Juniors Vaughn Frost and Annie Mehta from the University of Georgia were named Barry Goldwater Scholars this spring, according to an April 7 announcement. They are among 454 undergraduates nationwide recognized with the highest undergraduate award in mathematics, engineering, and natural sciences.
The recognition highlights the significant research contributions of undergraduates at UGA and underscores opportunities available for students in these fields. The Goldwater Scholarship provides funding for students studying mathematics, engineering, or natural sciences and is awarded to exceptional sophomores and juniors across the United States.
Frost is a mechanical engineering major from Mountain Brook, Alabama, while Mehta studies physics and astronomy in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Both began research with their current labs during their freshman year and have participated in programs through UGA’s Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities. Since 1995, seventy-two UGA students have received this scholarship.
“The University of Georgia is proud to celebrate Vaughn and Annie for this tremendous achievement,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “Through their outstanding work as undergraduates, they are already significantly contributing to their fields of study, highlighting the remarkable opportunities available to UGA students during their time on campus.” Meg Amstutz, dean of the Jere W. Morehead Honors College said: “Vaughn and Annie are conducting research with their faculty mentors that will have impacts in the lab, in the air and deep into space. Their intellectual curiosity and excitement really exemplify why undergraduate research at UGA is thriving.”
Frost plans to pursue a doctorate focusing on acoustics, vibrations, and fluid-structure interactions within mechanical engineering. He described winning as affirmation for his commitment: “Winning the Goldwater has affirmed my commitment to pursuing a career in research,” Frost said. “It’s really inspiring to know that a group of highly qualified people who work in my field of study believe I have the potential to reach their level of success one day… it really doesn’t feel like an individual achievement whatsoever.” His projects include experiments on rocket engine impeller blades with associate professor Benjamin Davis’s lab as well as river energy capture devices.
Mehta aims for a doctorate in computational astrophysics with goals including narrowing searches for habitable exoplanets through advanced simulation software development. She explained: “Winning Goldwater has given me a verifiable seal of approval that I can follow a meandering trajectory that inspires me — take classes that challenge and intrigue me… We inherit this assumption that school and mathematics and astrophysics are miserably hard… I can explore the world with a sense of joy…and still produce meaningful results.” Her recent work includes classifying protoplanetary disks using high-performance computing alongside assistant professor Cassandra Hall.
This year’s national recipients plan careers spanning mathematics/computer science (54), sciences (237), medicine (98), engineering/materials research (65), including ten scholars from Georgia institutions.
