Two Pitt students win 2021 Goldwater Scholarships

Two University of Pittsburgh students have been named recipients of the 2021 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships, which support outstanding students who are pursuing careers in the fields of engineering, mathematics and the natural sciences.

Mark Farino, who is majoring in physics and mathematics and minoring in French in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, is also pursuing the Honors College’s Bachelor of Philosophy degree, Pitt’s highest undergraduate distinction.

He plans to continue with graduate study in physics and aspires to academic career in teaching and researching particle physics.

Farino was among the University Honors College’s 2020 summer Brackenridge Fellows, where he worked with physics faculty member Vladimir Savinov. Read more about this work in Farino's Pitt Honors blog. 

Asher Hancock, who is majoring in mechanical engineering and minoring in computer science and mathematics, hopes to pursue a doctoral degree in aerospace engineering, conduct research in the optimization and control of autonomous aerospace systems, and ultimately work as a researcher in a university or government lab setting.

Hancock works in the labs of Matthew Barry and Albert To in the Swanson School of Engineering Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science.

"The Goldwater Scholarship Program is one of the nation's most competitive undergraduate scholarships in the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics," said Joseph J. McCarthy, vice provost for undergraduate studies and interim dean of the University Honors College.

"Pitt is inordinately proud of our four nominees and we are excited to hear that two of our students will be able to leverage this scholarship opportunity to continue their studies in STEM. Once again, our students have demonstrated exceptional levels of achievement and have been recognized in a truly outstanding way."

Farino and Hancock are among 410 awardees of the 2021 Goldwater Scholarship nationwide. In total, Pitt has produced 62 Goldwater Scholars.

The federally endowed scholarship program honoring Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona was established in 1986 and designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue research careers in the fields of the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics. The scholarship assists in covering tuition and other educational expenses for each student’s remaining period of study.