Southern Miss Biological Sciences Student Earns Esteemed Goldwater Scholarship
Fri, 04/11/2025 - 10:16am | By: Dr. David Tisdale
A student in The University of Southern Mississippi’s (USM) Honors College has been awarded a coveted Goldwater Scholarship–one of the oldest and most prestigious scholarships in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematicsin the United States.
Joseph Serio, a native of O’Fallon, Mo., majoring in biological sciences with minors in chemistry and world languages (emphasis in Spanish) is the 29th Southern Miss recipient, furthering the university’s lead in the state. After graduating from Southern Miss, Joseph plans to pursue a Ph.D. in molecular genetics and conduct research on gene therapies aimed at improving the quality of life for individuals with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
“It’s truly an honor to be selected as a Goldwater Scholar and to be the first biological sciences major at USM to receive it. I believe this recognition speaks volumes about the quality of guidance my mentors have provided me,” said Serio in crediting Drs. Kaitlin Baudier and Alex Flynt in the USM School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences.
“This accomplishment would not have been possible without Dr. Baudier’s generosity and flexibility in helping tackle my first research project and Dr. Flynt’s expertise as I apply biotechnical approaches to investigate neurodegenerative pathologies,” he said.
Dr. Alex Flynt (left) and Joseph Serio (right)
Serio also expressed appreciation to Dr. Keith Slotkin and Dr. Vivek Hari Sundar Gandhivel at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Mo., for the opportunity to work under their direction during his summer 2024 internship, and Mary Beard, director of Nationally Competitive Programs and Awards at Southern Miss, for her support throughout the Goldwater application process.
“Having this recognition will be instrumental as I apply for graduate school in the fall, and this is especially so in consideration of this year’s unusually fierce competition,” Serio added.
Serio said his science coursework at Southern Miss, particularly those centered around aspects of molecular biology, is appealing because “they help me to gain an in-depth understanding of the world around me.”
“Consequently, I feel I have a bolstered appreciation for the life around me, especially in south Mississippi where there is so much rich biology to enjoy,” he further noted.
Serio also emphasized the significance of his experience as an Honors College student.
“As a member of the Honors College, I have had access to classes in artificial intelligence and sci-fi film that have broadened my horizons as a student, and I have been able to grow as a leader through the Honors College community,” he said.
Beard said she’s privileged to watch Serio grow in his research and represent “everything the Goldwater Program seeks in showing exceptional promise as a research leader for the next generation of scientists.”
“Joseph was diligent in his pursuit of Goldwater, which made all the difference,” said Beard. “He’s brilliant, sincere, determined, humble–the list goes on. I’m proud of him beyond words, and I’m eager to see what impact his research will have on genetic diseases in the future.”
Nationwide, the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation awarded 441 Goldwater scholarships to college students for the 2025-26 academic year. Since the program’s inception in 1989, more than 11,000 scholarships have been awarded.
Named for the late U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona, the Goldwater Scholarship Program seeks to identify, encourage, and financially support college sophomores and juniors showing exceptional promise of becoming the nation’s next generation of research leaders in the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics fields.
Learn more about the Goldwater Scholarship Program here.