Oppenheimer committee names 24 scholarship winners for 2026

The J. Robert Oppenheimer Memorial Committee has named 24 scholarship winners for 2026, with 12 Los Alamos High School seniors among the students recognized for work that stretches from science and mathematics to music, medicine and public service. For a county that still measures part of its identity through classrooms, laboratories and civic leadership, the list doubles as a snapshot of the next local talent pipeline.

The Los Alamos High School recipients named in the committee’s announcement are Helena Welch, Madalyn Baily, John Kang, Alyssa Sun, Irina Maiorov, James Ito, Matthea Fung, Sara Khan, Calvin Marksteiner, Penelope Barry-Hoffman, Cara Gauss and August Ovaska. The awards are not a single prize but a mix of scholarships tailored to different strengths, including academic excellence, promise in science and mathematics, promise in physics or mathematical sciences, classical music and future contributions to society.

That structure matters because it broadens the definition of achievement beyond one narrow track. In practice, the committee is backing students who may become scientists, musicians, doctors and civic leaders, while also signaling which parts of the local educational ecosystem continue to produce high-achieving seniors. The question for Los Alamos is not only who gets the scholarships this year, but which of these students will ultimately return with degrees, skills and professional networks that feed back into the community.

The program has deep roots. JROMC says it was established in 1975, and the first scholarship was awarded in 1984 to a graduating Los Alamos High School senior in memory of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Since then, the effort has expanded from a single local award to multiple scholarships at LAHS and at regional high schools across Northern New Mexico. In 2025, the committee awarded 20 scholarships totaling $62,500, bringing the cumulative total to $868,500 since the program began.

The 2026 regional-scholarship materials show that reach clearly. Eleven regional scholarships are available this year, including one for $3,500 and ten for $3,000, for students graduating from Capital High School, Española Valley High School, Jemez Valley High School, Pojoaque Valley High School, Santa Fe High School and Santa Fe Indian School. The scholarship ceremony will be held before the 53rd Oppenheimer Memorial Lecture, which is set for 7 p.m. Monday, June 22, at Duane Smith Auditorium in Los Alamos.

That lecture will feature Professor Dante Lauretta in a talk titled “Origins of Our Solar System: The NASA OSIRIS-REx Mission.” Together, the scholarships and lecture keep Oppenheimer’s legacy tied to Northern New Mexico science education, while putting real financial support behind the students most likely to carry that tradition forward.