Three UF students named Goldwater Scholars for next school year

April 7, 2010

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Three University of Florida students were named Goldwater Scholars for the 2010-2011 year by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. A fourth student received honorable mention in the competition.

This is the fifth year in a row that three UF students have been named Goldwater Scholars. UF now has had 20 since 2003.

Michael Mavros, Christopher Reeg and Andrew Scheuermann are three of just 278 students nationwide to receive the scholarship, which recognizes and awards sophomores and juniors who excel in mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering.

Mavros of Homosassa is a junior with a double major in chemistry and biology. He plans to earn his doctorate and to conduct research at the interface of chemical biology and physical organic chemistry. His ultimate goal is to teach at the university level.

Reeg of Atlantis is a junior with a double major in physics and mathematics. He plans to pursue a doctorate in condensed matter physics and teach at the university level.

Scheuermann of Merritt Island is a junior with a double major in chemistry and economics. He will pursue a doctorate in material science with a specialization in alternative energy sources.

In addition, Mohammad Ehsan, a junior biochemistry major from Orlando, received honorable mention.

More than 1,000 students were nominated for the award by college and university faculty members around the country.

“This recognition is further confirmation that the University of Florida has students and faculty that are as good as any in the country,” said Kevin Knudson, director of the University of Florida Honors Program. “This level of sustained excellence in the Goldwater Scholarship competition puts UF alongside the elite institutions in the U.S. We are exceptionally proud of the winners of this year’s awards. These students have taken full advantage of the opportunities for undergraduate research at the university.”

Each scholarship covers eligible expenses for undergraduate tuition, fees, books, and room and board, up to a maximum of $7,500 annually.