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Whether he's in the laboratory or on the track, Rutgers University senior Simon Gordonov garners accolades with the same no-nonsense attitude.

A Jewish resident of East Windsor, Gordonov was recently chosen as one of 14 American students to receive the Winston Churchill Foundation of the United States' $50,000 scholarships in science, engineering, or mathematics. Gordonov, who was born in Russia and lived in Israel, will pursue a master of philosophy in computational biology next year at the University of Cambridge in England.

Besides for maintaining his perfect 4.0 grade point average as an engineering student, Gordonov spends two hours a day in practice for the Rutgers cross-country team and between two and four hours on laboratory research exploring how biological materials can be used for engineering applications. He takes his multiple responsibilities in stride.

"It's just trying to stay focused, that's the main thing," Gordonov told The Jewish State.

Gordonov's initial athletic passion was soccer, but his sister Tanya, who graduated Rutgers in 2009, suggested that he pursue track and field instead. Running, Gordonov discovered, was a better personal fit because his hard work in the individual sport translated directly to success, as opposed to depending on teammates in soccer.

"Running, it's all about personal work ethic and hard work," Gordonov said. Effort is also a key ingredient for Gordonov's success in the laboratory, he said, because that setting "puts your mind in a positive light and a positive energy."

Upon his return from Cambridge, Gordonov plans to study toward an M.D./Ph.D. so he can use his engineering research to help actual patients.

"You are actually able to see the work you are doing in the lab translate into medical practice," Gordonov said of an M.D./Ph.D. path. "It keeps you motivated, seeing the end result of your work."

At Rutgers, Gordonov has co-authored three academic journal articles and started a campus-wide undergraduate research society to help students find and pursue research opportunities. He also mentors high school students.

Gordonov's family moved in 1991 from Russia to Israel, where they lived in Holon, Nesher, and Haifa. Though Gordonov, now 21, wasn't even in his teens when his family lived in Israel, the country's welcoming atmosphere for Jewish immigrants left a lasting impression on him.

"It's really worth a lot in this world, in my view," Gordonov said of Israel's warmth.

Before settling in New Jersey, Gordonov's family moved to Vicksburg, Miss., in 1997. After graduating from Hightstown High School in 2006, Gordonov said he discovered his passion for research during an internship at Amicus Therapeutics in Cranbury. By studying computational biology in Cambridge, he said he will gain critical exposure to two of his areas of interest -- genomics and personalized medicine.

Gordonov's father, Boris, was a chemical engineer who passed away shortly after Simon entered Rutgers. Since Boris was a runner in Russia, Gordonov is also following in his father's footsteps athletically.

"He was kind of a role model for me, in that sense," Gordonov said. Gordonov's Churchill Scholarship comes a year after he won a Barry M. Goldwater scholarship, awarded to American college sophomores and juniors with exceptional talent in science, mathematics, or engineering. Churchill Scholarships were first awarded in 1963, after former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill asked friends to establish funding for young Americans to study at the University of Cambridge's newly established Churchill College, which serves an international community of students studying sciences and the humanities.

"These awards are evidence of the preparation Rutgers offers its students," Arthur D. Casciato, director of the Rutgers Office of Distinguished Fellowships, said in a statement. "They are also one of many opportunities that our students have to broaden their horizons and extend their global reach in education and research."

Gordonov is Rutgers' first Churchill Scholar since 1967.

"Simon represents the best of what Rutgers seeks to develop in its students," Richard L. McCormick, president of Rutgers, said in a statement. "He is an outstanding student, researcher, athlete, and citizen and is motivated to pursue opportunities on a global scale. I applaud the Churchill selection committee for recognizing his drive and dedication and am confident he'll be an ambassador for Rutgers at Cambridge and beyond."