Four UTSA students win prestigious Goldwater Scholarships

APRIL 16, 2025 — For the second consecutive year, four UTSA students have been named Barry Goldwater Scholars, one of the nation’s most prestigious honors for undergraduates pursuing research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering.

Biomedical engineering major Jacob Arras, computer engineering major Marco Garza and neuroscience majors Emily Holder and Durga Meenakshi Panneerdoss were among just 441 recipients selected this year from a national pool of 1,350 nominees.

UTSA and Baylor University were the only Texas institutions with four students selected in 2025. Over the past six years, UTSA has had more Goldwater recipients than any other university in the state. Garza and Panneerdoss, both sophomores, were among just 50–60 students nationwide selected in their second year of college, a distinction that highlights their exceptional academic promise and research involvement.

UTSA’s growing success in national scholarship competitions reflects the strength of its undergraduate research programs and its broader commitment to experiential learning and student mentorship. Students like Arras, Holder and Panneerdoss gained early and sustained research experience through participation in one or more of the university’s federally funded pre-Ph.D. training programs: Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC), Enhancing Science, Technology, EnginEering, and Math Educational Diversity (ESTEEMED), and Academic and Professional Preparation for Excellence (APPEX).

Jacob Arras

Arras, a junior in the Honors College from El Paso, is conducting research in Marissa Wechsler’s lab at UTSA. His work focuses on developing stimuli-responsive polymeric and lipid nanoparticles to enhance the delivery of mRNA-based therapeutics.

“My time at UTSA has been instrumental in shaping my research journey and path towards becoming a biomedical engineer,” Arras said. “Being part of the ESTEEMED and MARC Programs has given me the opportunity to both explore my interests and become heavily involved in research, which I didn't always feel were accessible as a Latino student coming from a border community. Thanks to the guidance from mentors and fellow students, I'm inspired to continue my growth to develop as a scientist and as a mentor encouraging others to find their path in science.”

This summer, Arras will participate in the UTSA-led FLOW (Future Learning through Outreach and Work-based Learning) Study Abroad Program in Montpellier, France, where he will study sustainable energy and materials alongside international peers.

Marco Garza

Garza, a sophomore in the Honors College, researches cybersecurity vulnerabilities in emerging technologies and operational infrastructure through UTSA’s Internet of Things (IoT) Security Lab, under the mentorship of faculty member Guenevere Chen. He also continues to collaborate with Georgia Tech’s Cyber-Physical Security Lab after completing a summer internship there in 2024.

His contributions helped lead to the acceptance of a co-authored paper at the ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security (CCS) 2025, one of the world’s top cybersecurity conferences.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the mentorship and support at UTSA to take on real-world research challenges early in my academic career,” Garza said. “Through the Department of Energy CONCISE program, I’ve also gained exposure to the professional side of national security research, including collaborations with national labs and engagement with leaders in the field. These experiences have accelerated both my technical and personal growth and have helped shape the kind of researcher and leader I aspire to be.”

Emily Holder

Holder, a junior, has been a participant in UTSA’s MARC program. She works in Lindsey Macpherson’s lab at UTSA, studying taste receptor cells, and previously interned in Jennifer Donegan’s lab at UT Austin’s Dell Medical School, researching alcohol use disorder. She also serves as a coordinator for UTSA’s Rising Researchers Program, which helps new students gain foundational skills to join research labs.

“I firmly believe the support offered at UTSA is the reason I have been able to start my career path in research,” Holder said. “The support and outreach from programs like MARC are exactly why I was able to find my passion for neuroscience research. The mentorship I've gained, from both Dr. [Lindsey] Macpherson and Dr. [Gail] Taylor, has guided me to where I am today.  They have helped me develop the skills and mindset necessary to thrive in a research career.”

Holder plans to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience and study synaptic formation in brain disorders.

Durga Meenakshi Panneerdoss

Panneerdoss, a sophomore in the Honors College and member of the APPEX Program, began conducting research while still in high school. She works in Ratna Vadlamudi’s lab at UT Health Science Center San Antonio, investigating whether a compound called ERX-208 can enhance the effectiveness of DNA-damaging agents in treating ovarian cancer.

She has also conducted cancer research in Yidong Chen’s lab at the Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute at UT Health San Antonio and volunteers in the Bone Marrow Transplant Outpatient Clinic at Methodist Hospital.

“What has stood out to me the most in my undergraduate research experience is how much I have grown as a researcher, thanks to the amazing mentorship and support I’ve received from both UTSA and UT Health SA,” Panneerdoss said. “I am most proud of earning the Goldwater Scholarship as a sophomore, which I owe to the guidance of my mentors, especially Dr. Vadlamudi and Dr. Taylor. Their support and my time in the lab have been instrumental in shaping my desire to pursue an M.D./Ph.D., where I can continue researching cancer biology and bridge the gap between research and patient care.”

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation was established by Congress in 1986 to help ensure that the U.S. produces the number of highly qualified professionals needed in critical fields.

While membership in UTSA’s Honors College is not a requirement to apply for this and other nationally competitive awards and scholarships, three of this year’s Goldwater Scholars are Honors College students. Home to more than 2,500 hardworking, achievement-oriented, conscientious students across all majors, the UTSA Honors College offers one of the most unique experiential honors curricula in the nation. Its practical, hands-on approach to learning allows students to chart their own path and achieve their highest potential.

Goldwater Scholars can be nominated by UTSA faculty or be self-nominees. To be nominated by UTSA, students must be in their second or third year and U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The university is allowed to nominate four students each year, as well as one additional transfer student and one additional U.S. Veteran. Applications are submitted through the UTSA Office of Nationally Competitive Awards.

— Drew Chapman