Academics

Penn State hosts new National Science Foundation graduate researchers

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State is hosting 22 new National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) recipients for the 2014-15 academic year. The students join 57 prior recipients continuing in the University’s graduate degree programs in the Eberly College of Science and the colleges of Agricultural Sciences, Earth and Mineral Sciences, Engineering, Health and Human Development, Information Sciences and Technology, and the Liberal Arts, as well as the Intercollege Graduate Degree Programs.

The NSF program supports outstanding graduate students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, and those in STEM education and learning research, who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees.

The 2014-15 class of new fellows at the University are Natasha Batalha, astronomy and astrophysics; Alexandra Busuito, psychology; Zena Cardman, geosciences; Andrea Chan, ecology; Allison Doub, human development and family studies; Rebecca Edwards, environmental engineering; Elizabeth Eikey, information sciences and technology; Margaret Fields, psychology; Jonathan Gallegos, psychology; Natalie Garcia, psychology; Alyssa Henning, agricultural and biological engineering; Nell Hoagland, geosciences; Andrew Kreider, environmental engineering; Matthew Krott, mechanical engineering; John Leeman, geosciences; Allison Machnicki, anthropology; Ryan Martinie, chemistry; Christian Navarro-Tores, psychology; Michael Pasek, psychology; Lauren Quevillon, biology; Laurie Tumaneng, political science; and Lyanne Valdez, chemistry.According to the NSF website, the GRFP is “the oldest graduate fellowship program of its kind with a history of selecting recipients who achieve high levels of success in their future academic and professional careers,” and that “fellows benefit from a three-year annual stipend of $32,000 along with a $12,000 cost of education allowance for tuition and fees, opportunities for international research and professional development, and the freedom to conduct their own research at any accredited U.S. institution of graduate education they choose.”The GRFP annual program solicitation was released in August and is available on the NSF website. Applications are accepted via Fastlane, the NSF's official online information and business transaction center. Application deadlines begin in late October and vary depending on the field of study. NSF-supported fields of study include: chemistry, computer and information science and engineering, engineering, geosciences, life sciences, materials research, mathematical sciences, physics and astronomy, psychology, social sciences and STEM education and learning research.For additional information on the GRFP, contact Barbara Struble, director of the Graduate School’s Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards Administration, at bqs3@psu.edu or 814-865-2514.

Credit: National Science FoundationAll Rights Reserved.

Last Updated September 2, 2014