The National Science Foundation recently recognized more than 20 Colorado State University students through its Graduate Research Fellowship Program, one of the country’s top STEM fellowship programs.
Seven CSU students and one alumnus were awarded fellowships through the prestigious program. The five-year fellowship includes three years of financial support, including an annual stipend of $37,000 and a cost-of-education allowance of $12,000 to the institution. Since 2016, the NSF has awarded 59 Graduate Research Fellowships to CSU students.
Additionally, 12 students and three alumni received NSF Graduate Research Honorable Mentions. The 72-year-old program is designed to help ensure the quality, vitality and diversity in the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States. The CSU Graduate School, the Office for Scholarship and Fellowship Advising and the Office for Undergraduate Research and Artistry played a key role in the process.
“I am so proud of all our students who applied for this prestigious award. The number of CSU graduate students receiving this award is testament to the strong contribution of graduate students to excellence in the university research enterprise,” said Colleen Webb, vice provost for graduate affairs and dean.
NSF Graduate Research Fellows
Justin Ellis is a biochemistry and molecular biology student in the College of Natural Sciences. His research interests focus on molecular biology and biochemistry and understanding how the smallest building blocks of life influence macroscopic observations and create complexity and diversity in nature. He plans on pursuing a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology at CSU.
Amanda Gin is a chemistry student in the College of Natural Sciences. Her research interests center on inorganic materials, with a focus on sustainability and energy applications. Following graduation, she will pursue a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Emily Gross is studying human dimensions of natural resources at the Warner College of Natural Resources. Her research is based at the intersection of conservation and recreation. She is currently working on a social marketing campaign with Climbers for Bat Conservation to boost engagement with the organization and gain insights into rock climbers’ environmental attitudes. She plans on continuing her journey with the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Department as a Ph.D. student at CSU this fall.
T.R. Heydman is studying forestry at the Warner College of Natural Resources. His research focuses on finding more effective ways to represent Indigenous worldviews in natural resource policies and practices. He also is working to leverage contemporary instrumentation and geospatial approaches in a way that is more representative of the priorities of Native Nations and engaging for Native students. He plans to become a research professor, creating educational materials and applied field methodologies for Indigenous students and career professionals.
Laura Lukens is part of the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology at CSU. Her research focuses on understanding how anthropogenic change influences insect populations and species interactions, with a special interest in endangered species conservation. Following graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in applied ecology research after graduate school at CSU, either at a nongovernmental organization, government agency or academic institution.
Alberto Ochoa Castillo is a chemistry Ph.D. student at CSU. His research focuses on the fundamentals of plant cryopreservation, an increasingly favorable method to preserve agriculturally important crops and plants threatened by climate change. He uses state-of-the-art microscopy methods to explore cryoprotectant molecules in plant tissue, and to determine subcellular anatomy in live plant tissue. After graduating, he aims to teach chemistry at a primarily undergraduate institution, focusing on increasing first-generation and Hispanic student participation in research.
Henry R. Scott, a CSU graduate, also received a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation.
NSF Graduate Research Honorable Mentions
Twelve CSU students and three alumni received Honorable Mentions from the National Science Foundation. This significant national academic achievement provides access to XSEDE, a cyber portal that scientists can use to interactively share computing resources, data and expertise.
- Addison Bralick, College of Natural Sciences.
- Sabrina Gobran, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
- Steven Graham, College of Natural Sciences.
- Makenna Juergens, College of Natural Sciences.
- Sophie Maksymkiw, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology.
- Noelle Mason, Warner College of Natural Resources (alum).
- Gavin McEwen, College of Natural Sciences.
- Raegan Paul, College of Agricultural Sciences.
- Samuel Wilder Pierce, Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering (alum).
- Claire Pince, College of Natural Sciences.
- Spencer Rhea, Warner College of Natural Resources (alum).
- Julianne Robinson, Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering.
- Katherine Stevick, College of Liberal Arts.
- Daniel Tedeschi, College of Natural Sciences.
- Jacob VanArsdale, College of Natural Sciences.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
As the oldest graduate fellowship of its kind, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program was developed to promote diversity in science and engineering in the United States. Since 1952, the NSF has funded more than 50,000 Graduate Research Fellowships, with 42 fellows going on to become Nobel laureates and more than 450 becoming members of the National Academy of Sciences.
Students interested in applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program should contact Mary Swanson, program director of the Office for Scholarship and Fellowship Advising, at mary.swanson@colostate.edu.
