Three CCS Students Named 2024 Barry Goldwater Recipients
Total of 5 UCSB students from various disciplines across CCS, L&S, and CoE awarded prestigious scholarship to pursue research in graduate school
Five University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) students across the College of Creative Studies (CCS), College of Letters & Science (L&S), and College of Engineering (CoE) were named 2024 Barry Goldwater Scholarship recipients. Isaac Hair ‘26 (CCS Computing), Xuanwei Liang ‘25 (CCS Physics), and Matthew Unger ‘25 (CCS Biology) were the three recipients from CCS. Anika Jena ‘26 (CoE Chemical Engineering) and Riya Nilkant ‘25 (L&S Biology) were the other UCSB student recipients. Notably, this year UCSB students secured the highest number of Goldwater Scholarships of any UC campus. In addition, UCSB nominated 5 students for these scholarships and all five UCSB students were selected.
UC Santa Barbara ranks among the nation's top universities, offering in-depth research opportunities through close mentorship from engaged research faculty. Over the span of 10 years, 18 out of the 24 Goldwater scholarships awarded to UCSB undergraduates were to CCS students. The College recognizes this development as a reflection of the collaborative relationship between our dedicated faculty advisors and a passionate student community. CCS provides a unique intellectual environment through experiential learning, inspiring the creation of new knowledge through exploration.
"We are immensely proud of Isaac, Xuanwei, and Matthew for their exceptional achievements in earning the prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship," said Tim Sherwood, Interim Dean of the College of Creative Studies. "Their success is such a wonderful example of the dedication and intellectual curiosity of our students as well as the amazing support and mentorship provided by the UCSB faculty. I love that the College of Creative Studies is an environment where students are encouraged to really push the boundaries of their chosen fields, and I am excited to see the work that these awards will help them engage in after graduation."
This prestigious scholarship is designed to support students who intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering with the aim of cultivating highly qualified professionals in these vital fields. Established to honor Senator Barry Goldwater, the national scholarship is awarded through the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. Since 1989, the Goldwater Foundation has awarded 10,720 scholarships with awardees going on to receive distinguished graduate fellowships and awards, including the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and the Rhodes Scholarship.
Meet 2024 Barry Golderwater Scholars from CCS
“CCS gave me the freedom to carve my own educational path and it allowed me to procure many research positions.”
—Isaac Hair ‘26 (CCS Computing)
Isaac Hair ‘26 (CCS Computing) intends to pursue his interest in mathematical research, computer algorithms, and education by becoming a professor in theoretical computer science with a secondary interest in computer architecture. “This scholarship is an exciting recognition of the work I’ve conducted so far, and it reinforces my goal to become a professor in theoretical computer science.” Isaac said, “CCS gave me the freedom to carve my own educational path, and it allowed me to procure many research positions. I’m currently working with professors Jonathan Balkind, Subhash Suri, and Daniel Lokshtanov at UCSB as well as other professors at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Additionally, CCS has exposed me to a community of like-minded peers; they've helped me refine my career goals and navigate the research landscape.”
“The Goldwater scholarship further motivated me to obtain a Ph.D. in physics and pursue a research career. Coming to CCS has been one of the best decisions I've made. The college provides us with numerous resources and exceptional academic advising. I am very grateful to have met many people here that share similar passions and interests.”
—Xuanwei Liang ‘25 (CCS Physics)
Xuanwei Liang ‘25 (CCS Physics) plans to pursue his Ph.D. in experimental atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) physics. His research focus is to develop interdisciplinary experimental techniques to accelerate advancements in quantum technologies. “CCS gave me the opportunity to work in Professor David Weld's lab studying nonequilibrium quantum dynamics with ultracold atoms where I discovered my interest in atomic, molecular, and optical physics, and decided to pursue a Ph.D. in this subfield,” Xuanwei commented.
“As I move forward, hopefully to graduate school, I aim to carry on this spirit of collaboration that has been such a crucial element of my time in CCS and to continue to be a part of a similar community wherever I end up.”
—Matthew Unger ‘25 (CCS Biology)
Matthew Unger ‘25 (CCS Biology) aims to focus his Ph.D. in computational and systems biology with the goal of understanding disease mechanisms in order to predict and develop new therapeutics. Matthew’s scholarship is the product of a new partnership between the Barry Goldwater Scholarship Foundation and UWorld, aimed at bolstering pioneering advances in medicine. “I am incredibly honored to have received the Goldwater scholarship, and I credit a significant part of this achievement to the supportive environment fostered by CCS,” said Matthew. “Being a part of a community of peers and mentors who are all dedicated to bringing the best out in each other has been the most important and rewarding part of my overall experience here at UCSB.”
The CCS community congratulates the UCSB Goldwater Scholarship recipients for their remarkable accomplishments and commitment to creating a better future.