Joshua Mathew, a biological sciences major at the University of Maryland, has been awarded the 2026 Astronaut Scholarship, recognizing his contributions to STEM research. He is among 79 students selected from 54 institutions across the United States. The scholarship offers up to $15,000 in financial support, mentorship, and professional development opportunities, including a trip to the Innovators Symposium in Houston, Texas. Mathew is the second UMD student to receive this honor, following Benjamin Raufman in 2025. His research includes work on a wearable robotic hand to study stroke recovery and designing new molecules for neuroblastoma treatment. Additionally, he has researched the binding of harmful chemicals known as PFAS to nuclear receptors, contributing to a published study in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Mathew's ambition is to become a physician-scientist, focusing on cancer drug discovery and addressing unanswered questions in the field.