By Tom Musgrave 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 18, 2025) — University of Kentucky students Sophia Zhou and Blake Byer were awarded Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships. Zhou and Byer were among 441 college students across the United States to earn Goldwater Scholarships for the 2025-26 academic year.

The Goldwater Scholarship awards up to $7,500 a year to sophomores or juniors planning to pursue research careers in mathematics, engineering or a natural science, according to information from the UK Office of Nationally Competitive Awards.

Zhou and Byer were selected for Goldwater Scholarships from among a pool of 1,350 undergraduates nominated by 445 academic institutions.

Byer, a junior from Corvallis, Oregon, is studying neuroscience in the College of Arts and Sciences. He said his major supports his longtime interest in consciousness and intelligence, as well as his desire to find therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, he is a bioinformatics research assistant in the College of Medicine, where he said he is studying Alzheimer’s disease. 

“We work on developing software tools for genetic risk prediction of Alzheimer’s to improve the prognosis of this devastating disease,” Byer said. “The Goldwater Scholarship opens many opportunities to continue my studies and research. This recognition fuels my ambition to pursue an international postgraduate fellowship.”

Seeing family members struggle with such neurodegenerative diseases as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis has also spurred Byer’s interest in neuroscience.

“I decided to study it with the hope of contributing to therapeutics for these neurodegenerative conditions, which collectively affect tens of millions of people globally,” he said.

Byer plans to pursue and doctoral degree in neuroscience to research brain disorders and develop his skills in computational and experimental biology.

Zhou, a sophomore from Lexington, is studying agricultural and medical biotechnology in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. She is also a research assistant in the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering’s Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering.

“I originally chose this major because of its strong emphasis on research, but I stayed because of the incredible faculty and staff, and the tight-knit community it fosters,” Zhou said. “I’ve had the privilege of connecting with professors one-on-one in hallways, over tea break and through countless meaningful conversations. This has created an environment where I feel both comfortable and respected.”

Zhou received a Goldwater Scholarship to use during her junior and senior years. She said she will use that funding to support her research interests, which have been robust in her first two years at UK. 

“To highlight the interdisciplinary nature of the AMBT major, I’ve been able to expand my research experience across fields ranging from medicine and data science to entomology,” Zhou said. “My primary research and independent project, however, takes place in Dr. Nick Teets’ (UK assistant professor of entomology) lab, where I study the effects of temperature on the efficacy of RNA interference in the Colorado potato beetle, a major agricultural pest. Through this work, I aim to characterize the biological constraints of RNAi to better inform RNAi-based biopesticide development and explore broader applications of RNAi in pest management.”

Zhou said her natural curiosity about insects, inspired by her entomologist father, kindled her early interest in biology.

“I loved venturing outside with my sketchbook, carefully drawing the insects and plants I observed,” she said. “But even then, I knew I was only scratching the surface. In high school I participated in Dr. Teets’ Genetic Boot Camp, a National Science Foundation-sponsored program designed to introduce students to molecular biology and genomics. I was immediately captivated.”

Following graduation from UK in 2027, Zhou intends to pursue a doctoral degree in entomology.

“That field of life science perfectly integrates with my interests in quantitative analysis, experimental biology and systems-level thinking,” she said. “I aspire to become an independent researcher and educator, addressing emerging global challenges while mentoring the next generation of scientists dedicated to solving ecological, environmental and agricultural issues.”

Zhou and Byer are also students in UK’s Lewis Honors College.

The scholarship program honoring the late Sen. Barry Goldwater was designed to identify, encourage, and financially support outstanding undergraduates interested in pursuing research careers in the sciences, engineering, and mathematics. The Goldwater Scholarship is the preeminent undergraduate award of its type in these fields. With the 2025 awards, the Goldwater Foundation has awarded 11,162 scholarships since 1989, the first year the scholarship was bestowed.