Four Bruins awarded Goldwater Scholarships - UCLA Undergraduate Education

By Kayla McCormack | April 21

Four UCLA undergraduates have been awarded the Goldwater Scholarship. This nationally competitive award recognizes college sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise as future leaders in STEM research.

This year, 441 scholarships were awarded from more than 5,000 applicants. The award provides up to $7,500 to assist with the cost of tuition and other educational expenses. UCLA’s newest Goldwater Scholars represent a range of disciplines, from biochemistry to computer science and beyond, exemplifying the curiosity and passion that undergraduate researchers bring to campus.

Learn more about each of the scholars below, as they share what excites them most about their fields and how the Goldwater Scholarship will shape their next steps.

Amelia Rodolf

Rodolf is third-year bioengineer major at UCLA. Her goal is to earn her M.D./Ph.D. in bioengineering and to research the molecular mechanisms of infection, especially in pediatric patients, and improve strategies for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of communicable disease.

What aspect of your chosen field do you find most interesting?

My research is in bioengineering and infectious disease. Bioengineering interests me because it applies the principles of math and physics to biological systems to design new tools to improve healthcare. I am interested in infectious disease science because this field connects the biological systems within microorganisms and the human body to the social systems that influence how disease spreads around the world.

What does winning the Goldwater Scholarship mean to you?

It encourages my commitment to pursuing a career in research. The process of applying for the scholarship helped me reflect on my scientific experiences and define my future goals. I am excited to continue my undergraduate research in latent tuberculosis and begin new projects in graduate school.

How did the Center for Scholarships and Scholar Enrichment support you through the application process?

They provided incredibly valuable mentorship through the application process. Dr. Rebecca Blustein helped me reflect on my research and personal experiences and convey these experiences through my essays.

What are your plans for continuing your academic journey after earning your undergraduate degree?

I plan to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. dual degree to continue studying bioengineering while specializing in pediatric infectious disease medicine. I hope to combine my interests to research the mechanisms of infection in pediatric patients and develop new tools for preventing and treating communicable disease.

Edward Sun

Sun is a second-year computer science major. He is interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in computer science. His goal is to conduct research in computer science, especially on the application of artificial intelligence in scientific discovery and teach at the university level.

What aspect of your chosen field do you find most interesting?

What fascinates me most about computer science is its power to automate tasks that once required hours of meticulous human effort. In today’s deep learning era, machines can process vast amounts of data and uncover complex patterns, from understanding language and interpreting images to navigating the physical world. I’m especially intrigued by how these advancements can condense what once took years of experimentation into just hours of computation, enabling scientists and people overall to ask better questions and find answers more quickly and efficiently.

What does winning the Goldwater Scholarship mean to you?

It is a meaningful affirmation of my work. Over the past few years, I’ve been exploring how AI can accelerate progress in fields like biology, healthcare, finance and, more recently, robotics. Having this work recognized at a national level by the Goldwater committee and my university is deeply encouraging and motivates me to keep growing as a researcher and continue developing projects that benefit the research community.

How did the Center for Scholarship and Scholar Enrichment support you through the application process?

The CSSE, and especially UCLA’s Goldwater campus representative, Rebecca Blustein, provided invaluable support throughout my application process. From the initial information session to multiple rounds of email questions, Blustein was incredibly generous with her time and insights. She coordinated my recommendation letters, carefully reviewed my application materials and ultimately nominated me for the Goldwater Scholarship. Her patience, professionalism and unwavering support played a significant role in my receiving this prestigious award, and I’m deeply grateful.

What are your plans for continuing your academic journey after earning your undergraduate degree?

I plan to pursue a Ph.D. in computer science, focusing on deep learning applications.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I would like to thank Professors Wei Wang, Yuchen Cui, Chunhua Weng and Kai Ding, as well as my Ph.D. mentor Yijia Xiao, for their invaluable research opportunities, mentorship and guidance throughout my research.

Abhiram Singh

Singh is a second-year biochemistry major who is interested in pursuing an M.D./Ph.D. in immunology. His goal is to lead a research lab, teach medicine at the university level and mentor student researchers and aspiring doctors.

What aspect of your chosen field do you find most interesting?

The human body’s sheer complexity continues to show us that there is a lot to learn and potentially harness to improve our own health, and this is especially the case when it comes to the immune system. From developing precision medicine techniques on an individual level to understanding how we can eradicate or prevent disease on a global scale, we have within ourselves an unimaginably intricate defense system.

What does winning the Goldwater Scholarship mean to you?

Being chosen for this scholarship is an amazing honor and I am thrilled to join a community of aspiring researchers and scientists across the country who are passionate about discovery. It has fueled my motivation to continue my research journey and I am grateful to UCLA for supporting my goals.

How did the Center for Scholarship and Scholar Enrichment support you through the application process?

I heard about the scholarship through an Instagram post from the CSSE office. From the day I applied, Dr. Rebecca Blustein, an advisor from the office, kindly made herself available to meet with me regularly, sharing crucial advice on how to tackle the essay prompts and ask for recommendations respectfully. I’m grateful to her and the CSSE for providing me with wisdom in an often-overwhelming sea of knowledge.

What are your plans for continuing your academic journey after earning your undergraduate degree?

As a pre-medical student, I am excited to explore specialties and pursue a career in the clinic where I can serve and comfort others. As an aspiring scientist, I think the most exciting forefront of research is the moment where an innovation in the lab becomes accessible in the real world. To lead a lab bringing the science from bench to bedside and from pipettes to people would be a dream come true.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Bhupesh Parashar at Northwell Health in New York City for introducing me to the fast-paced world of medical research, and to Dr. Leo Otterbein and Dr. Ionita Ghiran at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center back home in Boston for their dedication in teaching me about scientific rigor through experiments focused on the immune system. To my parents, thank you for supporting me through everything and for all your love.

Eric Yang

Yang is a second-year psychobiology major. He plans to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. in immuno-oncology with the aim of becoming a physician-scientist in academia conducting research on immunotherapy drug development and immunotherapy-induced iRAEs and MACEs.

What aspect of your chosen field do you find most interesting?

What interests me most about immuno-oncology is how it changes the way we think about treating cancer. Instead of relying only on chemotherapy or radiation, it works by helping the immune system recognize and respond to cancer cells.

Approaches like checkpoint inhibitors and CAR T-cell therapy are more targeted, and in some cases, their effects may continue even after treatment has ended. It’s a developing area that reflects how much we still have to learn, and I’m drawn to the possibility of learning and contributing in whatever way I can.

What does winning the Goldwater Scholarship mean to you?

It’s something I’m truly grateful for. It has encouraged me to keep learning and given me time to reflect more deeply on my interest in research. I’m especially thankful to the research groups I’ve been part of for welcoming me and giving me the chance to learn from their work. This experience has reminded me how much there is still to learn and how grateful I am to be in a position where I can continue to grow and expand my knowledge.

How did the Center for Scholarship and Scholar Enrichment support you through the application process?

The CSSE, and especially Dr. Blustein, was very helpful throughout the Goldwater application process. I received guidance at each stage — from brainstorming ideas to refining my essays — and was encouraged to think more clearly about how to present my goals. Their feedback was valuable, and their support made the process feel much more manageable. I’m truly grateful for their encouragement and for the time they dedicated to helping me grow as both a writer and a researcher.

What are your plans for continuing your academic journey after earning your undergraduate degree?

I plan to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. with a focus on cancer immunology. I’m interested in studying how we might better understand and utilize the immune system to develop more effective and personalized cancer therapies. In the long term, I hope to be able to lead a research group and contribute to both scientific knowledge and the education of future scientists. I look forward to continuing to explore questions at the intersection of immunology, oncology, and translational medicine.

The UCLA Center for Scholarships and Scholar Enrichment empowers students to discover, apply for, and secure scholarships through personalized guidance and support. Learn more here.