Our outstanding undergraduate students are redefining the boundaries of STEM through their high-impact research — and in doing so, placing the university among the nation’s top producers of Goldwater Scholars.
The prestigious Goldwater Scholarship identifies and supports the nation’s best student researchers in the fields of engineering, mathematics and natural sciences.
This year’s honorees, all expected to graduate next spring — Keanu Brayman, Kyle Coutray, Varun Nannuri and Trevor Overton — have propelled UCF into an elite tier of research institutions, surpassing several Ivy League institutions and tying for fourth in the nation in total Goldwater Scholars produced alongside Stanford University, the University of Notre Dame and the University of Chicago. Their impactful work reflects UCF’s commitment to building a high-level research environment that empowers students to lead projects addressing significant global and scientific challenges.
Learn more about the Goldwater Scholar from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
Supporting Space Exploration
Goldwater Scholar: Keanu Brayman
Major: Mechanical engineering
Ultimate Goal: To develop robotic systems to support human exploration on Mars.
Keanu Brayman’s passion for space began early.
“One of my earliest memories is watching a Space Shuttle streak across the sky from a beach in South Florida,” Brayman says. “I remember being amazed there were people on board and feeling drawn to one day help explore the stars and discover what lies beyond our planet.”
At UCF, Brayman has refined that dream with the support of faculty and mentors — including Associate Professors Adrienne Dove (physics) and Tarek Elgohary (mechanical and aerospace engineering), and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Engineer Christopher Proctor — as well as through programs like the Burnett Honors College.
He plans to pursue a doctoral degree in aerospace engineering to support lunar exploration and NASA’s Artemis program, as well as develop robotic systems that can extract resources and build infrastructure to support human exploration on Mars.
Students interested in applying for the Goldwater Scholarship or other major national awards should contact the Office of Prestigious Awards at opa@ucf.edu.
- Written by Shawna Welter