Two students earn Goldwater Scholarships for academic merit, research experience

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Two Penn State undergraduates, Kieran Sturges and Eric Welp, have earned a 2026-27 Goldwater Scholarship for their outstanding academic merit and research experience. Goldwater Scholars are selected for their potential as leaders in the fields of natural sciences, mathematics and engineering.

Kieran Sturges

Sturges, of Annandale, New Jersey, said he intends to pursue a doctoral degree in a computational field, with a research emphasis on applying computer science to communication sciences and disorders. He is a Millennium Scholar pursuing majors in computer science and mathematics.

At Penn State, Sturges’ primary research is with the SLS Study, short for Speech, Language and Swallowing in Individuals with Down Syndrome. Led by Krista Wilkinson, distinguished professor of communication sciences and disorders, researchers hope to study specific characteristics of individuals with Down syndrome that contribute to swallowing and speech outcomes. Sturges helps to develop computational and artificial intelligence (AI)-based methods to make lab procedures more efficient and accessible for both researchers and study participants.

“Working in the SLS study taught me that my interest in computer science and mathematics lies in how they can be applied to interdisciplinary topics,” Sturges said. “Applying these fields to communication sciences and disorders convinced me to pursue research in language technologies and speech processing long-term.”

Sturges is also the current director of content and co-vice president for TEDxPSU, Penn State’s independent TED organization. He helps scout speakers for the TEDxPSU annual conference and leads a team of undergraduate consultants who help speakers develop their talks and practice delivery.

Eric Welp

Welp, of Macungie, Pennsylvania, is a Schreyer Scholar pursuing majors in engineering science and physics. His research, and passion, focuses on the growth of thin-film materials and surface science.

Welp currently works under Stephanie Law, associate professor of materials science and engineering, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, whose lab focuses on the synthesis of ultra-thin materials. Welp’s project is to synthesize large monolayer chalcogenide films by a process called MBE, or molecular beam epitaxy. MBE is technique in which a material is built one atomic layer at a time at the nanoscale.

“These films are just one atomic layer thick, and we can use them to create highly efficient solar cells amongst other optical and electronic applications,” Welp explained.

Welp has also conducted research under Robert Lavelle, research and development engineer with the Applied Research Laboratory. Here he supports the development and analysis of preparation methods for wide-bandgap oxides for application in high-power electronics and the growth of other epitaxial devices.

Previously, Welp worked under Patrick Lenahan, distinguished professor of engineering science and mechanics, on the characterization of packaged semiconductor devices by electron-spin resonance methods and the development of novel characterization techniques. He spent the summer of 2025 working at the National Institute of Standards and Technology as a research fellow and summer 2024 at the PARADIM center at Cornell.

“Undergraduate research has guided me to the work that I love, and that I can use to make an impact in the world,” Welp said. “Through my experience at Cornell, I found passion in the growth of thin-film materials and surface science, and my experience under Dr. Law and Robert Lavelle here at Penn State has grown my confidence in the field as a way to improve the lives of everyone through resilient and efficient electronics.”

Welp said he plans to earn a doctorate in materials science and continue pursuing the physics and engineering of electronic materials, with an emphasis on nanomaterials and epitaxial films.

Outside of lab and academic work, Welp described his time in Penn State Club Curling as “incredibly fun and rewarding,” allowing him to travel across the U.S. to compete in competitions alongside his team. He is also part of the Society of Engineering Science and will serve as its treasurer in the upcoming year.

About the Goldwater Scholarship

Each year, the scholarship, named for statesman Barry Goldwater, awards 300 undergraduates in their second or third year of study in the fields of natural science, engineering and mathematics.  

Those interested in competing for a Goldwater Scholarship next year should contact Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring (URFM) to learn more about the scholarship program, verify that they meet the eligibility criteria and begin the application process. Applicants must be U.S citizens, U.S. nationals or permanent residents in their second or third years and demonstrate an interest in a research career in select STEM fields. Applicants must submit a pre-application form and complete a full application during the fall semester to be considered for University nomination. Each Penn State campus can nominate four to six students each year.

Students looking to explore their potential for research and fellowships can begin by meeting with an  undergraduate research ambassador,  attending a workshop from URFM or applying to the Spark Program.