Once again, five Dartmouth undergraduates have been awarded . The competitive awards recognize students’ work in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering; commitment to a research career in STEM; and potential for a significant contribution to research in their chosen field.
“It’s tremendously exciting to have five Goldwater recipients for the third time in four years,” says , assistant dean of faculty for . “The success of these students is a testament to the value of undergraduate research on campus and to the importance of ensuring research opportunities early in students’ time at Dartmouth.”
Named in honor of the late U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater, R-Arizona, the program aims to identify, encourage, and support college sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise of becoming the country’s next generation of research leaders in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics, according to the program’s website.
The were chosen from among 1,350 students across the United States nominated by their academic institutions. Each Goldwater Scholar receives up to $7,500 per academic year.
Calista Adler ’26, who is majoring in biomedical engineering, has worked with , an assistant professor of engineering and clinical assistant professor of orthopaedics, as a , , and . She has also held summer and off-term research internships with Luis Hernandez-Nunez at Harvard University.
Adler plans to pursue a PhD in biomedical engineering, conduct regenerative medicine research in neural and cardiac tissue engineering, and teach at the university level.
Priyanshu Alluri ’26 is majoring in biology modified with computer science. As a presidential scholar, Alluri works with , an assistant professor of computer science, as a , with Vosoughi and , an associate professor of molecular and systems biology, and as an undergraduate research assistant with , an assistant professor of engineering. He also has held summer research internships at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
In the future, Alluri plans to pursue a career in structural biology, focusing on protein structures.
“I anticipate using computation and machine learning to develop more effective predictive models of protein complexes,” he says.
John Chin ’27, who is majoring in math and engineering physics, is an undergraduate research assistant with Marrero. He completed an internship at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Brains, Minds, and Machines.
Chin plans to pursue a PhD in biomedical engineering with a research focus in neuroengineering, and then “join or start a company that develops AI-powered devices to treat brain diseases,” he says.
John Guerrerio ’26, who is majoring in computer science, is a presidential scholar with , a research assistant professor of computer science. He has conducted research on campus with Vosoughi, and served summer internships at the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Guerrerio plans to pursue a PhD in computer science focusing on AI alignment or AI safety and conduct research, in academia or government labs, on secure, fair AI systems and security/privacy technologies that leverage AI.
Rhianna Smith ’26, who is majoring in math and computer science, is a Stamps Scholar and undergraduate research assistant with the Mucha Group, which is under , the Jack Byrne Distinguished ĚěĂŔÓ°ĘÓ in Mathematics. She also served as a research assistant for a PhD student working with , a professor of engineering.
Smith plans to pursue a PhD in computer science, specifically machine learning, “conduct industry research related to bias and fairness in ML and AI models, and then transition to research at the university level.”
As the result of an ongoing partnership with the test prep company UWorld and the Department of Defense National Defense Education Programs, the Board of Trustees of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation was able to award 441 Goldwater scholarships for the 2025-2026 academic year, said John Yopp, board chair of the foundation.
