Two University of Iowa undergraduate researchers in the UI Honors Program and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS)—Allyson Mayer and Nicholas Rolston—have been named 2012 Goldwater Scholars.

The Goldwater Scholarship program, established by Congress in 1986 in honor of Senator Barry M. Goldwater, fosters and encourages outstanding students to pursue careers in the fields of mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering. The Goldwater is the premier undergraduate award of its type in these fields.

Mayer, of Urbandale, Iowa, is a junior biochemistry major who is conducting research on the metabolic control of gene expression in collaboration with Charles Brenner, head of the UI Department of Biochemistry and professor of internal medicine. She plans to continue her research at the graduate level and beyond, with the intention of advancing the influence of nutritional biochemistry in preventative health care.

Rolston, a native of Minnesota who now calls Cedar Rapids home, is a second year student of physics and mathematics. He began his undergraduate research career in his first semester on campus when he joined physics associate professor John Prineasin the UI’s Optical Science and Technology Center. Rolston is conducting research in the solid-state semiconductor physics in an effort to grow nanowires. He plans to continue his investigation of nanotechnology through undergrad and into his doctoral work with the intention of serving the discipline as both a researcher and educator.

Both Mayer and Rolston joined the UI as Presidential Scholars and are active members of the UI Honors Program.

This year’s Goldwater winners were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,123 students nominated by colleges and universities. Among this year's Goldwater Scholars nationally, 174 are men, 105 are women, and virtually all of this year’s recipients intend to pursue doctoral degrees within their chosen discipline. Twenty-four scholars are mathematics majors, 194 are science and related majors, 52 are majoring in engineering and five are computer science majors. Many of the scholars have dual majors in a variety of mathematics, science, engineering, and computer disciplines.

Mayer and Rolston worked closely with UI Honors Program fellowships director, Kelly Thornburg, and a supportive community of faculty and research mentors during the development of their application materials and research proposals.

To view a full list of 2012 Goldwater Scholars, visit www.act.org/goldwater/sch-2012.html.