Sheeba Joseph, a senior biochemistry major, is one of 317 undergraduates awarded a prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for 2007-08. The Goldwater Scholars are outstanding juniors and seniors who plan to pursue advanced degrees and careers in mathematics, engineering, and the natural sciences. Joseph and her fellow recipients were chosen from among 1,110 applicants nationwide.
Joseph entered the university knowing that she wanted to become a doctor and an oncology researcher. During her first year, she approached Nancy Oleinick, professor of radiation oncology at the School of Medicine, seeking a research opportunity. Eventually, she began working alongside investigators in Oleinick's lab, studying the processes by which photodynamic therapy destroys cancer cells.
Joseph came to Case Western Reserve as a National Merit Scholar and was a 2004-05 semifinalist in the Siemens-Westinghouse International Science Competition.
The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation was established by Congress in 1986. For many recipients, the Goldwater award is a step toward other honors, such as a Rhodes or Marshall scholarship or a Fulbright fellowship.