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Physics Star Grabs Goldwater
One of the outstanding students in MTSU’s Quantum Physics Initiative, Ariel Nicastro is racking up awards and undergraduate experiences in her early years at the University.
A Buchanan Fellow who just started her junior year, Nicastro became one of only 10 students from Tennessee institutions and among just 430 students nationwide selected as 2024 Goldwater Scholars. The prestigious award identifies and supports the next generation of research leaders in the fields of natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics.
“Research is never a linear path of success, so I feel that earning this honor after many diverse research experiences is a testament to my persistence and resilience,” she said.
The Goldwater Scholarship will provide recipients up to $7,500 maximum per full academic year; sophomores receive support for four semesters or until graduation, if sooner.
“Ariel embodies the qualities every advisor hopes for in a student: intelligence, diligence, talent, and unwavering drive. This esteemed award is a well-deserved recognition of Ariel’s exceptional contributions to research at MTSU,” said Hanna Terletska, associate professor of Physics and Astronomy.
Nicastro also was awarded a Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship at Oak Ridge National Laboratory last summer as one of four MTSU quantum physics students recognized as Amplify Scholars.
As a first-year student, Nicastro was chosen in 2023 to participate in the Training and Research Experiences in Nonlinear Dynamics, a 10-week summer research experience for undergraduates (REU) at the University of Maryland. She also studied abroad in New Zealand that summer.
Additionally, she has attended an Undergraduate Women in Physics conference at Auburn University, presented at the Tennessee Collegiate Honors Council, and presented at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research in both 2023 and 2024.
Research is never a linear path of success, so I feel that earning this honor after many diverse research experiences is a testament to my persistence and resilience.
After being assigned a mentor her freshman year as a Physics major, Nicastro almost immediately inquired about a suitable starter research project.
“I assigned her a research project that involved electrical measurements of filter circuits. Despite having no background in the use of equipment such as function generators, BNC connectors, and oscilloscopes, Ariel became adept at making measurements,” said her mentor, William Robertson, a Physics and Astronomy professor. “She succeeded through persistence and the ability to ask good questions, talents that will continue to ensure her continued success in science.”
Nicastro is president of MTSU’s Quantum Computing Club, treasurer of the MTSU Society of Physics Students, secretary for the Student Organization for the Advancement of Research, and viola section leader of the MTSU Symphony Orchestra. She is a member of the Women in Physics Club, Astronomy Club, and MTSU Chamber Orchestra, plus previously volunteered with the Tennessee Girls in STEM. Awards at MTSU also include the Physics and Astronomy faculty award, Paul W. Martin Scholarship, Outstanding Honors First-Year Student, and MTSU School of Music Scholarship.
She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in condensed matter physics after graduation, conducting research on quantum materials and nanotechnology. With the Goldwater under her belt, she is considering applying for the DAAD-RISE internship next summer in Germany and an internship at a STEM-related workplace.
“I am still exploring my fields of interest, so I hope I can utilize these internships to learn more about which fields I am motivated to pursue in graduate school and beyond,” she said. “I am currently passionate about condensed matter physics and quantum physics, so I will continue to seek out more opportunities in these broad fields.”
