Juniata Sophomore Studying Chemistry Receives Goldwater Scholarship
(Posted April 13, 2009)
HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Brandon Moyer, a sophomore from York, Pa. at Juniata College studying chemistry, has been chosen to receive the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. Students selected for this scholarship are chosen based on academic merit from the fields of mathematics, science and engineering.
Moyer, the son of Michael and Danyelle Moyer of York, will apply the $7,500 scholarship to tuition for his junior year at Juniata.
"Inorganic chemistry mixes theory with the practical side of chemistry, which is what I like. I've been interested in doing research since high school and I've always wanted to make a contribution (as a scientist)."
Brandon Moyer '11, York, Pa.
Moyer has focused his studies and research on inorganic chemistry and plans to continue his interest in research in graduate school. "Inorganic chemistry mixes theory with the practical side of chemistry, which is what I like," he says. "I've been interested in doing research since high school and I've always wanted to make a contribution (as a scientist)."
Moyer was chosen from a field of 1,097 students from hundreds of colleges and universities nationwide. This year, 278 scholarships were awarded. Of those awarded scholarships, 163 were men and 115 were women.
The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established by Public Law 99-661 in 1986. The scholarship program honoring the late Sen. Barry M. Goldwater was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering.
Starting in the summer of his freshman year, Moyer has worked as part of a research team with Peter Baran, assistant professor of chemistry at Juniata, to synthesize and characterize transition metals (such as copper, nickel and zinc) to determine their potential as catalytic agents.
He presented his research project at a national meeting of the American Chemical Society March 22 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He also presented his research at the 2008 Juniata Liberal Arts Symposium and will present again April 22 at the 2009 symposium.
This summer, Moyer will spend 10 weeks as an intern at the National Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. He will then take a four-week language course at the University of Muenster in preparation for spending his junior year abroad at Philipps Universitat Marburg in Marburg, Germany.
"The university has a strong chemistry department and they offer some courses that aren't offered here," he explains.
He is a member of the Chemistry Club, the German Club and the Caving Club. He has made the dean's list every semester.
Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.