UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Three Penn Staters have been selected as Goldwater Scholars for 2024-25: Nate Carey, Bridget Reheard and Mabel Tong. Goldwater Scholars are selected for their potential as leaders in the fields of natural sciences, mathematics and engineering.
They join a long list of Nittany Lions who earned Goldwater Scholarships, including Yuki Yoshida and Kueyoung Kim in 2023 and Ellie Kim and Jack Piazza in 2022.
About 5,000 students from across the U.S. applied for one of the 438 awarded scholarships available in 2024. University nominees for the national scholarship work with Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring throughout the application process.
Nate Carey
In addition to his coursework and Army ROTC commitments, Carey has been involved in undergraduate research in the Rolls Lab and Sartorius Cell Culture Facility. The Chesapeake Beach, Maryland, native is enrolled in the integrated undergraduate-graduate master of biotechnology, with minors in entrepreneurship and innovation and military studies. He is also a Schreyer Scholar.
Carey works as an undergraduate researcher in the Rolls Lab under Melissa Rolls, Paul Berg professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, director of the Center for Cellular Dynamics and chair of the intercollege graduate degree program in molecular, cellular and integrative biosciences.
His work involves “investigation of microtubule dynamics in neurons using Drosophila (fruit flies) as a model organism,” Carey said. “More specifically, I aim to determine the role of spindle matrix proteins in regulating microtubules, especially in the context of neuronal injury and neurodegeneration. This research provides fundamental information supporting drug discovery research for neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer’s and ALS.”
As a research technician in the Sartorius Cell Culture Facility, Carey reports daily to expand, passage and observe mammalian cells. Even though the work doesn’t involve a research project, he said the experience has “enabled me to develop the animal cell culture skills required for my long-term interests in tissue engineering.”
This summer, Carey will participate in the Max Planck School Matter to Life Undergraduate Research Opportunity at the University of Göttingen, Germany. After that, Carey will go to Campus Biotech in Geneva through the EPFL Excellence in Engineering Program.
“Undergraduate research has changed everything for me,” Carey said. “While my long-term goals have remained consistent since grade school, I now have a much clearer understanding of what my career will look like in research and development. I have also benefited from the opportunity to confirm my serious interest in this type of work by spending hours on end behind the microscope, which I have found to be one of my favorite pastimes.”
Carey said he first learned about the Goldwater Scholarship during his first year at Penn State and knew he wanted to apply.
“The award represents the culmination of three years of intensive planning and commitment to my academics and research,” he said. “As a result of aiming for Goldwater, opportunities I never imagined possible have become available, and I am well on my way to achieving my long-term goals.”
He described joining Army ROTC a one of his best decisions, allowing him to benefit from “perhaps the finest leadership development organization in the world.” His other roles at Penn State include workforce development specialist for the Center of Excellence in Industrial Biotechnology and president of the Society for Industrial Biotechnology.
Carey’s long-term goals are to apply for doctoral programs, which he said will be aided by his Goldwater Scholarship.
“This goal is motivated by my family's experience with pancreatic cancer,” he said. “My father was diagnosed in August of 2022, on the same week that I started my research project with Dr. Rolls. During the course of his treatment, I became intimately familiar with chemotherapy, clinical trials and the realities of my father's condition. I realized that the standard of care is hardly an improvement from no treatment at all for the overwhelming majority of patients, so I set my sights on a career that would benefit future patients like my father.”
Bridget Reheard
For the past three years, Reheard, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, has been researching the implications of brines from Marcellus Shale fracking on stream ecosystems. She is pursuing a double major in wildlife and fisheries science and geosciences. Reheard is both a Schreyer and Millennium scholar.
“I am studying how potential releases of these hypersaline brines may affect aquatic benthic macroinvertebrate (think insects, crustaceans, etc. that live on the stream bottom) and fish communities in Sproul and Tiadaghton state forests here in Pennsylvania,” Reheard said.
Previously, she conducted research with the Duke University Marine Lab to evaluate changes to genes in the Atlantic killifish in response to the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Atlantic Wood Industries Superfund site along the Elizabeth River in Virginia. Reheard explained that changes to certain genes that regulate the metabolism of PAHs can be beneficial since the normal breakdown of these substances can result in DNA adducts and mutations that may reduce survivorship. This summer, she will be working on a project with the NOAA Hollings Marine Laboratry in Charleston, South Carolina, to experiment on the toxicity of different concentrations and mixtures of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances on larval sheepshead minnow survivorship and gene regulation.
“Being involved in undergraduate research has solidified my interest in aquatic toxicology and genetics and has greatly prepared me for attaining higher education,” Reheard said. “I aim to earn a Ph.D., so having the background and knowledge that I do and having been able to identify a field that matters a lot to me will prove to be pivotal as I search for programs that match my interests and goals.”
Reheard said she faced financial difficulties as she finished high school and entered college, working multiple jobs and tutoring to make ends meet. Earning a Goldwater Scholarship was a special moment, she said.
“I will always be grateful to the Millennium Scholars Program and the Schreyer Honors College for elevating me from poverty conditions to a college education with their financial and academic support,” Reheard said. “I knew that having the opportunity to go to college with all the obstacles I faced early in my life meant that I had to do everything in my power to make the most of it.”
Reheard has served in multiple officer positions of the Penn State chapter of the Wildlife Society. The organization holds a lot of meaning for her, she said, as it provided a way to engage students interested in wildlife careers from a professional and hands-on perspective. She is also part of the American Women in Geosciences and Geosciences Club, the Gamma Sigma Delta Honors Society and Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society. She said she also enjoys playing soccer with the Centre Soccer Association.
Mabel Tong
Tong, of State College, has been involved in the Yingwei Mao Neurobiology Lab, under Yingwei Mao, associate professor of biology, since her first year at Penn State, joining as a NASA Space Grant intern. The Schreyer Scholar said she has since explored neuroscience research in both academia and industry, including an internship at AbbVie, a pharmaceutical company, as an Alzheimer’s researcher during summer 2023. She is currently exploring risk genes for autism spectrum disorders as part of her honors thesis research.
“I came into college pretty set on entering the medical field one day. However, my undergraduate research experience has reminded me how much I love being curious and asking questions,” she said. “It has also ingrained in me a strong work ethic and effective scientific communication skills. Moving forward, I hope to incorporate research into my future professional path, whether it be assisting in clinical studies or continuing my work in neuroscience, I aim to continually be a part of spearheading discoveries.”
Tong, who is majoring in biology with a minor in health policy and administration, said earning a Goldwater Scholarship celebrates her accomplishments and dedication she’s put into her undergraduate college career.
“Many times research isn’t as smooth sailing as it seems, and it can feel like you have to face 99 failures before getting one reliable result,” she said. “Nonetheless, the late-night hours and weekends spent in the lab feel even more rewarding now and I can’t wait to use this prestigious experience as a sign to pursue more research-focused medical schools.”
Tong said she aims to attend medical school after taking a gap year to pursue more research, travel and clinical experience.
In addition to her undergraduate research, Tong is the president of the Schreyer Medical team, vice president of the Eberly College of Science Student Council, and Peer Leader for the Schreyer Honors Orientation Program. She is a member of the Presidential Leadership Academy, Asian American Christian Fellowship, a volunteer teacher at Mid-State Literacy Council, and a clinic intern at the University Health Services. She said she also proud of completing her first half marathon among her busy schedule.
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 sophomore or junior year 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. Penn State nominates four students each year.
Students interested in developing their potential for research and fellowships can start by meeting with an undergraduate research ambassador, attending a workshop from URFM or applying to the Spark Program.
Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring is part of Penn State Undergraduate Education.