George Walters-Marrah is a junior biotechnology and molecular microbiology major at UCF. (Photo by Steven Diaz)

George Walters-Marrah was awarded a 2018 Goldwater Scholarship, a prestigious honor that recognizes exceptional research work by undergraduate sophomores and juniors in the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics. This year’s pool was narrowed down from a field of 1,280 students nominated from more than 2,000 colleges and universities nationwide.

Established by Congress in 1986, Goldwater Scholarships reward students with up to $7,500 per year. Recent recipients have gone on to receive Rhodes Scholarships, Marshall Awards, Churchill Scholarships and Hertz Fellowships, among other distinguished awards.

Walters-Marrah, a biotechnology and molecular microbiology major at the University of Central Florida, was named as a scholar as a result of his research on Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab), an environmental mycobacteria often found in bodies of water and decomposing vegetation.

“I’m very honored to actually get this scholarship,” Walters-Marrah says. “I’ve heard a lot about the prestige of the Goldwater Scholarship. It is a magnet for other opportunities.”

Walters-Marrah is a McNair Scholar, Stokes Scholar, and was selected to participate in a National Science Foundation-funded research experience for undergraduate students at the University of Chicago. His involvement in three different research projects since his freshman year has secured him multiple small grants, as well as a spot on UCF’s Student Undergraduate Research Council. He is also an undergraduate research assistant in Kyle Rohde’s lab at the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences. His current research is seeking to discover virulence factors that allow Mab to persist in the body, avoid clearance by the immune system, and resist antibiotic therapy.

In the past two years, the UCF McNair Program has produced two Goldwater Scholars.

Original story written by Ashley Garrett was posted on UCF Today on April 5, 2018.

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program confers the most prestigious undergraduate award given in the sciences. The United States Congress established the scholarship in 1986 in honor of former United States Senator and 1964 presidential candidate Barry Goldwater.

“I was very surprised that I got the Goldwater. Not only was this a pleasant surprise, but the Goldwater will help me tremendously with graduate school applications. It should help me get me into high-ranking institutions because it’s very prestigious,” York said.

The scholarship is awarded to about 300 college sophomores and juniors nationwide based on merit, and the funding is up to $7500, based on financial need. The goal is to provide a continual source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers by awarding financial support to college students interested in careers in these fields.

“In my application, I explained how I chose a problem and I stuck with it for three years before I finally got it solved. Being a mathematician involves a lot of frustration and I think they realized my persistence to see results,” he said.

York’s unique research opportunities have inspired him to pursue a career in math. After only two full years of college, he has already conducted 3 consequent research projects through the aid of the McNair Scholars Program and twice through the Office of Undergraduate Research under his mentor Valentin Andreev, professor of mathematics.

“Dr. Andreev wanted me to apply for this scholarship for a long time, but I decided not to. This year after finishing my NcNair project, I finally applied. I felt this time I would stand a better chance because I finally completed my research,” he said.

Thanks to his participation in the Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities, a residential honors program for gifted and talented high school-aged students, York got a head start on his bachelor’s degree. Now a Mirabeau Scholar in his sophomore year, he has completed most undergrad math courses offered.

Provost James Marquart called the news “a testament to the quality of our students and the mentoring they receive from our faculty.”

“Dr. Andreev has provided Chris with unconditional mentoring regardless of the time, day, or circumstance. I am elated for Chris and deeply appreciative of Dr. Andreev’s efforts on his behalf,” said Joe Nordgren, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

York plans to earn his doctorate in mathematics and specialize in functional analysis and operator theory, then teach at a reputable university. Because physics makes heavy use of operator theory, he will also complete a minor in physics. His planned graduation is May 2018.

York recently completed an algebraic combinatorics project, and currently has a solely authored paper accepted by the Journal of Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing (JCMCC). He has presented at numerous state mathematics conferences and intends to attend a complex variables conference at Brown University with Dr. Andreev in June.

The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program was established by the U.S. Department of Education and named for astronaut and Challenger space shuttle crewmember Ronald McNair. It encourages talented college juniors and seniors who are from a group underrepresented at the doctoral level to pursue graduate studies by aiding research, skill development, and formation of relationships critical to success at the doctoral level.

The Office of Undergraduate Research provides opportunities for students of all undergraduate colleges and programs interested in conducting undergraduate research. The office allows undergrads to form strong mentor relationships with faculty members and make a difference in their fields.

~ original story posted on KFDM.com.

Joey has conducted research across two machine learning labs at UCF.  Joey notes “the mentors I’ve met through UCF have really made the experience special. I owe them so much for where I am now.” His efforts led to a National Science Foundation summer research experience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) within the Center for Brains, Minds, and Machines. He has since been invited back and is currently a visiting student at MIT in order to continue his research.

Joey’s academic path has not been without challenges. After a difficult semester early in his undergraduate career, Joey began to dedicate himself to school and learning in a new way.  His grades improved, he got involved in research, and joined the McNair Scholars program.  A new world of opportunities opened up for him, and now he looks forward to a bright future doing what he loves.  “Ultimately I want to inspire other students who are underrepresented or who have been put off course by personal troubles to persevere and know that if you dedicate yourself wholly to something, that others will take notice.” Joey credits the McNair Scholars Program with giving him direction and guidance towards his goal of becoming a faculty member.  Joey’s favorite quote is by Toni Morrison, “The function of freedom is to free someone else.”  Joey says that he plans to use academia to serve this function of freedom. He notes, “without the McNair program, I would have lacked the means to make this a reality. Because of this, McNair means everything to me”.

The Goldwater Scholarship, established in 1986 by Congress to honor the lifetime achievements of Senator Barry Goldwater, is the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship in the fields of natural sciences, mathematics and engineering in the United States. It aims to identify students of outstanding ability and potential and encourages them to pursue advanced study and research careers.