Physics Major Sylvia Biscoveanu Awarded a Goldwater Scholarship
Eberly College of Science student Sylvia Biscoveanu is the recipient of a 2016–17 Goldwater Scholarship from the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. The scholarship is the premier award of its type in the fields of mathematics, science, and engineering. Biscoveanu, a junior from Yardley, Pennsylvania, is double majoring in Physics and Spanish and pursuing minors in Mathematics and Violin/Viola Performance. She is also a Schreyer Scholar.
“For me, winning the Goldwater is a validation of all the hard work I've put towards my research and classes. I am extremely honored and humbled to have been selected, and this reaffirms my decision to major in Physics,” said Biscoveanu. “I am encouraged that my work can make a difference in the scientific community in the future.”
Since her first year at Penn State, Biscoveanu has been conducting astrophysics research with Miguel Mostafá, associate professor of physics. She identifies the mass composition of cosmic rays—the most energetic particles in the Universe—using data from the Pierre Auger Observatory. Biscoveanu took her research experience abroad last fall when she worked with Dr. Fernando Arqueros, an Auger collaborator, and his group at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
Biscoveanu spent last summer participating in research with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) Collaboration at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia through a research experience for undergraduates (REU). There, she worked with Dr. Eric Thrane on a project looking for magnetic noise interfering with the potential detection of a stochastic gravitational wave background. This summer, Biscoveanu will continue to work with LIGO through another REU at the California Institute of Technology.
“By her academic contributions and engagement in cutting-edge research, Sylvia has distinguished herself as a scholar of truly exceptional promise. We are absolutely delighted that she has been recognized with the prestigious Goldwater scholarship, and so proud to have her in our college community,” said Mary Beth Williams, senior associate dean and professor of chemistry in the Eberly College of Science.
In addition to the Goldwater Scholarship, Biscoveanu was recently awarded the Evan Pugh Scholar Award, an academic award given to those juniors and seniors who are in the upper 0.5 percent of their respective classes. Last year, she received a Goldwater honorable mention, and also received the award for the top undergraduate presentation at the Mid-Atlantic Section of the American Physical Society. In 2014, Biscoveanu was awarded the Women in Science and Engineering Research undergraduate fellowship from the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium.
Aside from her research and academics, Biscoveanu is an accomplished musician, playing the violin and viola, and performing as the first violinist in a string quartet. Biscoveanu serves as the vice president of membership of the Penn State Music Service Club, whose goal is to spread the healing power of music throughout the State College community. She is also an active member of the Spanish Club.
After graduating in 2017, Biscoveanu plans to pursue her Ph.D. in Physics and conduct research in early universe cosmology while teaching at a university.
“Having worked with Ms. Biscoveanu for three years, I've been reminded of an earlier Penn State Physics major who was also a Schreyer Scholar, who participated in study abroad, was a virtuoso musician, did extensive research, won major Penn State and national awards and fellowships, and who is now a faculty member at an Ivy League university. I think that Sylvia is on a similar stellar trajectory and I'm sure she'll continue to excel in her future career,” said Richard Robinett, professor of physics and associate head for undergraduate and graduate students in the Department of Physics.
The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established in 1986. The Scholarship Program, honoring Sen. Barry Goldwater who served the United States for more than five decades as a soldier and statesman, was designed to foster and encourage outstanding undergraduate students to pursue careers in the fields of mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering. Since the first scholarships were awarded in 1989, the foundation has bestowed $48 million in scholarship funds through more than 7,600 scholarships. —Tara Immel