Congratulations to Jasmine Brewer and Ryan Dewey for being awarded the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship for 2014. Brewer is a junior in engineering physics, and Dewey is a junior in astrophysics and physics. They join chemical engineering and applied mathematics major Brennan Coffey as the three University of Colorado Boulder Goldwater scholars this year.
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship for Excellence in Education Program was created, "to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue research careers in these fields." Goldwater scholarships, worth up to $7,500 each, are awarded annually based on high academic achievement.
Ms. Brewer conducts research with Assistant Professor Paul Romatschke in his theoretical Nuclear Physics group, where she develops simulations of strongly interacting ultracold Fermi gases. She also works with Assistant Professor Ivan Smalyukh, researching particle interactions in liquid crystals. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in mathematical physics.
Mr. Dewey is currently conducting research on solar phenomena with Professor Dan Baker and the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) studying Mercury's atmosphere and magnetosphere with data from the NASA MESSENGER spacecraft. He plans to continue research in space physics and solar weather, and to pursue a doctorate in heliophysics.