The Lord Botetourt Medal
Robert K. Gourdie ’24 - 2024 Award Recipient
The Lord Botetourt Medal is presented each year to the undergraduate student who has most distinguished him or herself in scholarship during their time at William & Mary. In 2024, this singular honor is awarded to Robert K. Gourdie.
Mr. Gourdie is recognized for his distinction as a scholar and for his passion, curiosity and empathy. In the words of one nominator, “He is an astounding student and human that truly exemplifies the best and brightest W&M has to offer.”
Mr. Gourdie graduates with a degree in chemistry marked first-class with a perfect 4.0 GPA. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. at the University of California Berkeley’s prestigious chemistry program. Even before his first semester, Mr. Gourdie joined Professor Douglas D. Young’s chemistry lab. As a nominator wrote, Mr. Gourdie’s “ability to quickly grasp chemical concepts, communicate science and work around typical research roadblocks is reflected in his impressive research productivity.”
Mr. Gourdie’s research has already resulted in several papers published in high-impact journals, and his advisors anticipate additional publications, including in top chemistry journals. His work focuses on developing new methods for bioconjugation reactions, which have applications in several fields. Through the National Science Foundation’s graduate research fellowship program, Mr. Gourdie wrote an independent grant proposal focusing on the use of unnatural amino acids, which his advisors note reflects his original ideas and creativity.
Mr. Gourdie’s passion and talent for research earned him the Barry Goldwater Scholarship, one of the most prestigious national undergraduate scholarships in the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics. He was also awarded William & Mary’s 1693 Scholarship, facilitating his undergraduate research. Professor Young shared, “I have 100% confidence that Dr. Robert Gourdie is a name that will be well known in the scientific community for years to come.”
In addition to his own impressive scholarship, Mr. Gourdie co-founded the chemistry department’s hybrid mentoring and tutoring program. He has volunteered through the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega and served as a confidential peer advocate with The Haven.
“Robby is truly a once-in-a-lifetime student,” said one nominator. William & Mary is honored to recognize Robby Gourdie for his excellence in scholarship, generosity and dedicated service to the world around him.
