ChE Junior Named Goldwater Scholar

Qi Chen, a junior in chemical engineering, is one of two University of Kansas juniors chosen to receive the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. The awards are the premier undergraduate recognition to honor academically gifted students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and encourage a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers.

Chen, Overland Park, is a junior in chemical engineering, with minors in economics and mathematics. He is the son of Rongying Wu and Guozhu Chen and a graduate of Shawnee Mission East High School. He researches the application of quantum-based chemical property prediction in computational molecular design. After graduation, he intends to pursue his doctorate and establish a career as a professor at a research university. Chen cited Kyle Camarda, associate professor and associate dean of undergraduate programs at the School of Engineering, as his research adviser and mentor in his application.

Also recognized was Lianna Dang, a junior majoring in chemistry. She graduated from Shawnee Mission Northwest High School and is a native of Shawnee.

The two winners bring KU’s total to 55 Goldwater recipients. Both winners are members of the KU Honors Program.

Congress established the Goldwater scholarship program in 1986 to honor the retired U.S. senator from Arizona. Recipients were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of more than 1,100 mathematics, science and engineering students nominated by their colleges and universities nationwide. Only 271 scholarships were awarded for the 2013-2014 academic year.  Recipients are eligible to receive up to $7,500 to help cover costs of tuition, fees, books and room and board.