USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GOLDWATER SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
The development of artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most significant advances currently occurring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation recognizes the value of these new tools and, accordingly, permits their responsible and ethical use in the preparation of Goldwater scholarship applications.
The Research Essay and narrative statements found in the Goldwater Scholarship application are designed to encourage reflection and self-discovery, enabling Goldwater reviewers to understand an applicant’s personal development, story, and motivations to pursue a STEM research career. As it would be in other contexts, using AI to “fabricate, falsify, or plagiarize” one’s story or research is neither responsible nor ethical. Such use will actually stand in the way of Goldwater’s reviewers evaluating an applicant’s fit for the scholarship.
Appropriate uses of AI might aid in writing a narrative statement, research essay, and other parts of the Goldwater application. In narrative statements, AI can improve writing (ex., spell check, correct grammar, enhance sentence structure, etc.). For a research project and research essay, AI is a tool that can help identify others working in the field, help with searches to identify related research activities, and brainstorm ideas. In helping determine one’s career path, AI might assist in identifying a graduate program where similar work is being done.
Starting in 2026, the Goldwater scholarship application will ask if AI was used in developing any part of an application. This information will be provided to the Goldwater reviewers. Goldwater reviewers will continue to evaluate applications based on the Foundation’s selection criteria, not on whether an applicant used or did not use AI in developing the application.
Goldwater Scholarship Foundation’s Policy on AI Use
- AI may be used in the development of a Goldwater application.
- Any use of AI MUST conform to the guidelines, rules, and regulations set forward by an applicant’s academic institution. If a school prohibits the use of AI, then AI should not be used in the preparation of a Goldwater application.
- Applicants are ultimately responsible for the text they have submitted in an application. Using an AI tool to invent portions of the text or uncritically trusting AI-generated text to be factually accurate (which it sometimes is not) is neither responsible nor ethical.