academic research process, and I anticipate that the opportunities presented by the Goldwater Scholarship will accelerate this already meteoric trajectory.”
Bao similarly views the recognition as both an honor and a source of motivation. “Receiving the Goldwater Scholarship is a tremendous encouragement as I pursue a research career in theoretical chemistry, with a focus on developing mathematical and physical frameworks to describe quantum behavior in chemical systems,” she said.
Angela’s strength as a candidate is reflected in the rigor of her research. As Dr. Greg Ezra of Cornell University noted, “Angela is carrying out research on semiclassical methods with Prof. Ananth. These methods are challenging both conceptually and in terms of implementation.”
The selection of Song and Bao underscores the strength of undergraduate research and mentorship in Cornell’s Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, as well as the continued impact of students committed to advancing scientific discovery.
