Three Lobos selected as Goldwater Scholars

Three Lobos, Alex Knigge, Anthony Languit, and Tanisha Medha are among the 2025-2026 Goldwater Scholars who were selected from a pool of 1,350 college sophomores and juniors nominated by 445 academic institutions.

Founded in recognition of U.S. Senator Barry M. Goldwater, the Goldwater Scholarship provides financial support for students who are planning to pursue a Ph.D. and a career in STEM research. According to the Foundation, 441 Goldwater Scholars were selected based on academic merit. This year, 1,353 natural sciences, mathematics and engineering students were nominated by 446 academic institutions. Of students who reported, 203 of the Scholars are men, 222 are women, and all intend to obtain a Ph.D. as their highest degree objective. Fifty Scholars intend to pursue research careers in mathematics and computer science, 240 in the sciences, 88 in medicine, and 63 in engineering and materials research.

Anthony Languit is a junior majoring in biochemistry with a minor in honors interdisciplinary liberal arts. He is a student researcher under the guidance of Dr. Judy Cannon in the Cannon Lab at the UNM School of Medicine's Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology. His primary research focus is the effect of chemokine receptors on T cell movement and function. Languit aspires to pioneer advancements in the field of tissue regeneration and mentor future scientists.

"I am honored to have been selected as a recipient of the Goldwater Scholarship. I am grateful to everyone who supported me along the way. I am especially grateful for my current PI and mentor, Dr. Judy Cannon, who took me under her wing and took the time to teach me all the relevant research skills I have now," said Languit. "I also would like to thank my PI during my summer internship at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Larissa Shimoda, for providing another avenue for the growth and advancement of my research skills. Lastly, I would like to thank Dr. Kiyoko Simmons for pushing me to apply for Goldwater and reviewing my application. All their time and effort invested in me has greatly contributed to my success and I hope to pay it forward to the next generation of scientists."

Alex Knigge is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics and holds the distinction of being a National Hispanic Scholar. At the Moses Biological Computation Lab, under the guidance of Dr. Moses and Dr. Fricke, Knigge utilizes supercomputers to model large-scale coral reefs. Her research focuses on understanding fish foraging behavior and its impact on reef health. Additionally, she serves as a Research Computing Specialist at the UNM Center for Advanced Research Computing, supporting university researchers in leveraging high-performance computing for their projects. Knigge plans to pursue a PhD in computer science, specializing in high-performance computing to advance sustainable computing.

"Being selected as a Goldwater Scholar is a huge honor, and I'm deeply grateful for this recognition of my research efforts. It's incredibly exciting to receive support for my passion to advance sustainable computing and environmental modeling. I am immensely thankful to my mentors, Dr. Matthew Fricke, Dr. Melanie Moses, and Dr. Meghan Sahakian whose guidance has been instrumental in shaping my development as a researcher. I also extend my gratitude to Dr. Kiyoko Simmons, Dr. Jeffrey Rack, and the dedicated staff at the Center for Academic Excellence and Leadership Development (CAELD) for their invaluable support throughout the application process and for fostering my growth as a technical writer. I look forward to continuing my research journey and contributing to the advancement of my field," said Knigge.

Tanisha Medha is a junior double majoring in Biochemistry and Anthropology with a concentration in Human Biology. She currently works under the guidance of Gurdeep Singh at Singh Lab in the UNM School of Medicine's Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, where she is researching the molecular mechanisms behind various eye diseases, including metastatic uveal melanoma and age-related macular degeneration. Medha is passionate about understanding how genetic and epigenetic changes influence disease progression and aims to contribute to the development of targeted therapies for improving patient outcomes.

"I am truly grateful to be selected as a 2025 Goldwater Scholar and for the unwavering support from my mentors. I deeply appreciate Dr. Daniel Sherbenou, my primary research mentor, as well as Dr. Peng Mao and Dr. Melissa Emery Thompson for their ongoing guidance and mentorship," stated Medha. "Their support has been instrumental in my growth as a researcher, and receiving this recognition is both humbling and affirming of my academic journey. I'm excited to continue exploring my research in cancer biology and contribute to advancements in precision therapies. I'm also grateful to Dr. Kiyoko Simmons, whose invaluable advice helped refine my application and strengthened my resolve throughout this process."

"We are thrilled to congratulate Alex, Anthony, and Tanisha on receiving the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship! This national award recognizes exceptional undergraduate researchers in STEM, highlighting their dedication, intellect, and potential to drive innovation in their respective fields," said Kiyoko Simmons, Scholarship & Outreach manager, Honors College.

"Their accomplishments continue UNM's strong tradition of excellence, with 20 Goldwater Scholars named in the past decade. This success is made possible through the support and careful selection process of the UNM Goldwater Selection Committee. A special thank you to this year's committee members-Dr. Jeffrey Rack, Dr. Felisa Smith, and Dr. Heng Zuo-for their invaluable contributions.

"Congratulations again to our newest Goldwater Scholars! We look forward to seeing the impact of your research in the years to come."

UNM's Center for Academic Excellence & Leadership Development(CAELD) provides students with merit-based scholarship and fellowship opportunities. The Center helps UNM students to become competitive candidates for prestigious scholarships by coordinating the institutional endorsement and assisting the UNM nominees with the scholarship application process. Students who are interested in these scholarships must submit a preliminary application to obtain institutional endorsement.