We love boasting about our science news, and it seems the accolades keep rolling in. Three Spiders who conduct their research in Gottwald just received honors for science and math excellence.

Junior Lillian Hughes is majoring in chemistry with minors in music and physics, and she has just received a Goldwater scholarship, the country’s premier undergraduate scholarship in mathematics, science and engineering. (For the unfamiliar — Congress established the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation in 1986 to foster and encourage excellence in science and mathematics.) She is conducting research with chemistry professor Mike Leopold on wire electrode biosensors used in medical applications and sensor development for explosive detection.

Two more juniors, Sara Camilli and Najwa Labban, received honorable mentions. Camilli, majoring in biology and computer science, plans to pursue a Ph.D. in bioinformatics or computational biology. Labban is majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology and Arabic studies with a minor in mathematics, and recently won a Beckman scholarship. She plans to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. in biochemistry.   

“Having three University of Richmond students recognized among such a large and talented candidate pool is a testament to the University’s commitments to supporting undergraduate research and faculty mentorship,” said Dana Kuchem, director of the Office of Scholars and Fellowships.

Academic honors like these are exactly the kind of thing that make us proud of UR. Congratulations, Lillian, Sara and Najwa!