Sreenidhi Surineni, a neuroscience major with a minor in philosophy in UC Riverside’s College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS), has been named a 2025 Goldwater Scholar with the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education  Foundation, one of the most prestigious national honors awarded to undergraduate researchers in the STEM fields.​

Surineni was selected from a competitive pool of 1,350 students nominated by 445 colleges and universities across the country. He is the 19th UCR student to receive this highly competitive scholarship since 2013.​ 

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program aims to identify, encourage, and financially support outstanding undergraduates who intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering. The scholarship is widely considered the most prestigious award in the U.S. conferred upon undergraduates in these fields. In addition to receiving a $7,500 scholarship, Goldwater Scholars gain national recognition for their research potential.

Under the mentorship of Sika Zhen, Professor of Biomedical Sciences and Director with the Center for RNA Biology and Medicine at UC Riverside, Surineni’s research focuses on changes in RNA codes and neuronal attributes in Alzheimer’s disease, aiming to uncover the molecular mechanisms that drive disease progression.​

Beyond his research, Surineni is a UCR Chancellor’s Research Fellow (CFR) and will serve as a Senior CRF in the 2025–2026 academic year, where he’ll lead the program’s Mentorship Committee. His passion for mentorship began in high school, when he founded Enlight Education, a tutoring initiative focused on cultivating a love for STEM and promoting academic excellence in underserved communities. Today, Enlight Education has grown to include chapters at UCR, UCLA, UC Davis, and Brown University, with international collaborations in India, Mexico, and China.

The Goldwater Scholarship is a prestigious national award that requires institutional endorsement. At UCR, students interested in applying for the Goldwater Scholarship must work with the Center for Undergraduate Research & Engaged Learning (CUREL), which provides mentorship, application guidance, and writing support throughout the process. Recruitment for Goldwater applicants begins in the summer, and strong candidates typically begin drafting their essays early to allow for multiple rounds of feedback. A faculty committee representing both the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) and the Bourns College of Engineering (BCOE) conducts interviews with finalists and plays a key role in selecting the university’s endorsed candidates. Each campus is permitted to endorse up to four applicants per year.

Sreenidhi’s academic achievements, leadership, and commitment to making meaningful change exemplify the spirit of the Goldwater Scholarship. His accomplishments are a source of pride for the UC Riverside community and an inspiration to future generations of scholars.​

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