Two students at UNC-Chapel Hill have been awarded tuition assistance from the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program.

Scott Emmons and Sarah Miller are among 240 college sophomores and juniors across the country who will receive scholarships of $7,500 for one academic year.

Chancellor Carol L. Folt lauded the students for their accomplishments, citing that “they are perfect examples of the next generation of innovative researchers.”

Emmons is a 20-year old sophomore majoring in computer science who spent last summer teaching mathematics to middle school students in Mississippi.

Miller is a 20-year-old junior majoring in chemistry whose research on noncoding RNA and embryonic stem cells is likely to be published in the coming year.

The program was conceived by Congress in 1986 to memorialize Sen. Barry Goldwater and promote the study of natural sciences, mathematics and engineering.

It is the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship in those subjects due to its highly competitive application process and limited number of annual awardees.