ASK graduate named Goldwater Scholar

SOCORRO — New Mexico Tech junior Chase Dunaway has been named a 2024 Goldwater Scholar.

The ASK Academy graduate is one of 508 recipients — out of more than 5,000 college and junior applicants across the nation — to receive the award. It is awarded annually by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation to "the best and brightest students in STEM in the country." Recipients receive an amount equal to the cost of tuition, mandatory fees, books and room and board — minus the amount of support from other sources — with a maximum of $7,500 per academic year.

Dunaway has worked on drone research with Tech’s Dr. Mostafa Hassanalian and also has done research at Sandia National Laboratories. Dunaway also has worked on a lunar traversal robot, done an internship on autonomous robots, and presented at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics SciTech conference. He aspires to be an astronaut and earn a Ph.D. in astronautical engineering with a specialization in robotics. He would like to conduct research in autonomous systems and navigation at a national laboratory or academic institute.

“What’s happening now in robotics is completely insane, and I knew I wanted to study that,” Dunaway said. “I chose New Mexico Tech for college because it was affordable and did not compromise any of my career goals.”

He has also taken part in Model UN, been a fellow in the Santa Fe Council on International Relations, and has a strong bent for philanthropy and culture. He hopes one day to join Engineers Without Borders to do projects in underdeveloped nations.

NMT VP of Academic Affairs Michael Jackson said, “This is the second year in a row where we have had a [Goldwater] awardee. Students like Chase take advantage of the opportunities to conduct research with the excellent faculty we have at New Mexico Tech. Many, like Chase, can capitalize on the outstanding resources available within the state of New Mexico, such as Sandia National Laboratories.”

Jackson also stated that this combination allows students “to engage in cutting-edge research experiences that help prepare them for the workforce, graduate studies and distinguished recognition such as being named a Barry Goldwater Scholar.”