The Goldwater Scholarship Program, one of the oldest and most prestigious national scholarships in natural sciences, engineering and mathematics, selected Boise State honors student and Alumni Legacy Scholarship recipient Pangaea Finn as a 2022 scholar. The program identifies and supports sophomore and junior level students who show exceptional promise of becoming the next generation of research leaders in these fields.
Pangaea Finn joins an exclusive group of the 417 students who received awards from a pool of 1,242 nominated students representing 433 academic institutions this year.
“I’m elated to be a representative of the small but flourishing physics community here at Boise State,” said Finn. “As an early college student, I’ve had challenging experiences in the traditional education system, but earning this scholarship was further validation of the support I’ve had from my professors and my department.”Finn began her Boise State career enrolled in a calculus course at the age of 13 and was a full-time freshman student by 14. She is now triple majoring in mathematics, physics, and music performance as a junior. She hopes to pursue a career in biophysical research, using physical and electrical methods to discover the microscopic biology of bilayer lipid membranes.
Finn’s research mentor is Daniel Fologea, a professor in the physics department. Her aspirations include teaching at a research university to educate and inspire the next generation of scientists, a group she’s now a part of as a Goldwater scholar.
“I’m always exploring new avenues within the field and this scholarship will help me explore my specific interests in physics, leading me towards exactly what I hope to research in the future,” she said.
Nine Boise State students – now including Finn – have received the Goldwater Scholarship since 1991. The Honors College and its fellowship advisor Kate Huebschmann support candidates throughout the application process.
Learn more about the Goldwater Scholarship Program.
Learn more about the Alumni Legacy Scholarship Program.
