Four Rutgers students have been selected as Goldwater Scholars, a prestigious national honor for undergraduates who plan to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering.
Tiffany Chan and Alan Rozenblit from Rutgers-Camden (pictured at the top) made history becoming the first from that location to earn the award, joining Rutgers-New Brunswick students Adrian Jackson and Iris You in the class of scholars.
The four students are building impressive research portfolios working to unlock the mysteries of matter, studying the functions of the nervous system, preparing to investigate the biology of cancer and working to improve 3D printing.
They are among 441 students nationwide named Goldwater Scholars this spring.
“To have Tiffany and Alan recognized as the first Goldwater Scholars for Rutgers-Camden is a point of tremendous pride for our institution and for our office,’’ said Laura Collins, director of the Office of Scholar Development and Fellowship Advising. “Working with these scholars closely throughout the application process was immensely rewarding as they articulated their commitment to research and refined their long-term goals in the field of science.”
The announcement also marked a milestone for Rutgers-New Brunswick: It's the 20th consecutive year students from the university have been selected as Goldwater Scholars.
Named after the late Sen. Barry Goldwater, the undergraduate research scholarship awards recipients up to $7,500 to help cover costs associated with room and board, tuition, fees and books. Winners were chosen from a pool of more than 5,000 college sophomores and juniors nominated by 445 academic institutions.
“Rutgers-New Brunswick has a strong history with Goldwater, and we’re excited to have these new scholars join the legacy,’’ said Anne Wallen, director of the Office of Distinguished Fellowships at Rutgers-New Brunswick. “Adrian and Iris exemplify our strengths in undergraduate research."
Iris You
School of Engineering
Rutgers-New Brunswick Honors College
From the tiniest atomic structures to the materials that shape our world, Iris You (above, lower right) is on a mission to unlock the mysteries of matter.
A junior at Rutgers University-New Brunswick double majoring in mathematics and materials science and engineering, You has immersed herself in research exploring how atomic structures influence material behavior. With ambitions of earning a doctoral degree in materials science, she is driven by a fundamental question: how can we understand why materials behave the way they do—and how can that understanding enable us to engineer their properties?
“Materials are the foundation of everything we interact with, and I want to understand how they work and what makes them function the way they do,” said You, a member of the Honors College. “In particular, understanding a material’s structure provides a gateway to engineering its properties.”
Her research journey began in her first semester when she joined the lab of Jonathan Singer, an associate professor in the School of Engineering. There, she worked on polymer metallization – a process that enhances surface properties and durability—as well as a project developing a lightweight, porous material designed for high-performance applications.
Her contributions led to a peer-reviewed publication in Advanced Materials Interfaces and two research presentations, all while deepening her appreciation for hands-on experimentation and materials synthesis.
“Iris has been exceptional at picking up different synthesis and analytical techniques,” Singer said. “She has contributed to projects ranging from aerospace coatings to battery architectures and diffraction analysis. She is well deserving of this recognition.”
You credits Singer for supporting her through internships, research opportunities and advanced coursework.
“Even when our research interests diverged, he always encouraged my growth as a scientist and helped me find opportunities aligned with my passions,” You said.
That passion took her beyond Rutgers in the summer of 2024, when she earned a highly competitive research position at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Under the mentorship of Colin Ophus, an associate professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Stanford, she applied advanced computational techniques to analyze atomic structures.
The experience, she said, cemented her interest in computational materials science and exposed her to methods and tools she hadn’t previously encountered.
Beyond research, You is a leader in the Rutgers engineering community. As production lead for Chem-E-Car, a student-run team that designs chemically powered vehicles, she applies her engineering skills in a hands-on, collaborative environment. She also is treasurer and a competitive player for the Rutgers Badminton Club.
“I never had a concrete career goal as a child, but I loved math and science,” You said. “I enjoy creating tangible results from my work while also pursuing my creative and athletic interests.”
She credits her mother as her greatest role model – someone whose resilience and kindness she hopes to emulate.
Winning the Goldwater Scholarship, she said, is more than an honor: It validates years of dedication.
“Being named a Goldwater Scholar affirms my achievements and opens doors to future opportunities where I can contribute meaningfully to science,” You said.
Her next step is taking part in a summer research program at Cornell University, where she will study topological materials before applying to doctoral degree programs in materials science.
FULL SOURCE AND ADDITIONAL GOLDWATER RECIPIENT STORIES: Rutgers Today | Four Rutgers Students Earn Prestigious Goldwater Scholarships