NJIT’s Goldwater Scholars Build Futures in Medicine, Environmental Research
Goldwater Scholarships, among the nation’s most prestigious honors for undergraduates pursuing STEM research careers, have been awarded to two NJIT juniors whose academic excellence, research experience and professional ambitions have already set them apart.
This year’s recipients are Albert Dorman Honors Scholars – Aditya Mahalingam, a biology major in the Jordan Hu College of Science and Liberal Arts (CSLA), and Arwa Ouali, a chemical engineering major in the Newark College of Engineering (NCE).
The two NJIT students represent two of 11 Goldwater Scholars selected from New Jersey and two of 454 nationwide. From an estimated pool of more than 5,000 college sophomores and juniors, 1,485 students majoring in science, engineering and mathematics were nominated by 482 academic institutions for the 2026 scholarships.
The recognition marks the eighth consecutive year NJIT students have earned the national honor, bringing the university’s all-time total to 23 Goldwater scholars
John Carpinelli, professor of electrical and computing engineering and NJIT’s campus representative for the Goldwater Scholarship Program, said the latest selections reflect the continued strength of the university’s undergraduate researchers.
“NJIT undergraduates continue to rise to the top in prestigious award programs, like the Goldwater Scholarship,” said Carpinelli. “The selection of Aditya and Arwa from a nationwide field of exceptional students reinforces the strength and promise of our STEM programs — and a bright future for our awardees.”
For Mahalingam and Ouali, the scholarship arrives at a pivotal moment. Both students are already deeply engaged in research and looking ahead to careers devoted to solving complex scientific problems.
Mahalingam sets sights on medicine and neuroscience research
Mahalingam, already accepted into NJIT’s joint B.S./M.D. program with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, plans to ultimately pursue an M.D./Ph.D. focused on age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
His interest in that work grew from both personal experience and academic opportunity. After early exposure to healthcare through a specialized vocational program in high school, Mahalingam said his direction became clearer through time spent with individuals living with neurodegenerative diseases and the caregivers supporting them.
“I have always been interested in biology, with science and math always my favorite subjects,” said Mahalingam. “Throughout high school and beyond, I have had the opportunity to work with individuals experiencing neurodegenerative diseases and the caregivers who spend their lives supporting them. After conducting research last summer at the West Virginia University School of Medicine, I became particularly interested in targeting neurodegenerative diseases at the genetic level, and I plan to pursue this in the future.”
That interest has been sharpened through research experiences at NJIT, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University and the University of West Virginia.
He said each setting has helped shape a different dimension of the physician-scientist he hopes to become, from learning research design and translational medicine to strengthening his wet-lab skills.
“Being named a Goldwater Scholar at this stage of my academic career affirms my commitment to becoming a physician-scientist, especially through the MD/PhD route,” he said. “This recognition motivates me to continue my research training and further develop my skills as a researcher.”
Outside the lab and classroom, Mahalingam is an organic chemistry tutor, an Honors College ambassador and a committee leader for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
He said those roles have further reinforced his commitment to combining service, medicine and research.
Ouali pursues environmental solutions through chemical engineering
Ouali, a student in NJIT’s B.S./M.S. program, plans to pursue a Ph.D. in chemical engineering and build a research career focused on water pollution, especially nanoparticle removal.
Her interest in chemical engineering began in high school, when chemistry and physics first clicked. At NJIT, that interest quickly turned into hands-on research.
Through early opportunities in the chemical engineering department, she worked on projects involving microfluidic sensors, PFAS detection and nanoscale environmental tools. Those experiences helped define her long-term goals.
“Since then, I’ve realized that because of how ubiquitous these chemicals are, I want to focus on researching methods on how to treat and purify contaminated water,” said Ouali.
Since the second semester of her first year, Ouali has been conducting research under faculty mentors on environmental remediation topics that include ultrasonication, adsorption and the degradation of plastics into micro- and nanosized particles.
Her current work examines how high-frequency ultrasound affects plastics over time, while she also works to automate parts of the process and expand the analysis of her samples using advanced equipment.
“The most interesting topic I found is understanding the interactions at the nanoparticle scale,” she said. “Through my fluid mechanics course, I’ve really had the chance to make connections between theoretical analysis and its significance in my project.”
She said the Goldwater Scholarship affirms the future she has been steadily building toward.
“Receiving the Goldwater Scholarship was a positive nudge into the direction of a Ph.D.,” she said. “The scholarship motivates me and is a testament of where my future work can lead me towards. Such recognition is an incredible feeling and light that the thought of a Ph.D is more than just a thought — that it truly can become my reality.”
Beyond her research, Ouali has also taken on a major leadership role in student media.
After serving as managing editor of The Vector, she now serves as editor-in-chief of NJIT’s student newspaper, an experience she said has strengthened her communication, collaboration and leadership skills — tools she sees as essential in science as well.
The Goldwater Scholarship Program, established in honor of Sen. Barry Goldwater, was created to encourage outstanding students to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics.
Since the first scholarships were awarded in 1989, the Goldwater Foundation has recognized thousands of students across the country who show exceptional promise as the next generation of scientific leaders.