Campus & Community

UAB STEM undergraduates named Goldwater Scholars

Ben Boros, Maggie Collier and Remy Meir join the group of 24 UAB students to date who have been named Goldwater Scholars.
Written by: Katherine Shonesy
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goldwater 2017 webFrom left: Ben Boros, Maggie Collier and Remy MeirThree University of Alabama at Birmingham students have been named 2017 Goldwater Scholars by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation.

Ben Boros, Maggie Collier and Remy Meir join the group of 24 UAB students to date who have been named Goldwater Scholars.

Each year, UAB may nominate up to four outstanding sophomore and junior students in the math, science and engineering fields for scholarships awarded by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation.

The foundation grants each recipient a scholarship for the 2017-2018 academic year that covers the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year.

The three UAB students were selected from a pool of more than 1,200 student-applicants from colleges and universities nationwide, and were among just 250 students who received the award. The scholars were selected based on their academic achievements outlined in the nominations submitted by faculty members.

The three UAB students recognized this year are:

  • Ben Boros (Montgomery, Alabama) is a neuroscience major in the College of Arts and Sciences and School of Medicine and is a member of the Honors College’s Science and Technology Honors Program. He conducts research in the lab of Jeremy Herskowitz, Ph.D., in the Department of Neurology. Last summer, Boros was one of eight students to participate in the UAB Honors Neuroscience Research Academy. He will present his work at the 2017 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference this summer in London, England. Boros plans to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. in neurobiology and conduct translational research on underlying mechanisms and possible therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases.
“Being selected both to represent UAB and to receive the award nationally has been an incredible honor,” Boros said. “There are so many undergraduates at UAB who have achieved incredible success both in the lab and around campus, so the opportunity to represent UAB is, itself, a great honor. 
  • Maggie Collier (Deatsville, Alabama), a biomedical engineering and electrical engineering double major, is also a member of the Honors College’s Science and Technology Honors Program. She researches in the lab of Ho-Wook Jun, Ph.D., and is editor-in-chief of Inquiro, UAB’s undergraduate research journal. Collier was recently named Most Outstanding Undergraduate Student in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. This summer, she will participate in the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at Georgia Tech. Collier wants to earn her Ph.D. in electrical engineering or biomedical engineering and work to innovate medical technologies that involve aspects of tissue interactions, electronics and robotics.
“When you graduate from high school in a class size of 16, it doesn’t really occur to anyone that you might ever have a chance to conduct world-class research or be considered for a prestigious honor,” Collier said. “Winning the Goldwater Scholarship reminds me that I have exceeded so many expectations, including many of my own.”
  • Remy Meir (Auburn, Alabama) is a neuroscience major pursuing a personalized path in the UAB Honors College. Meir conducts research in the lab of Robert Sorge, Ph.D., in the Department of Psychology, serves as a UAB Undergraduate Research Ambassador and recently co-founded a pre-Ph.D. society for UAB students. Last summer, she also participated in the UAB Honors Neuroscience Research Academy. Meir is currently studying abroad and conducting research in Norway. Meir plans to pursue a Ph.D. in behavioral neuroscience to further her research and teach in that field.
“Winning this award is such a gratifying honor,” Meir said. “Having the title of Goldwater Scholar gives me confidence that I can be successful pursuing a career in research, and makes me eager to see what the future holds as I continue down this path.”

The Goldwater Scholarship program began in 1989 with the purpose of encouraging outstanding students to pursue careers in engineering, mathematics and the natural sciences. Since its first award in 1989, the foundation has bestowed 7,921 scholarships worth approximately $63 million.

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