[4/23/2010]--Two UMBC students were awarded Barry M. Goldwater scholarships for the 2010-2011 academic year. The Goldwater scholarship is awarded to sophomores and juniors who have excelled in science, mathematics or engineering.

Research is an essential part of the Goldwater application: each applicant must draft a research proposal in order to be considered for the award (they do not have to complete the research). Students must also be nominated for the award through their institution. A maximum of 300 awards are given out each year. This year, 278 awards were distributed among 1,111 applicants.

Though both students excel in their fields, they have very different interests and goals.

Clapp plans to earn a Ph.D. in applied mathematics.

“The hard work that they’ve done for the past two or three years is what gets them the scholarship,” said Stacey. “We know what a winning candidate looks like, and I think UMBC is a place that can have even more than two a year.” An institution can nominate up to four students each year.

And for Clapp, there was an even sweeter reward than money or recognition. “My parents were pretty amazed,” he said. “They got me an ice cream cake.”

(4/23/2010)

Original Story: http://www.umbc.edu/window/goldwater2010.html