Elizabethtown College Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major Emily Harding ‘23 was recently named a 2022 Barry Goldwater Scholar.
The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation was established by Congress in 1986 to serve as a living memorial to honor the lifetime work of Senator Barry Goldwater. The Scholarships are reserved for college sophomores and juniors who intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering.
Approximately 400 undergraduate STEM students are chosen annually, and the majority of applicants intend to pursue a Ph.D. in their respective field of study. 
During her time at Etown, Harding has worked on three semesters worth of research, participated in the Summer Creative Arts and Research program (SCARP), and has presented at numerous regional and national science-based conferences.
Harding has also been conducting independent research since 2020, under the guidance of Professor of Chemistry James MacKay.
“When I began my college search, I knew to look out for institutions where I could start conducting scientific research as early as my first year on campus,” Harding said. “I joined Professor MacKay’s lab in the spring of 2020, where I have been performing synthetic organic chemistry ever since. I never dreamed of landing a such competitive scholarship, like Goldwater, for conducting research. I could not have done this without the tremendous mentorship of Professor MacKay, as well as all the support from all of my chemistry and biology professors at Etown.”