March 28, 2006
BIRMINGHAM, AL — University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) junior Ashley Roach, 20, of Huntsville, has been selected as a Barry M. Goldwater Scholar for the academic year 2006-2007.
Goldwater Scholars are selected on the basis of academic merit. Recent Goldwater Scholars have been awarded 63 Rhodes Scholarships, 80 Marshall Awards and numerous other distinguished fellowships. One- and two-year Goldwater scholarships cover tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to $7,500 per year.
Roach is one of 323 students selected from a field of 1,081 mathematics, science and engineering students nominated from colleges and universities nationwide. She is the fourth UAB student to receive the award. She is one of four Alabama residents to receive the Goldwater scholarship this year.
Two other UAB students received honorable mentions. They are senior biology majors Shuangqin “Qin” Zhang and Shuangyin “Yin” Zhang, both 20, of Vestavia Hills. They are the daughters of Dr. Huang-ge Zhang and Dr. Lifeng Zhang of Vestavia Hills.
Roach, who has a 4.0 grade point average, is a biomedical engineering major. She plans to earn a doctorate in the field and conduct research on the potential of brain and machine interface technology for spinal cord patients.
Under the guidance of Mary Ellen Zvanut, Ph.D., a professor in the UAB Department of Physics, Roach worked on a project analyzing point defects in silicone carbide. Last year, she held an internship at the CFD Research Corporation in Huntsville.
In addition to her academic studies, Roach has been an active member of Alpha Lamda Delta and Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society. Roach is a 2003 graduate of Buckhorn High School in New Market, Ala. She is the daughter of Judy Houk of Huntsville and Steve Roach of Madison.
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