Kaylee Meyers, a third-year student at Michigan Technological University, has received one of the nation’s highest accolades for college undergraduates. The biomedical engineering major from Essexville, Michigan (Garber H.S. ’17) is the 12th Michigan Tech student to receive the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship.

Esablished in 1989 by Congress to honor the late Arizona senator and administered by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, Goldwater scholarships are awarded to college sophomores and juniors. The awards are based on academic merit, research experience and intent to pursue a career in science, engineering or mathematics.

As part of the selection process, colleges nominate up to four students who intend to pursue a career in research and have at least a 3.0 GPA. As one of 396 recipients selected from approximately 5,000 nominees, Meyers will receive a financial award to be used on expenses like tuition, books, and room and board for her senior year.

Meyers’ research focuses on engineered biomaterials. “More specifically, injectable biomaterials that could be used to accelerate wound healing in injured tendons,” she said.

“Kaylee’s work has led to novel data regarding how injectable biomaterials can be used to control cell and molecular mechanisms involved in tendon repair,” said Meyer’s research advisor, Rupak Rajachar, a principal lecturer in biomedical engineering at Michigan Tech. “These findings are the basis for one of two first-author manuscripts she is currently writing.”