Which colleges have produced the most Goldwater Scholars since its inception?

I'm looking to compile a list of colleges that have birthed the most Goldwater Scholars in the past. Kind of an indicator for strong STEM programs, don't you think? Would appreciate if anyone could share some sources that track this.

Absolutely, the number of Goldwater Scholars an institution has can definitely be viewed as an indicator of strong STEM programs since the scholarship specifically focuses on students in natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics who intend to pursue research careers. However, keep in mind that the presence of Goldwater Scholars isn't the only metric of a strong STEM program. Other factors like the school's reputation, faculty in that discipline, research opportunities, and graduate outcomes can all also play a part.

As for your query, it's challenging to find an up-to-date list or source that tracks the total number of Goldwater Scholars by institution since the scholarship's inception in 1989. The Goldwater Scholarship official website provides yearly updates on the winners but this would require some time and effort to compile into a full historical dataset.

That being said, I found some information which, although not exhaustive, can provide a snapshot. As of a data snapshot I found on the Goldwater Scholarship's official page from 2018:

1. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) had the most with nearly 260 Goldwater Scholars.

2. Stanford University and Harvard University had over 200.

3. The University of California, Berkeley had more than 170.

4. Duke University, Princeton University, University of Michigan, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Carnegie Mellon University had between 100 and 140.

Please keep in mind that these numbers can and likely have changed since 2018, I would recommend reaching out to the Goldwater Scholarship foundation directly or individual universities for the most accurate and updated information.