Image by Celia Hoffman Branae Craveiro wasn’t sure she was ready to apply for the Goldwater Scholarship, a competitive national scholarship that supports the next generation of researchers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. However, a push from Assistant Professor Sarah Gignoux-Wolfsohn led her to the application portal.
The result? Winning one of the Goldwater awards.
“If it wasn't for Dr. Gignoux-Wolfsohn’s belief in me, I wouldn’t have applied. Without her and her support, this wouldn't have been possible,” says Craveiro, a junior biology major from Peabody who works on Gignoux-Wolfson’s research team.
Joining Craveiro as a 2026 Goldwater Scholarship recipient is Sam Morgan, a junior meteorology and atmospheric science major who has been involved in several research projects.
“It felt really rewarding to get this scholarship,” says Morgan.
The two River Hawks are among the 454 recipients from around the country to win the competitive $7,500 scholarship.
Image by Celia Hoffman Research is taking Craveiro and Morgan, who are members of the Honors College, around the world.
In May, Craveiro will be traveling to Belize with Gignoux-Wolfsohn to study coral reefs. There, she will be putting her new scuba diving certification to the test as she gathers samples for research on stony coral tissue loss disease.
“Being at UMass Lowell and landing my lab job has been so great,” says Craveiro. “Going to Belize is the highlight of my undergraduate career. Who else gets to say that they're going to scuba dive in Belize?”
Craveiro wants to continue to explore marine biology and is planning to pursue a Ph.D. in biological sciences. She hopes to conduct research on the biological impacts of climate change on ecological ecosystems.
Craveiro also recently received a $1,500 scholarship through the Women Divers Hall of Fame to advance marine conservation research. She says she is grateful for all of the support and hopes her success will inspire other young women to apply for awards like the Goldwater Scholarship.
Image by Sam Morgan Sam Morgan began his research for his Honors thesis on participation patterns in the Westfjords of Iceland.
This summer, Morgan, who has a double minor in mathematics and climate change, will be interning with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder, where he will be looking at the impact of atmospheric rivers on California's Sierra Nevada.
Morgan has already completed his Honors College thesis through study abroad in Iceland in which he participated during the fall of 2024. The thesis focused on research on precipitation that he had conducted while he was in Iceland. When Morgan came back to campus, he continued the research with Professor Jeffrey Basara, chair of the Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences department.
As part of an Honors Fellowship, Morgan will extend the research to the White Mountains in New Hampshire. He is working with Basara on the project, along with meteorologists at the Mount Washington Observatory.
Morgan was drawn to UMass Lowell by the strength of its academic programs and its proximity to Boston.
“UMass Lowell is really one of the best meteorology schools in the Northeast,” he says.
After getting his bachelor’s degree, Morgan is planning to pursue graduate work in meteorology and atmospheric science. He looks forward to conducting more research on a subject he finds endlessly fascinating.
“I like studying meteorology because it's like chess in a way: If you understand the dynamics of it, you can keep up with it, even when every storm is different,” Morgan says.