Two juniors win 2023 Goldwater Scholarships

Two University of Louisville juniors have won 2023 Barry Goldwater Scholarships.

Madeline Martinez and Klemmer Nicodemus bring to 12 the total number of UofL students who have won the award, established in 1986 in honor of former U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater.

Goldwater Scholars are awarded a maximum of $7,500 per academic year. To be eligible, students must be sophomores or juniors who intend to pursue a research career in natural science, mathematics or engineering.

Nicodemus, who was also awarded the 2023 Harry S. Truman Scholarship, is originally from the small rural western Kentucky city of Hartford. He is a chemical engineering major in the J.B. Speed School of Engineering who is minoring in chemistry. 

His undergraduate research at UofL and with the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change. 

Martinez, a School of Nursing major whose hometown is Versailles, has previously conducted skin cancer research. She plans to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. program upon graduation in 2024 focusing on cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, as well as research in the physiological effects of health disparities.

“In the future, I am excited to use my perspective as a Mexican immigrant that has navigated the healthcare system to address the barriers that affect my community,” she said on her LinkedIn page.