2 UK engineering graduates awarded Defense Department SMART Scholarships
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 23, 2026) — Recent University of Kentucky engineering graduates Grant Fischer and Spencer Goode-Kulchar were awarded U.S. Defense Department SMART Scholarships
SMART — Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation — offers merit-based, full-tuition STEM scholarships for undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students pursuing degrees in one of the SMART STEM disciplines. It is a scholarship-for-service program designed to ensure a highly skilled science, technology, engineering and mathematics workforce dedicated to advancing national security and accelerate the transition for SMART scholars from students to accomplished professionals.
Fischer and Goode-Kulchar each graduated in May with bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering. They both will continue their study of electrical engineering in UK’s Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering Ph.D. program.
In addition to assisting with tuition for the Ph.D. program, the SMART Scholarship will offer Fischer and Goode-Kulchar opportunities for research internships with Defense Department agencies. Fischer will intern at the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Philadelphia division and Goode-Kulchar will intern at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio.
“I am highly passionate about the field of electrical engineering and want to apply the knowledge and skills I gain in my education to address real-world challenges and contribute to technological advancement,” said Fischer, who was also a Lewis Honors College student while an undergraduate. “The SMART program will also allow me to contribute to transformative and cutting-edge technologies that create a positive impact on our nation and the world.”
The Crescent Springs, Kentucky, resident said his research focuses on electric power systems. Fischer said he is grateful for the mentorship of his faculty advisor, Dan Ionel, Ph.D. He also expressed gratitude to student mentors, including Ph.D. graduates Rosemary Alden and Donovin Lewis, and Ph.D. candidates Steven Poore and Kwabena Kyeremeh.
Goode-Kulchar, a resident of Richmond, Kentucky, said he looks forward to contributing to national security through his doctoral studies and internship. His research focuses on electric machines and drives.
“Electrical engineering has a significant impact on society, and through this degree, I aim to contribute to transformative and cutting-edge technologies that create a positive impact on our nation and the world,” Goode-Kulchar said. “The SMART Scholarship will allow me to contribute to the national initiatives and efforts for national security and technological advancement.”
Goode-Kulchar also cited Ionel, Alden and Lewis as mentors, as well as Ph.D. candidate Matin Vatani.
As Ph.D. candidates at UK, Fischer and Goode-Kulchar will continue their research in the Pigman Engineering SPARK Laboratory under Ionel, the lab director and L. Stanley Pigman Chair in Power.
For more information on the SMART Scholarship and other award opportunities, contact UK’s Office of Nationally Competitive Awards.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and healthcare. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $1.02 billion research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.