Ubaidullah Hassan, a junior studying chemical engineering and minoring in both math and chemistry in the Albert Nerken School of Engineering, was selected to receive the prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship. The award is given annually to undergraduates who are US citizens or permanent residents and intend to pursue careers in science and engineering. Hassan is one of 438 students to receive the honor for the 2024-2025 academic year—only 64 are engineering majors—from an estimated pool of over 5,000 college sophomores and juniors. He is the first Cooper Union student to receive the honor in three years.

Currently, Hassan is working with Robert Topper, professor of chemistry, on research that applies computational chemistry methods to the area of atmospheric chemistry. "Computational chemistry brings together my different interests in quantum mechanics, applied math, and chemistry, and I look forward to exploring the different applications of these methods, such as in drug discovery and material science in my Ph.D. and future research career," explains Hassan who plans to pursue a doctorate after graduation.

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation was established by Congress in 1986 as a memorial to the work of Senator Barry Goldwater, who served 30 years in the US Senate. Over its 30-year history, Goldwater Scholarships have been awarded to thousands of undergraduates, many of whom have gone on to win other prestigious awards such as the Rhodes Scholarship.