Research

Eight Penn State graduates to pursue advanced degrees with NSF grant

University Park, Pa. – Eight students who recently earned undergraduate degrees at Penn State have been named National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) recipients for the 2016-17 academic year.

These students will join graduate degree programs at universities across the U.S., and at Penn State, to pursue advanced degrees in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, as well as in STEM education and learning research, and research-based social and behavioral sciences disciplines.

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program is the oldest graduate fellowship of its kind, beginning in 1951, and works to ensure that the U.S. maintains a strong human resource base in the sciences and engineering.

The 2016-17 fellows who earned undergraduate degrees from Penn State are:

  • Luke Brezovec, cell biology
  • Claire Cleveland, paleontology and paleobiology
  • Stephanie Crilly, neurosciences
  • Daniel Gamarnik, political science
  • Alison Hake, mechanical engineering
  • Elisabeth Paulson, applied mathematics
  • Melissa Quinnan, particle physics
  • Angela Wagner, chemical engineering

Each will receive “a three-year annual stipend of $34,000 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,” according to the NSF website.

Tanya Furman, associate vice president and associate dean for Undergraduate Education and interim director, University Fellowships Office, encourages current undergraduate students who are passionate about research to apply. “An NSF Graduate Research Fellowship is a tremendous accomplishment for any young researcher. I hope that seeing the success of peers will encourage more students to apply – the process of working closely with your academic mentor at this early stage is professionally and personally rewarding, whether or not one ultimately earns the fellowship,” said Furman.

The University Fellowships Office supports students interested in the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program and other national and international fellowships and grants. To learn more, visit the University Fellowships Office website.

The University Fellowships Office is part of Penn State Undergraduate Education, the academic administrative unit that provides leadership and coordination for University-wide programs and initiatives in support of undergraduate teaching and learning at Penn State. Learn more about Undergraduate Education at undergrad.psu.edu.

Last Updated October 12, 2016