CAS junior and triple-major Justin F. Niedermeyer was awarded a Barry M. Goldwater scholarship for 2015. The merit-based awards, typically for $7,500, go to college sophomores and juniors in science, engineering, and mathematics who intend to pursue a career in research.
WSU has had 24 Goldwater awardees and seven honorable mentions since 1990.
Niedermeyer, 22, from Milton, Wash., said he feels “compelled to better humankind by making scientific discoveries.” He is pursuing bachelors’ degrees in physics (he has researched ultracold quantum gases at WSU and in Germany), music (he sings baritone with the WSU Madrigal Singers and did with the Tacoma Opera), and German for the professions.
His career will be as a principal investigator in a research group studying ultracold phenomena, which could be used for such things as lossless electric transmission lines and advanced medical imaging. He dreams of being on the international team of scientists that creates the first quantum computer.