Daniela Barrera Guevara wins prestigious national scholarship

Daniela Barrera Guevara wins prestigious national scholarship

University of Alaska Fairbanks paleontology student Daniela Barrera Guevara has received a 2026 scholarship from the Barry Goldwater Foundation, joining just over 500 such recipients nationwide.

The Goldwater Scholarship recognizes and supports exceptional college sophomores and juniors in the sciences, engineering and mathematics.

Barrera Guevara is the only paleontology student and Alaskan among the 513 students from 482 academic institutions to receive the 2026 scholarships.

Applicants must be nominated by their home institutions. UAF's nominations were coordinated by Eugenie Euskirchen, a biological sciences faculty member.

"Daniela exemplifies the type of student that the Goldwater Scholarship was created for - curious, disciplined and planning to pursue a Ph.D. in science," Euskirchen said. "They are a great example of how undergraduates can take advantage of the research opportunities available to them at UAF to perform novel and exciting scientific research under the guidance of a dedicated advisor."

The scholarship award "is testament to Dani's drive, intellectual abilities and professional potential," said Patrick Druckenmiller, director of the University of Alaska Museum of the North and one of Barrera Guevara's mentors. "It is an honor to have them working in our museum lab."

Barrera Guevara focuses on identifying bones of horned dinosaurs found in Arctic Alaska.

"I have been successful in identifying many of the previously unidentified bones in the museum's artifact collection," they said.

Barrera Guevara also received funding from UAF's Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Activity to publish a manuscript on horned dinosaurs. They also received an EDGE Scholarship from the UAF Department of Geosciences.

"Coming to UAF was the best choice I have ever made, and I am able to continue my studies and research because of the EDGE Scholarship and now the Barry Goldwater Scholarship," they said.

Barrera Guevara plans to attend graduate school and continue research on horned dinosaurs, aiming to become a leading expert in the field. They also are considering adding an art minor to strengthen their scientific illustration skills.

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation was established by Congress in 1986 to honor the late Sen. Barry Goldwater, R-Arizona. Barrera Guevara is the 11th student from UAF to receive the award.

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