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Faculty mentors play an important role in Goldwater Scholars' success

Tyler Faust
Junior Tyler Faust plays guitar and soccer
for his own enjoyment,
but his career goals are in academia.

Kevin Karsch
Junior Kevin Karsch has set himself the goal
of winning another prestigious award,
a National Science Foundation Fellowship.

by Melody Galen

Two Arts and Science juniors, Tyler Faust and Kevin Karsch, were awarded Barry Goldwater Scholarships in March. As recipients of the prestigious awards, they are eligible for up to $7,500 to cover tuition, fees, books and room and board.

"It's a great award because it represents Missouri at the national level," Karsch says. "I think we had as many Goldwater Scholars as Harvard and some of the other Ivies. That's a pretty big accomplishment for our school." Karsch graduated from Mehlville Senior High in St. Louis and is dual majoring in computer science and mathematics. He hopes that winning the Goldwater honor will help propel him into a National Science Foundation Fellowship later.

Karsch and his mentor, Assistant Professor Ye Duan, Computer Science, are partnering with the new Brain Imaging Center and the medical school to discover which region of the brain will indicate whether a child has autism or PKU (phenylketonuria). Karsch also values his lunchtime conversations with friend and philosophy Professor Donald Sievert. "He's just a great guy all around. He has great stories."

Faust, who graduated from St. Louis High School, is a biological sciences major. He hopes to go on to do research and teach, perhaps in cell biology or microbiology, at the university level after he earns his doctorate. Winning this scholarship makes him feel he can apply to more competitive programs. "It gives me more potential in terms of getting into a graduate school and a profession I want," Faust says.

Faust appreciates the relaxed atmosphere he's found while working with Assistant Professor David Schulz. "He talks to me about things I should do, things I shouldn't, things to watch out for. He's a mentor," Faust says.

Faust and Karsch already had a wide array of opportunities open to them, and both feel that winning the Goldwater Scholarships has offered more choice.

Links:

Biological Sciences | David Schulz
Computer Science | Ye Duan
Mathematics

Donald Sievert

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation



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