Goldwater Foundation

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation was created by Congress in 1986 to help ensure this Nation has the continuing talent pool of researchers in the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics, that it needs to maintain its global competitiveness.  Research capabilities strongly influence economics, as reflected by the fact that 85% of the increase in the US per capita income has been enabled via research-driven advances in technology.  More than ever this Nation’s capacity in scientific research, engineering and mathematics is crucial to its economic success and its position as a world leader.  The US must continue to develop scholars with the core intellectual strength needed to lead advances in technology and scientific research that fuels our global influence.

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation meets its central objective of identifying and supporting a significant pool of highly-qualified undergraduates who are subsequently obtaining advanced degrees and going on to become this country’s leading scientists, engineers and mathematicians.

Over its history, the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation has supported nearly 10,000 high-achieving science, engineering and mathematics students.  A survey of past Scholars revealed that:

  • 99% of all Goldwater Scholars completed a bachelor’s degree;
  • 49% earned PhDs in science, mathematics or engineering and another 20% were still in school working on PhDs, bringing the total percentage receiving PhDs to nearly 70%;
  • 8% had completed other doctoral degrees (e.g., MDs); and
  • 72.6% of Goldwater Scholars reported current involvement in ongoing scientific, mathematics and engineering research.

With results like these, the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation is clearly meeting its core mission of identifying and supporting a significant pool of highly-qualified undergraduates who subsequently obtain advanced degrees and have then gone on to become some of this country’s leading research scientists and educators.