Science and Engineering Scholarships and Fellowships Blog

Three Iowa State University students received awards from the 2009 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). They were Cory Kleinheksel, Joseph Miller and Raathai Molian.

Cory Kleinheksel will be graduating with his BS in Computer Engineering this semester and will begin pursuing his PhD in embedded and sensor systems in the fall. Kleinheksel explains, “My proposed research is for a middleware system that emphasizes modular concepts for improved integration of sensor node data and high-level applications that would use the data.”

Joseph Miller is currently pursuing his PhD in Mechanical Engineering. His advisor, Terrence Meyer, is thrilled about Miller’s achievements throughout his academic career. Meyer exclaims, “Throughout his career and academic experiences, Joe has developed the ability to think like a researcher. He looks for the part of our understanding that is missing and develops a systematic way to address it. His excellence in academics and research deserves to be recognized with this great honor.” While pursuing his undergraduate degree, Miller was also a recipient of Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) scholarship. He later on achieved the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship in 2007.

Raathai Molian graduated with her BS in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State in 2008 and will be attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the fall to continue her studies in Mechanical Engineering. Molian has yet to specify a research plan, however she will continue her research in the Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity at MIT. Molian explained, “The award offers me flexibility and independence in my research. It provides me with a solid foundation to build upon as I earn my PhD.”

Mary Katherine Watson, a graduate student at Clemson University, received an award from the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). Watson intends to use the funding to further her research in the field of Biosystems Engineering.

Watson exclaims, “I am excited to have received an NSF graduate fellowship and I am confident that undergraduate and graduate research in Biosystems Engineering at Clemson University has prepared me to continue my graduate education.”

Watson will continue her research in Fall 2009 while pursuing a PhD in Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech.

On May 19, the honorable mentions and additional awards were announced for the 2009 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). Non-awardees and other awardees were notified of their results via email in early April.

The GRFP is intended for students pursuing research-focused Master’s and PhD degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Applicants must have completed no more than 12 months of graduate study throughout their entire graduate career, including both Masters and PhD programs. Applicants must be US citizens, US nationals, or permanent resident aliens, and must be proposing to carry out a research-focused Master’s or PhD program in an NSF supported field.

The application for the 2010 GRFP will open in August 2009 with a deadline in November 2009. Please visit www.nsfgrfp.org for more information.

Sarah Latshaw, a graduate student at the College of Charleston, received this year’s Graduate Research Fellowship. Latshaw’s field of study is Environmental Studies and is currently researching “Restoration of Maritime Habitats on the Barrier Island Using The Painted Bunting (Passerina Ciris) as a Flagship Species”.

Latshaw received her bachelor’s in Wildlife Biology from the Warnell School of Forest Resources at the University of Georgia and has a significant background in the areas of wildlife biology and environmental education. Latshaw is currently working under her advisor, Dr. Paul Nolan, on Kiawah Island. She continues to lead environmental tours, scheduling school trips to learn about the local wildlife, and maintain a nature program’s monthly newsletter.

Laura Beasman is a student at John Hopkin’s Institute for NanoBioTechnology. A recipient of both the IGERT grant and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Beasman is currently working in a lab whose research will hopefully lead to treatments and a cure for blood vessel disorders.

Beasman has also accepted an offer from the NSF International Research Experience for Students (IRES). She will work on a short term project in Belgium with one of the top research labs for nanoelectronics and nanotechnology.

“The ultimate goal is to direct the cells to become blood vessels,” Beasman says. Part of their initial success in this project was simply getting the HA, which is a large sugar molecule, to stay where she put it on the surface. Recently, Beasman has started working with adult stem cells. Her work is co-advised by Kathleen Stebe, John Hopkins research professor, INBT affiliate and IGERT program director.

For more information on Laura Beasman and her work at the John Hopkin’s Institute for NanoBioTechnology, please visit http://inbt.jhu.edu/igert-student-profile-laura-beasman/2009/04/22

On May 12, 2009 a major update to the Science and Engineering Fellowships Directory was completed. Award and stipend information for 2009 replaced the previous details, and defunct fellowships were removed from the listing. During the update, approximately nine new fellowships/internships were added, and five were removed.

The improved directory lists funding opportunities for those studying or working in the science, technology, mathematics, and engineering fields. It includes general fellowships, fellowships that are funded through an applicant’s university, funding available only to applicants meeting specified criteria (for example, some are open only to females), funding for conference attendance, internships, opportunities for those already working in their fields, and a section on funding for faculty members. There are currently 95 different funding opportunities listed in the directory.

The Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship aims to encourage women in computer science and other related fields to excel within their research as well as their community. The 2009 Scholars and Finalists were awarded all over the world including the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Northern Africa.

Scholars receive a $10,000 award for the following academic year and Finalists will received a $1,000 award. All Scholars and Finalists will be invited to attend Google’s Scholars Retreat at the Google Campus in Mountain View, CA.

In order to be eligible for the Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship, the following criteria must be met:

*Be a female student entering her senior year of undergraduate study or be enrolled in a graduate program in the 2009-2010 academic year at a university in the United States;

*Be enrolled in Computer Science or Computer Engineering program, or a closely related technical field as a full-time student for the 2009-2010 academic year;

*Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale or 4.5 on a 5.0 scale or equivalent in your current program.

Later this year, scholarships will be awarded to women in Australia and New Zealand as well.

For more information, please visit http://www.google.com/anitaborg/.

The University of Illinois at Chicago’s Department of Computer Science is offering interdisciplinary doctoral fellowships for those interested in computational transportation science (CTS). The National Science Foundation is funding this fellowship with an Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship grant (IGERT). “The grant provides two-year IGERT fellowships to 25-30 Ph.D. students over a five-year period, as well as supporting a new curriculum and internship training for students.”

Those pursuing a PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, Urban Planning & Policy, and Information & Decision Science are encouraged to apply. The application deadline for some disciplines is May 15, 2009 however the application will reopen again in Fall 2009.

For more information on the UIC Computational Transportation Science Program, please visit http://cts.cs.uic.edu/. You may also access the CTS IGERT application.

Department of Energy Issues Funding Opportunity Announcement to U.S. Universities for Nuclear Science and Engineering Fellowships and Scholarships

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today issued a new Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to provide approximately $2.4 million in university nuclear science and engineering fellowships and scholarships.

Over 100 scholarships and 10 fellowships are expected to be awarded to U.S. students through this FOA. Undergraduates will receive scholarships that average $5,000 per year. The maximum award for fellowships is anticipated to be $50,000 per year over three years.

“This Funding Opportunity Announcement demonstrates our commitment to increase the number of U.S. students entering the nuclear science and engineering fields,” said DOE’s acting Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Shane Johnson. “These scholarships and fellowships are critical in ensuring the education of a new generation of U.S. nuclear scientists and engineers.”