Factor ’14, Meyerson ’14 Receive Goldwater Honorable Mentions

Two Wesleyan students received honorable mentions from the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation.

Sam Factor ’14, a physics and computer science double major, and Elliot Meyerson ’14, a computer science and mathematics double major, each received a letter of congratulations and a certificate from the foundation. The 2013-14 Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,107 mathematics, science, and engineering students who were nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide.

Factor, who hails from Madison, Wisc., hopes to pursue a Ph.D in physics and conduct research in physics, work in industry or teach at the university level. At Wesleyan, Factor works with Fred Ellis, professor of physics, on asymmetric wave transport in nonlinear PT-symmetric electronics.

PT-symmetric systems have unchanged behavior under a combined reversal of time and reflection in space.

“We have shown that the combination of PT-symmetry and nonlinear gain and loss elements produce asymmetric wave transport. This is a remarkable feature and can be used to build devices that exhibit many interesting properties such as unidirectional invisibility and could lead to a device able to transmit and receive signals at the same time on the same frequency.”

During his senior year, Factor may write a senior thesis or complete the BA/MA program.

Meyerson, of Silver Spring, M.D., hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in computer science and conduct research towards general intelligence and teach at the university level.

Meyerson’s computer science advisor is Eric Aaron, assistant professor of computer sciences, and Wai Kiu Chan, professor of mathematics. He plans on writing a computer science thesis in 2013-14.

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to honor Senator Barry M. Goldwater, who served his country for 56 years as a soldier and statesman, including 30 years of service in the U.S. Senate. The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established by Public Law 99-661 on Nov. 14, 1986.

Since its first award in 1989, the Foundation has bestowed over 6,550 scholarships.