Four MIT rising seniors have been selected to receive a 2025 Barry Goldwater Scholarship, including Avani Ahuja and Jacqueline Prawira in the School of Engineering and Julianna Lian and Alex Tang from the School of Science. An estimated 5,000 college sophomores and juniors from across the United States were nominated for the scholarships, of whom only 441 were selected.
The Goldwater Scholarships have been conferred since 1989 by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. These scholarships have supported undergraduates who go on to become leading scientists, engineers, and mathematicians in their respective fields.
Avani Ahuja, a mechanical engineering and electrical engineering major, conducts research in the Conformable Decoders group, where she is focused on developing a “wearable conformable breast ultrasound patch” that makes ultrasounds for breast cancer more accessible.
“Doing research in the Media Lab has had a huge impact on me, especially in the ways that we think about inclusivity in research,” Ahuja says.
In her research group, Ahuja works under Canan Dagdeviren, the LG Career Development Professor of Media Arts and Sciences. Ahuja plans to pursue a PhD in electrical engineering. She aspires to conduct research in electromechanical systems for women’s health applications and teach at the university level.
“I want to thank Professor Dagdeviren for all her support. It’s an honor to receive this scholarship, and it’s amazing to see that women’s health research is getting recognized in this way,” Ahuja says.
Julianna Lian studies mechanochemistry, organic, and polymer chemistry in the lab of Professor Jeremiah Johnson, the A. Thomas Guertin Professor of Chemistry. In addition to her studies, she serves the MIT community as an emergency medical technician (EMT) with MIT Emergency Medical Services, is a member of MIT THINK, and a ClubChem mentorship chair.
“Receiving this award has been a tremendous opportunity to not only reflect on how much I have learned, but also on the many, many people I have had the chance to learn from,” says Lian. “I am deeply grateful for the guidance, support, and encouragement of these teachers, mentors, and friends. And I am excited to carry forward the lasting curiosity and excitement for chemistry that they have helped inspire in me.”
Lian’s career goals post-graduation include pursuing a PhD in organic chemistry, to conduct research at the interface of synthetic chemistry and materials science, aided by computation, and to teach at the university level.
Jacqueline Prawira, a materials science and engineering major, joined the Center of Decarbonization and Electrification of Industry as a first-year Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program student and became a co-inventor on a patent and a research technician at spinout company Rock Zero. She has also worked in collaboration with Indigenous farmers and Diné College students on the Navajo Nation.
“I’ve become significantly more cognizant of how I listen to people and stories, the tangled messiness of real-world challenges, and the critical skills needed to tackle complex sustainability issues,” Prawira says.
Prawira is mentored by Yet-Ming Chiang, professor of materials science and engineering. Her career goals are to pursue a PhD in materials science and engineering and to research sustainable materials and processes to solve environmental challenges and build a sustainable society.
“Receiving the prestigious title of 2025 Goldwater Scholar validates my current trajectory in innovating sustainable materials and demonstrates my growth as a researcher,” Prawira says. “This award signifies my future impact in building a society where sustainability is the norm, instead of just another option.”
Alex Tang studies the effects of immunotherapy and targeted molecular therapy on the tumor microenvironment in metastatic colorectal cancer patients. He is supervised by professors Jonathan Chen at Northwestern University and Nir Hacohen at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.
“My mentors and collaborators have been instrumental to my growth since I joined the lab as a freshman. I am incredibly grateful for the generous mentorship and support of Professor Hacohen and Professor Chen, who have taught me how to approach scientific investigation with curiosity and rigor,” says Tang. “I’d also like to thank my advisor Professor Adam Martin and first-year advisor Professor Angela Belcher for their guidance throughout my undergraduate career thus far. I am excited to carry forward this work as I progress in my career.” Tang intends to pursue physician-scientist training following graduation.
The Scholarship Program honoring Senator Barry Goldwater was designed to identify, encourage, and financially support outstanding undergraduates interested in pursuing research careers in the sciences, engineering, and mathematics. The Goldwater Scholarship is the preeminent undergraduate award of its type in these fields.
