Two University of Richmond students have been awarded Goldwater scholarships to advance their faculty-mentored research in machine learning and organic chemistry.

Paige Delsa and Helen Xia received the prestigious award in science and math. The Goldwater scholarship is open to college sophomores and juniors interested in pursuing careers and fostering excellence in mathematics, the natural sciences, or engineering. This year, 413 Goldwater scholars were selected based on academic merit from a field of more than 1,200 students nominated by nearly 430 colleges and universities nationwide.

Delsa, a sophomore from Mandeville, Louisiana, is majoring in physics and researching condensed-matter physics, the study of substances in their solid state. She is also interested in machine learning and semiconductor research, which has applications in the field of consumer electronics, including mobile phones, laptops, and appliances. Delsa’s mentor is UR physics professor Mariama Rebello de Sousa Dias.

“I want to be on the cutting edge of materials science development and lead a team of individuals likewise fascinated with materials properties and interested in developing the next era of semiconductors," said Delsa, who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in materials science. “I am interested in using computational tools to push the boundaries of materials science as we currently understand it, and this award will help me continue exploring that passion.”

Xia, a junior from Coppell, Texas, is double majoring in biochemistry & molecular biology and minoring leadership studies. Under the guidance of chemistry professor Wade Downey, Xia’s research focuses on the field of synthetic organic chemistry with indoles, organic compounds found in many natural products and medicines. Her research has been published in the Journal of Organic Chemistry.

“Research has been the most rewarding part of my education and what has driven my academic ambition,” said Xia, who aspires to become a physician-scientist dedicated to research in prenatal disorders’ diagnosis and treatment. “This award gives me resources to continue my research in synthetic organic chemistry and chemical biology, which can be used to create medicines to treat prenatal disorders and other diseases.”

Including these awards, UR has had 38 Goldwater Scholars since the program’s inception in 1986.