Passion for Research Laid the Groundwork for Goldwater Scholar Georgia Kazis ’27

Named in honor of U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater, the scholarship supports outstanding undergraduates aiming for research careers in science, engineering and mathematics. Kazis is among the 454 undergraduates nationwide who received Goldwater Scholarships this year. She appreciates the magnitude of that accomplishment.   

“I’ll be honest: it still kind of feels unreal,” said Kazis. “I know my stuff, and I’ve done a lot of things, but I also know that this is a really competitive scholarship. When I got that notification email, it was amazing.”

Research was central to the application, and Kazis had much to draw on from her time at Emmanuel. She’s been collaborating with Professor of Chemistry Dr. Aren Gerdon for almost two years; it’s a journey that included two summers of immersive lab work through the Emmanuel Summer Research program. She’s also co-authored the findings for publication, which are currently in review.  

Originally funded by a National Science Foundation grant, the research is exploring biomaterials (such as bone and teeth) to learn how they form and could be replicated. Big picture, the research could provide vital insight for disorders involving the body’s molecular structure, such as osteoporosis, kidney stones or certain cancers.

It was Dr. Gerdon who recommended that Kazis apply for the scholarship, after hearing about the opportunity from Professor of Theology and Religious Studies/Director of Fellowships Dr. Laurie Johnston. He said the award is well deserved. 

“She’s one of those students who pushes the entire class forward with her participation as well as her ‘one-step-ahead’ type of questions,” said Dr. Gerdon. “Georgia has also been a leader in my research group for the past two summers and brings that same enthusiasm, reliability and creativity to her research projects.”

Kazis said applying for the prestigious scholarship was a bit intimidating, but she took it as an opportunity to do one of her favorite things: discuss her ongoing research collaboration.

“I love talking about my research,” said Kazis. “We have done so many cool things, and it was interesting to try fitting that into a two-page document.”

Support from faculty was helpful during that process. Dr Gerdon was there to provide feedback and talk things over. Professor of Mathematics Dr. Benjamin Allen was helpful in facilitating the application process, helping everything get and stay on track.

“The Goldwater Scholarship aims to support future scientists and leaders in their fields of research. It was clear to me, from Georgia's enthusiasm, record of accomplishment and leadership roles on campus that she is destined to be such a leader,” said Dr. Allen. “My work with Georgia focused on presenting her accomplishments so that she comes across not only as a stellar student, but as a research scientist who is already making important contributions to her field.”

 That assistance was greatly appreciated, and very much in line with Kazis’ experience at Emmanuel. 

“I really like that Emmanuel is a smaller school and you get to know the faculty,” said Kazis. “Not only do they set you up academically, but they also do their best to help with jobs, internships or just experience in general.”

Long term, Kazis plans to continue researching in graduate school and eventually pursue a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry. Teaching at the university level and working at the forefront of scientific discovery are her career goals, and the Goldwater Scholarship is another step in that direction.  

Kazis is the fourth Saint to receive a Goldwater Scholarship. Emmanuel’s previous Goldwater Scholars were Sabrina Pires '24, Shane Mitchell '21, and Carrie Rodriguez '21.

“For a school of our size, it is remarkable how much success Emmanuel students have had over the past few years at winning nationally competitive scholarships like Goldwater and Fulbright,” said Dr. Johnston. “It’s a real testament to the quality of the mentoring they receive from our faculty.”