By Meghan Chua
Twenty-seven students from the University of Wisconsin–Madison have been awarded a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
The NSF fellowship program selects high-potential scientists and engineers in the early stages of their careers, providing awardees with support for graduate research training in STEM fields. Of over 12,000 applicants from institutions across the U.S., 2,000 received awards.
Awardees from UW–Madison, including both undergraduate and graduate students, represent a variety of STEM specializations. Nineteen of the UW–Madison awardees are currently graduate students.
“The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship is a prestigious, highly competitive award that supports talented students in the early phase of their graduate career to become leaders in research and innovation. Being awarded this fellowship both recognizes students’ present achievements, and enables them to be more competitive for future funding and career opportunities,” said Graduate School Dean William Karpus.
Another 23 UW–Madison students were recognized with honorable mentions.
The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program provides awardees with three years of financial support, consisting of a $34,000 annual stipend and a $12,000 education allowance. UW–Madison contributes toward fringe benefits.
Fellows are also connected to opportunities for international research collaboration through the Graduate Research Opportunities Worldwide (GROW) initiative, and to professional career development through the federal Graduate Research Internship Program (GRIP).
The 2018 UW–Madison awardees are:
- Tesia Janicki, PhD student, Chemistry
- Edna Chiang, PhD student, Microbiology
- Juan Camilo Bohorquez, PhD student, Physics
- Benjamin Gastfriend, PhD student, Chemical Engineering
- Audrey Evans, PhD student, Electrical Engineering
- Michael Aristov, PhD student, Chemistry
- Mitchell Ledwith, PhD student, Cellular & Molecular Biology
- Stephanie Blaszczyk-Beasley, PhD student, Chemistry
- Curran Gahan, PhD student, Chemical Engineering
- Delia Scoville, PhD student, Biochemistry
- Kristin Brunk, MS student, Wildlife Ecology
- Bryan Lakey, PhD student, Genetics
- Nathan Murray, PhD student, Biochemistry
- Katherine Mueller, PhD student, Cellular & Molecular Biology
- Aidan McKenzie, PhD student, Biochemistry
- Natalie Duncombe, PhD student, Economics
- Camilo Machuca, PhD student, Astronomy
- Christopher McAllester, PhD student, Genetics
- Jhewelle Fitz-Henley, PhD student, Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Gabriela Negrete-Garcia, BS Degree, Chemistry
- Kiersten Haffey, undergraduate, Biomedical Engineering
- Emily Jewell, undergraduate, Engineering Mechanics
- Hunter Johnson, undergraduate, Biomedical Engineering
- Celeste Keith, General Course – BS Degree
- Taylor McKenna Marohl, undergraduate, Biomedical Engineering
- Lucas Oxtoby, BS Degree, Chemistry
- Elizabeth Rose Penn, undergraduate, Geological Engineering
Editor’s note: This article was updated June 6, 2018 at 1:31 p.m. to include Jhewelle Fitz-Henley, who was awarded a 2018 NSF GRFP award after initial publication, and update the total number of awardees from 26 to 27 and graduate student awardees from 18 to 19.