Los Alamos High School 2016 graduate and Texas Tech University sophomore Madeline Lockhart is one of 211 students in the United States selected for a Goldwater Scholarship.

The Goldwater Scholarship was established to honor the lifetime work of Senator Barry Goldwater, who served his country for 56 years as a soldier and statesman, including 30 years in the U.S. Senate. It is provided to college sophomores and juniors who intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering.

Lockhart said the prestigious award will help her financially, professionally and personally.

“In addition to the financial support, I hope this award will open doors in the pursuit of my future education and career. I have always loved math and science, but this award is a tangible achievement that serves as an indicator that I have the potential to be successful in the path I have chosen,” she said.

Lockhart said she is very proud: of herself, her school and those who have supported her.

“I am excited to receive this recognition and am hopeful that one day I will live up to the expectations of those who gave me this award. Most importantly, I am thankful to have been blessed with the amazing people and opportunities God has given me over the last 20 years,” she said.

Lockhart is pursuing a double major in physics and mathematics. After her junior year at LAHS, she began working at Los Alamos National Laboratory in the Nuclear Engineering and Non-Proliferation Division and still works there during school breaks and throughout the summer.

Lockhart’s future plans include earning her doctorate in nuclear physics and conducting research involving nuclear safeguards and peaceful uses of nuclear energy. She would like to eventually work at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria.

Lockhart is the daughter of Bret and Kristen Lockhart of Los Alamos.