Pitzer’s 2026 Goldwater Scholar Advances Biology Research

Pitzer College student Lucas Oppenheimer ’27 has received one of the most prestigious awards for undergraduate STEM students: the Goldwater Scholarship. This award will support Oppenheimer on his path to a Ph.D. in molecular biology and a full-time research career.

For 40 years, the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation has supported college sophomores and juniors who aspire to become researchers in science, engineering and mathematics. Oppenheimer is one of 454 Goldwater Scholars chosen from 1,485 students who were nominated by 482 academic institutions.

Oppenheimer, a molecular biology major, credits Pitzer’s early research opportunities for making him a strong Goldwater candidate. With just a few emails to express his interest, he joined Associate Professor of Biology Findley Finseth’s lab as a first-year student.

“You get to have experience as an undergraduate in leading a project,” said Oppenheimer. “My lab partner and I were given lots of independence.”

A faculty member of the Department of Natural Sciences at Pitzer and Scripps Colleges, Finseth regularly advised Oppenheimer on experimental project design. Oppenheimer’s robust coursework in biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics took physical shape in the lab.

“I was able to design and optimize my own protocols for the research project with Professor Finseth’s support and guidance,” he said. “As a student, you’ll always have that kind of support here.”

Oppenheimer investigated the process of gene drive, which involves genetic elements that parents pass on to high numbers of their offspring due to biased inheritance. He studied how gene drive potentially influences evolution and differentiation in the Mimulus plant species.

Along with Finseth’s mentorship, Oppenheimer received help from Pitzer’s Office of Fellowships for his Goldwater Scholarship application. Director of Fellowships Noosha Malek, Ed.D., and other staff gave him feedback and other guidance throughout the process.

Oppenheimer’s long-term goal is to advance research connecting molecular mechanisms to broader biological and clinical outcomes — such as in cancer biology, immunology and/or host pathogen interactions. He hopes his research can help identify potential new therapeutics.

This summer, Oppenheimer is headed to MIT. He will work under Professor of Biology Daniel Lew, who uses fungal model systems to study cells.

“We’re looking to discover how budding works in the yeast A. pullulans,” said Oppenheimer. “My work will be investigating its cell wall and how that works and then using it as a model for more infectious fungi.”

Like many Pitzer science students, Oppenheimer deeply considers how his field impacts communities. His anthropology minor gives him a well-rounded perspective.

“Studying anthropology has influenced me to be very aware of the ways that science has harmed people and ways it could be improved,” he said. “It makes me think about what I want to use my science to do and who I want to help.”