Intense wildfires near his hometown of Baker City, Oregon in 2020, sparked junior Jake Cuzick’s scientific interest and led to his determination to pursue a doctorate in chemistry. Cuzick’s passionate pursuit of his goals to develop novel solutions for green energy using synthetic chemistry has led to his being awarded a 2024-25 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. The Goldwater is the preeminent undergraduate award for students intending to pursue research careers in the fields of natural science, mathematics, and engineering.