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Alana Huszar strikes Gold(water) with graph theory

Alana Huszar
Alana Huszar

Alana Huszar once dreamed of becoming a puppeteer or a voice actress, until she got her first taste of advanced math in a high school calculus class.

That’s the moment Alana fell in love with mathematics — and she hasn’t looked back. The 20-year-old junior from Bridgewater, New Jersey, has won a Goldwater Scholarship, the premier award for college students intending to pursue research careers in science, mathematics, or engineering. The scholarship helps offset the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500.

Huszar applied on the strength of her research on graph theory.“I really like graph theory because it’s like a puzzle and is really applicable,” she says. “Any kind of networking deals with graph theory, for example a cell phone network with cell towers and phones.”

In the fall, she plans to delve into algebraic geometry, working alongside TCNJ professor Steffen Marcus. Her post-TCNJ plans? After earning a PhD in mathematics, Alana hopes to teach at the university level and lead her own research group.

All four TCNJ students who were nominated for Goldwater Scholarships this year were recognized—chemistry majors Susan Knox and Andrew Ruff, and psychology major Jenna Krizan received honorable mentions.


—Meeri Kim

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