Armaan Hajar, the Leonard Miller Knight Campus Undergraduate Scholar at the University of Oregon, has been selected as a 2026 Barry Goldwater Scholar — one of the most prestigious awards in the United States for students pursuing research careers in science, engineering, and mathematics.
Hajar's selection reflects the research environment cultivated across the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, the UO School of Computer and Data Sciences, and the Department of Undergraduate Research and Distinguished Scholarships.
"This recognition is not just a reflection of my own achievements, but a testament to the mentorship, collaboration, and support I have received throughout my journey at the Knight Campus and the University of Oregon." — Armaan Hajar, 2026 Barry Goldwater Scholar
Hajar's work has been shaped by advisors Robert Guldberg and Marian Hettiaratchi, Ph.D., and Suyash Gupta, alongside graduate student mentors Nicholas Pancheri, Lia Strait, Justin Svendsen, Chandler Asnes, Nihal Balivada, and Neil Sharma.
“Anyone who meets Armaan quickly recognizes his genuine eagerness to learn and his strong desire to push himself through meaningful research experiences,” said Guldberg, UO Vice President and Robert and Leona DeArmond Executive Director of the Knight Campus. “Although still early in his scientific development, Armaan has already shown the ambition, enthusiasm, and perseverance that distinguish promising future researchers.”
The 2026 award cycle marks the Foundation's 40th anniversary. Through a partnership with UWorld and the Department of Defense's National Defense Education Program, the Goldwater Foundation announced 454 scholarships for the 2026–2027 academic year — the highest total in the program's history. Combined with continued support for 59 sophomores from the 2026 competition, the Foundation will have awarded 11,616 scholarships since its founding.
Scholars were selected from a pool of 1,485 nominated students across 482 academic institutions. Among the 2026 recipients, 54 plan to pursue research in mathematics and computer science, 237 in the sciences, 98 in medicine, and 65 in engineering and materials research.
The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established by Congress in 1986 to honor Senator Barry Goldwater. The scholarship is designed to identify and financially support outstanding undergraduates committed to research careers in STEM fields, and is widely regarded as the preeminent award of its type at the undergraduate level.
— April 2, 2026