Carnegie Mellon University

Joshua Kubiak and Jillian Jaycox

April 04, 2015

Two Carnegie Mellon Students Awarded Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships

Two Carnegie Mellon University students have received Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships to encourage their pursuit of research careers in science and engineering.

Jillian Jaycox and Joshua Kubiak are among 260 sophomores and juniors nationwide chosen from more than 1,200 nominations for the 2015-2016 academic year. CMU has been home to 20 Goldwater Scholars.

“Jaycox's and Kubiak's recognition as Goldwater Scholars demonstrate the embodiment of a CMU education; high academic achievement, intellectual prowess as developing researchers and the backing of strong faculty mentorship. They are fully deserving of their recognition as Goldwater Scholars. It will be an exciting endeavor to see how their respective academic and personal paths will unfold in the coming years,” said Jennifer Keating-Miller, associate director of undergraduate research and national fellowships.

Jaycox is a junior majoring in biological sciences from West Chester, Pa. She has carried outconducted research with University of Pittsburgh Immunology Professor and CMU Mellon College of Science alumna Sarah Gaffen, studying the immune response to bloodstream fungal infections, and with CMU Chemistry Associate Professor Subha R. Das, designing DNA nanoparticles made of backbone-branched DNAs.

Outside of the classroom, Jaycox is a member of the CMU cross-country and track teams and is the co-president of The Triple Helix, an undergraduate student journal focused on science, society and law. After graduation, Jaycox hopes to enroll in an M.D./Ph.D. program where in which she will prepare for a career as a physician-scientist working within the field of immunology.

Kubiak is a junior majoring in materials science and engineering and chemistry from Lake Charles, La. As an undergraduate research assistant in Materials Science and Engineering Professor Michael Bockstaller’s lab, he is working to improve methods of creating quantum dot backlights for more energy-efficient LCD screens for displays such as those on televisions or portable electronics. Incorporation of more efficient backlights can reduce energy consumption on a global scale while also increasing the battery life of portable devices. Kubiak also has conducted research with faculty members Satbir Singh and Robert Heard of the College of Engineering and Krzysztof Matyjaszewski of the Mellon College of Science.

Kubiak is a member of the Carnegie Mellon Racing team, Chem-E-Car and Engineers Without Borders. In the future, he plans to pursue a doctorate in materials science and engineering and investigate novel polymeric materials for alternative energy generation. He also would also like to teach as a university professor.

Goldwater Scholars receive one- and two-year scholarships up to a maximum of $7,500 per year for tuition, fees, books, and room and board.

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation was established by the U.S. Congress in 1986 to honor Sen. Barry M. Goldwater. The scholarship program is designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in the fields of mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering.

According to the foundation, Goldwater Scholars have garnered prestigious post-graduate awards, including Rhodes, Marshall and Churchill scholarships, as well as National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships.