Student Spotlight
Undergraduate Student Named Goldwater Scholar
Nathan McNew, Mathematics and Physics Major
Math and physics major Nathan McNew was recently awarded a Goldwater Scholarship by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, established by Congress in 1986 to honor the late senator and to encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in mathematics and engineering.
The foundation awarded 278 scholarships for the 2009-2010 academic year to undergradaute sophomores and juniors from across the United States. McNew is the first DU student to receive the award.
Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,097 students nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide. The one- and two-year scholarships cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,000 per year.
Like virtually all of this year's winners, McNew's career goals involve advanced academic study. He plans to pursue a PhD and a university teaching career.
"I expect that in a few years Nathan will be a professor of mathematics. I foresee him doing original research and proving new results," says Nic Ormes associate professor of mathematics and Nathan's advisor.
Doctoral Student Awarded Fulbright Scholarship and NSF Program Invitation
Kyle Pula, Department of Mathematics
University of Denver PhD student Kyle Pula has been awarded two prestigious academic honors that will allow him to study mathematics in Australia.
Last week, Pula was awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Scholarship and found out he has been accepted into the National Science Foundation’s East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes program.
Pula will study the mathematical concept of Latin squares and work with professors at Monash University, the University of Queensland, and Australian National University. Latin squares have been studied since at least the late 1700s and have been implemented in numerous real-world applications ranging from the design of experiments to optimal crop rotations to secure and efficient digital communication. “Australia has a rich heritage of expertise in mathematics,” says Pula. “This experience will direct my course for long-term success as a teacher-scholar as I learn from world class researchers.” Pula has taught mathematics and currently serves as the MathCounts coach at DU’s Ricks Center for Gifted Children.
Pula starts the shorter NSF program in June 2009 then starts an academic year of study in August under the Fulbright scholarship.
The Fulbright Program is designed to “increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.” The scholarship is awarded to people based on academic or professional achievement and potential for leadership. Pula is one of more than 1,450 U.S. students who will travel abroad under the program this year.
The National Science Foundation’s East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes provide U.S. graduate students in science and engineering with first-hand research experiences in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore or Taiwan. The primary goals of EAPSI are to introduce students to East Asia and Pacific science and engineering and to help students initiate scientific relationships that will enable collaboration with foreign counterparts.
“These grants confirm what we already suspect: that Mr. Pula is well on his way to establishing both a national and an international reputation in the field of mathematics,” says Carol Helstosky, DU Fulbright adviser. “The fact that his work has attracted the interest of leading scholars in the field of Latin squares means that they see incredible potential in his work and scholarship.”
Upon his return to DU in 2010, Pula will complete his dissertation and begin applying for academic positions. Pula is the 25th Fulbright Scholar from DU since 1993.
“Kyle is one of the best advanced graduate students we have in the mathematics department,” says Michael Kinyon, DU associate professor of mathematics. “These two prestigious awards give an excellent jump start on his research, and position him well for future academic positions.”
-Jordan Ames, DU Today