Purpose: The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation offers these scholarships to provide a continuing source of highly qualified individuals who demonstrate outstanding potential for academic study and research in the fields of science, mathematics, and engineering.

Funding: Each scholarship covers eligible expenses for undergraduate tuition, fees, books, and room and board, up to a maximum of $7,500 annually. Junior-level scholarship recipients are eligible for a maximum of two years of scholarship support, and senior-level scholarship recipients are eligible for a maximum of one year of scholarship support.

Eligibility:

• Be a full-time matriculated sophomore or junior pursuing a degree at an accredited institution of higher education during the 2011-2012 academic year. Sophomore nominees can expect to receive a maximum of two years of support. Junior nominees can expect to receive a maximum of one year of support.
• Have a college grade-point average of at least "B" (or the equivalent) and be in the upper fourth of his or her class.
• Be a United States citizen, a resident alien, or, in the case of nominees from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands, a United States national. Nominations from resident aliens must include a letter of the nominee's intent to obtain U.S. citizenship and a photocopy of the Alien Registration Card.

Selection Criteria: Demonstrated superior scholarship and promise for future achievement in the eligible fields.

Application/Nomination Process:

• Email Elizabeth Ciner, Director of Student Fellowships, (eciner) stating that you plan to apply.
• Begin the online application process on the Goldwater site.

• Prepare a carefully thought out, well-researched response to the essay question.  The essay should be typed in a 2-column format, confined to two pages (one side only). Font size may not be smaller than 11 point. 

  The essay should discuss a significant issue or problem in the student's field of study that is of particular interest to the student. The essay should include a description of the issue or problem, discussion of an idea for research that would have significant impact on the issue or problem, describing an aspect of the research in which the student would be involved, and explaining the relevance of the issue or problem to the student as a mathematician, scientist, or engineer.

  The student should assume that the reader is knowledgeable in mathematics, science, and engineering, and will have the expertise to read, review, and understand the complexities of the student's field of specialty. If the essay involves research in which they are or were involved, they should indicate if they are or were the sole researcher or if they collaborated with another individual. 

  The student should include a bibliography, references, or illustrations, when appropriate, as part of the essay.  The essay should include the following identifying information at the top of each page: 1) student's name; 2) name of student's college or university; 3) student's signature.

  • Three online recommendations are required.  Recommendations should be from individuals who know enough about the student to assess their personal characteristics, motivation, and potential for a career in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering.  The best recommendations are those that come from faculty in the student's field of study or from individuals who have supervised their work in a research facility.  The recommendations must be from:

    a. Two faculty members who can discuss the student's potential for a career in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering.  At least one of these must be a faculty member in the student's field of study.

    b.  Another individual/faculty member who can attest to the student's potential.  If the student has been involved in research, one recommendation must be from the individual who supervised the student's work.

    The recommender will be notified by email within 24 hours after the student enters their name and email address in their online application.  It is suggested that the student complete the recommender section of the online application when they first begin their application, and follow up with the recommenders to make sure that they received the email notification to complete/submit a recommendation.

    Student completes the application online, but submits an original and two copies of the Application/ Supporting Documents Checklist (found on the Goldwater site) and supporting materials to Faculty Adviser Elizabeth Ciner, Laird 132. 

• Faculty Adviser, Elizabeth Ciner, reviews the applications and, before the official deadline, officially nominates four students and submits the paper copies of their application and supporting materials to the Goldwater foundation.

Please read the application instructions on the Goldwater site thoroughly. 

Students may not submit application materials directly to Goldwater, they must come from Carleton's faculty representative.

Official Deadline:  January 27, 2012.

Faculty Adviser:  Elizabeth Ciner, Director of Student Fellowships, x4555

Official Website: http://www.act.org/goldwater

Carleton Recipients

2011 Recipients:  James Morrissey '12 and Cody Finke '12
2011 Honorable Mention: Michael Coughlin '12
2010 Honorable Mention:  Kayla Nygaard '12 and Sarah Schlotter '12
2009 Recipient:  Anna Jolene Mork '10