A Record Four Students Named
Fulbright Scholars for 2015
Four Auburn University Honors College students
who graduated in spring 2015 were awarded
Fulbright Scholarships. Among the recipients
was Huntsville native Matthew Goforth, who
graduated with a major in physics and a minor
in German. While a student in the College of
Sciences and Mathematics, Goforth conducted
research on fusion energy plasmas under the
direction of David Maurer, associate professor
in the Department of Physics. He was awarded
a Fulbright Scholarship to continue his research
on complex plasma experiments at the Technical
University of Munich where he will join the
Complex Plasma Research Group at the German
Aerospace on the university’s campus. Goforth is
the son of a retired U.S. Army officer and was born
in Ansbach, Germany.
“My work at the German Aerospace Center
will include the planning of complex plasma
experiments as well as providing a detailed analysis
of space data using specially adjusted image
analysis techniques,” Goforth said. “I am eager
to join leading German scientists and researchers
in support of the International Space Station.
My Fulbright year promises to be a life-changing
experience, and I am grateful for this opportunity.”
Other Auburn University recipients of the
Fulbright Scholarship include Tyler Look from the
colleges of Business and Liberal Arts, and Matthew
Pollock and Steven Vickers, both from the College
of Liberal Arts.
In the past six years, 14 Auburn University
students have been named Fulbright recipients;
this year’s four students is a school record.
“We are excited for Tyler, Matthew, Steven,
and Matthew,” said Melissa Baumann,
Auburn assistant provost and director of the
Honors College. “The Fulbright award is an
acknowledgment of their hard work and their
potential for future accomplishments in their
disciplines. They are all outstanding representatives
of Auburn University, and we sent them off with
sincere wishes for great success.”
“The Fulbright offers our students a life altering
experience,” said Paula Bobrowski, associate dean
in the College of Liberal Arts and chair of the
campus-wide Fulbright screening committee. “This
international experience will forever change their
views of the world and help them to realize how
they can make an impact on the world.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed working with our
scholars throughout the application process,
and their selection brings great credit
upon Auburn University,” said Paul Harris,
associate director of the Honors College. “I
am especially grateful to their faculty mentors
Tom Nadar, associate professor of German;
James Truman, assistant director of University
Writing; David Maurer, associate professor of
physics; and Alan Meyer, assistant professor
of history, who all provided support and
encouragement, and wrote glowing letters of
support on their behalf.”
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international
educational exchange program sponsored by
the U.S. government and is designed to increase
mutual understanding between the people of the
United States and the people of other countries.
Recipients are selected on the basis of academic or
professional achievement, as well as demonstrated
leadership potential.
College of Sciences and Mathematics
17