Leading-Edge Research with 2025 Goldwater Scholars Taylor Rand, Peter Alspaugh, and Abdul-Malik Zekri

USF is celebrating a record-breaking achievement — four Honors students have been named 2025 Goldwater Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for undergraduate research. In this episode, we chat with Taylor Rand, Peter Alspaugh, and Abdul-Malik Zekri about their passion for discovery, ambitious mindsets, and how they’re contributing research that affects everything from our human bodies to the forest floor. From studying the Florida insects to creating 3D cell maps and exploring the potential of DNA origami, these students are at the cutting-edge of emerging STEM research. They share how hands-on research opportunities at USF and mentorship from the Office of National Scholars helped them bring their groundbreaking projects to life. Guests: Taylor Rand, Peter Alspaugh, Abdul-Malik Zekri Hosts: Fabiana Requena and Calvin Pham Audio Production: Sandra Napolitano, Vama Shah, and Nicholas Henry Additional Resources: Learn more about the Barry Goldwater Scholarship Read about all four 2025 Goldwater Scholars Discover more undergraduate national scholarships through the Office of National Scholars