University of North Texas

By Alyssa Yancey, News Promotions

Two Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science students were named 2012 Barry M. Goldwater Scholars, and a third academy student received an honorable mention in the prestigious research competition.

Goldwaters are considered to be among the country's most prestigious scholarships awarded to students planning careers in mathematics, science and engineering. All college sophomores and juniors are eligible to compete for the scholarships, which provide a maximum of $7,500 each year for one or two years to cover tuition, fees, books and room and board.

Favyen Bastani, of Plano, and Amanda Quay, of Austin, were among the 12 Texas students awarded scholarships this year. Mitchell Powell, of Plano, was among the seven Texas students to receive honorable mentions.

All three students are seniors at TAMS, a two-year residential program that allows talented students to complete their freshman and sophomore years of college while earning their high school diplomas. Although the students are technically high school students; they have earned enough college credit to be classified as college sophomores, making them eligible to participate in the Goldwater Scholarship program. 

Fifty UNT students – including the 2012 winners – have won Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships since 1996. Universities may nominate up to four students for the award each year, and students are chosen on the basis of their scientific research, grade point averages and other achievements.

About the scholars

Favyen Bastani

Bastani has worked extensively in two major research environments and has a co-authored an article (in press) for IEEE Transactions on Services Computing. Bastani has also worked in the laboratory of Yan Huang, associate professor of computer science and engineering.

Amanda Quay

Working in the analytical chemistry group of William Acree, profesor and chair of the Department of Chemistry, Quay has co-authored six published studies, with applications, in some cases, that help predict which chemicals will best help decompose pharmaceutical waste in aquatic environments.

Mitchell Powell

While planning a career in neurobiology, Powell has demonstrated his research versatility by working in the computational chemistry laboratory of Angela Wilson, Regents Professor of chemistry, to appreciate the foundations of biomedical compounds containing transition metals. As detailed by Wilson, Powell’s research has contributed immensely to protocols for future heats-of-formation-of-transition-metal research.