UF's 2025 Goldwater Scholars

Apr 10, 2025
Three out of five nominees join the Goldwater community.

 
_{From left to right: Glenn Bruda, Sultan Khanfar, and Monique Kubovsky.}

Three University of Florida nominees have been selected as 2025 Goldwater Scholars, recognizing their strong academic and research accomplishments. The Office of Prestigious Awards and Student Success proudly congratulates Glenn Bruda, Sultan Khanfar, and Monique Kubovsky.

Each year, universities are limited in the number of students they can endorse, making selection as a Goldwater Scholar a highly competitive and prestigious honor. The scholarship is one of the premier opportunities for undergraduates in STEM, supporting sophomores and juniors committed to research-focused careers in mathematics, natural sciences, and engineering.

Glenn Bruda

Glenn Bruda is a third-year student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. As a high school student, Bruda discovered and published a new calculus technique to solve integral equations. At UF, he is treasurer of the University Math Society and is listed as an author on at least seven scientific publications.

After receiving the news of being accepted into the Goldwater community, Bruda was overjoyed. He told Student Success, "The reputation and connection opportunities of the community are exceptional and will help my career."

Bruda aspires to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics, which he will use to teach at a university level. "As it stands, being a professor is the most fulfilling occupation I can fathom having," he says.

Sultan Khanfar

Sultan Khanfar is a second-year student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and was recently selected for the Amgen Scholars Program. His research is focused on neuroinflammation and brain-body communication.

Khanfar deeply appreciates his mentor, Dr. Aline Oliveira, who has guided him since the beginning of his academic career. "Your mentorship continues to help me grow through independence, failure, and reflection—always encouraging me to aim higher, think deeper, and approach problems with intention," he says. "My growth as a researcher is inseparable from the space you created for it."

Other key players who helped Khanfar develop as a researcher are Dr. Andrew Bryant, Dr. Srinivasa Subramaniam, and the late Dr. John Stanton.

Motivated to uncover the brain's influence on chronic disease development, Khanfar plans to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. and study neuroinflammation. His goal is to translate scientific discoveries into meaningful patient outcomes.

Monique Kubovsky

Monique Kubovsky is a third-year student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. On top of the Goldwater Scholarship, Kubovsky has also been awarded the William Oegerle Scholarship in Physics and Astronomy. Her research will have applications to solid-state memory drives.

Applying for the Goldwater Scholarship was beneficial for Kubovsky. "The application itself was extremely valuable to me," she explained. "It provided an opportunity to critically think about my goals and put them into words, which will be useful in my future endeavors."

Kubovsky intends to earn a Ph.D. in physics and pursue a career in academia. In her career, she wants to "synthesize and characterize novel materials to explore the physics behind revolutionary phenomena."

Applying for the Goldwater Scholarship

The Goldwater Scholarship is one of many awards that support students in STEM fields. Connect with the Office of Prestigious Awards to learn more about the application process, UF's internal endorsement competition, and other available opportunities.

Written by Braden Blue.