CBE Student Joseph Gauthier Named 2014 Goldwater Scholar

Joseph Gauthier is a junior honors student in chemical engineering and was one of four Ohio State students to be recognized with the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program. The Goldwater is the most prestigious national award for undergraduate researchers in science, math and engineering.  

Joe is conducting research with Dr. Kurt Koelling in the William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical Engineering studying the rheology of fluids used in hydraulic fracturing.  Joe’s thesis research examines the use of environmentally detrimental chemicals in fracking fluids and proposes a more eco-friendly alternative; his work has resulted in a co-authored publication in the TA Instruments Applications Library.  Joe previously conducted research in the Department of Petroleum Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, studying the synthesis of polymeric nanoparticles and their efficacy in advanced oil recovery.  The 2013 recipient of the Department of Chemical Engineering’s Outstanding Undergraduate Award for Research Excellence, Joe plans to obtain a PhD in chemical engineering and pursue a career as a professor at a research university teaching and studying polymer fluid mechanics. 

The other Ohio State students to be named Goldwater Scholars were juniors Katrin Daehn (Materials Science Engineering) and Tyler Friesenwere (Mathmatics). Jason Ford (Chemistry) received an Honorable Mention. 

Nationwide, 283 scholarships were awarded to sophomores and juniors on the basis of academic merit from a field of over 1,000 mathematics, science, and engineering students who were nominated by their respective colleges and universities. An additional 249 Honorable Mentions were also awarded. Each institution may only nominate four students for this award.  

Since the award's inception in 1986, Ohio State has produced 48 Goldwater Scholars; thirty-five of the university’s last thirty-six nominees have been recognized as a scholar or honorable mention.  

Goldwater Scholars receive an award to cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500. A complete list of Goldwater Scholars and Honorable Mentions, arranged by state of residence, can be found on the Goldwater Website.