News Students Two from UNC win Goldwater Scholarships
| Two from UNC win Goldwater Scholarships |
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| Monday, April 06, 2009 | |||||||||
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Sophomores Ann Liu and Varun Puvanesarajah came to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on somewhat similar paths. Now, both have won Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships for students who intend to pursue careers in mathematics, the natural sciences or engineering. The Goldwater Foundation, of Springfield, Va., has announced 278 recipients of the awards for 2009-2010. Colleges and universities had nominated 1,097 candidates. The Goldwater provides up to $7,500 per year for educational expenses to sophomores and juniors Sophomores receive two years of support; juniors, one year. Scholars are chosen for intellectual curiosity and intensity and potential for significant future contributions in their chosen fields.
Puvanesarajah (pronounced “POO-va-NES-a-RAH-jah”), a double-major in biochemistry and mathematics, hopes to earn doctoral and medical degrees and eventually conduct pharmaceutical research. The son of Velupillai and Lojini Puvanesarajah of Chapel Hill, Puvanesarajah graduated from East Chapel Hill High School in 2007. Both are students in the University’s College of Arts and Sciences. The Goldwater program seeks scholars that represent American diversity, a goal that Carolina’s new Goldwaters help to support. “I consider myself a Chinese-Canadian-American, or as I jokingly tell my friends, a Canasian American,” Liu said. “My parents are Chinese, but I was born in Canada and lived there until I moved to the U.S. when I was 9. My parents grew up during the harsh times of the Cultural Revolution but worked very hard to succeed in Canada and America.”
Liu holds other merit scholarships and studies in the honors program. She is a residence hall adviser, a tutor for a high school student and a science mentor to elementary school students. She founded and edits a science research news magazine, Carolina Scientific. Puvanesarajah, also in the honors program, has received previous merit scholarships. He is a member of the Carolina Research Fellowship Program and the UNC American Red Cross club. He has volunteered at UNC Hospitals and played intramural sports. Both students work in UNC labs and have been awarded summer fellowships to conduct research as well. “Ann Liu and Varun Puvanesarajah are two stars among the many talented undergraduate students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,” said Jason Reed, an associate professor of biology and chair of the faculty committee that chose UNC’s Goldwater nominees. “We are delighted that they have been recognized for their academic and research accomplishments, and for their promising future careers in science.” Congress established the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program in 1986 to honor the late Barry M. Goldwater of Arizona, who served in the U.S. Senate for 30 years. Goldwater Foundation Web page: http://www.act.org/goldwater/ Note: Reed can be reached at (919) 962-5699 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Liu, at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Puvanesarajah, at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it News Services contact: LJ Toler, (919) 962-8589 |
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