University of Connecticut junior Caitlin Noonan ’26 (ENG), a chemical engineering major, has been named a Goldwater Scholar. The Goldwater Scholarship is considered the nation’s premier scholarship for undergraduates studying math, natural sciences, and engineering.

The Goldwater Scholarship was established by Congress to honor the late U.S. Sen. Barry M. Goldwater, with the purpose of identifying students of outstanding ability and promise and encouraging them to pursue advanced study and research careers. Scholars receive one- or two-year awards that cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. Noonan is among just 441 students selected nationally for the award this year from a pool of more than 5,000 applicants.

“I learned a lot about myself during the application process because it allowed me to reflect on my career goals and aspirations,” says Noonan, who grew up on Long Island but now resides in Storrs. “It was fun to learn how to tell my story in a way that was polished and coherent. It made me feel proud.”

Following graduation, Noonan hopes to pursue a doctoral degree in chemical engineering, specializing in environmental pollutant adsorption to reduce climate change. She would like to eventually be a tenured faculty member at an R1 research institution.

She began her research work as a high school student and has always been focused on environmental issues. Noonan has a passion for carbon dioxide removal and turning food waste into activated carbon absorbents to remove carbon dioxide from the air.

“Growing up on Long Island, we were surrounded by a lot of water and I always had to use a water filter because I was worried about chemicals,” says Noonan.

Noonan finished first at the 2023 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Student Conference for her research poster presentation in both the overall Environmental Division and Environmental Division One.

Noonan took part in a National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program in the summer of 2023. She studied the desulfurization of liquid hydrocarbon fuels using food waste-derived activated carbon.

“What truly distinguishes Caitlin is her remarkable intellectual autonomy,” says Julia Valla, an associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering who serves as Noonan’s advisor. “Unlike most undergraduate researchers who require significant guidance, Caitlin consistently challenges me with new ideas and approaches to our work on CO2 capture using renewable carbons. She has transformed from a promising REU (research experience undergraduate) student to a driving force in our research.

“Her Goldwater Award recognition is well-deserved, and I have no doubt that her passion for pushing boundaries will make her an exceptional professor and mentor in the future. In my experience, the students who challenge their advisors rather than simply following directions are the ones who ultimately reshape their fields. I look forward to witnessing her continued success in the years to come.”

Valla is also Noonan’s principal investigator for the NSF program at the UConn Center for Clean Energy Engineering (C2E2), while associate research professor Stoyan Bliznakov is the co-principal investigator.

This summer, she will perform research as a Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF) awardee through UConn’s Office of Undergraduate Research. Her project will be “Converting the University of Connecticut’s Food Waste into Activated Carbon for Carbon Capture, Sequestration, and Usage.”

Noonan is currently an undergraduate teaching assistant in Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics I this semester and will do the same for Thermodynamics II in the fall of 2025.

She is a chemical and biomolecular engineering ambassador at UConn as she represents the department during UConn Bound Days to encourage admitted chemical engineering prospective students to attend UConn.

The Office of National Scholarships & Fellowships (ONSF) is a resource for students interested in learning more about the Goldwater Scholarship and other prestigious scholarships and fellowships that support study in all fields. ONSF is part of Enrichment Programs and is open to all graduate and undergraduate students at the University, including students at the regional campuses. For more information about the Goldwater Scholarship and other prestigious, nationally-competitive awards, visit ONSF at www.onsf.uconn.edu.