The National Science Foundation recently announced the winners of the 2016 Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), with 24 current Notre Dame students winning the prestigious award and another 17 earning honorable mention. Overall, there were 41 students recognized by the NSF. This doubles the number of Notre Dame awardees from 2015, and nearly doubles the previous Notre Dame record of 26, set last year, for total students recognized by the NSF.
The NSF-GRFP recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and social science disciplines who are pursuing research-based degrees. The award provides a stipend, tuition support, and research funds for three years.
Students create a personal statement and research plan for the fellowship program in conjunction with their advisor and the Office of Grants & Fellowships in the Graduate School. The rise in awards won by Notre Dame students corresponds to the continuing efforts by the Graduate School to provide both one-on-one consultations and group support for students throughout the external funding process, including finding opportunities, writing and revising proposals, and submitting formal applications.
As part of this increased effort, Mike Westrate and his team in the Office of Grants & Fellowships conduct a GRFP summer support program, a fall GRFP workshop series, and an intensive application writing “boot camp” each fall break. One hundred percent of this year’s graduate-level winners participated in at least one of these specialized events last year.
Graduate students interested in applying for external awards, including the GRFP, should contact the Office of Grants & Fellowships at: gradgrants@nd.edu. Interested undergraduates should contact the Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement at: cuse@nd.edu. Regardless of level, all Notre Dame students are welcome to attend our summer and fall support series. Email the Office of Grants & Fellowships for more information.
The 24 awardees are:
(College of Science students appear in bold.)
• Mallika Sarma, Anthropology
• Kristina Hook, Peace Studies and Anthropology
• Ian Campbell, Psychology
• Jeremy Graham, Political Science
• Juan Valdez, Political Science
• Christopher Maurice, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
• Jessica Schiltz, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
• Hythem Sidky, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
• Jermaine Marshall, Computer Science Engineering
• Brandon Richard Webster, Computer Science Engineering
• Angelique Taylor, Computer Science Engineering
• Thomas Zirkle, Electrical Engineering
• Kelsey DiPietro, Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics
• Bridgette Drummond, Biological Sciences
• Francisco Fields, Biological Sciences
• Heather Forrest, Biological Sciences
• Michael Perlman, Mathematics
• Erica Gonzales, Physics
• Kenzell Huggins, undergraduate, Anthropology
• Melanie Wallskog, undergraduate, Economics
• Brian Keene, undergraduate, Chemical Engineering
• Joseph Norby, undergraduate, Mechanical Engineering
• Ellen Norby, undergraduate, Biochemistry
• Toby Turney, undergraduate, Biochemistry
The 17 Honorable Mentions are:
• Nicholas Ames, Anthropology
• Isis Persephone Dshaun, Anthropology
• Mark Brockway, Political Science
• Andrea Pena-Vasquez, Political Science
• Kaitlin Fondren, Psychology
• Paige Ambord, Sociology
• Michael Hunckler, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
• Robert Devine, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences
• Andrew Schranck, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences
• Margaret Regan, Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics
• Salvatore Curasi, Biological Sciences
• Martha Dee, Biological Sciences
• Rachel Oidtman, Biological Sciences
• Suzanne Neidhart, Chemistry
• James Quigley, Mathematics
• David Suter, undergraduate, Mechanical Engineering
• Zoe Volenec, undergraduate, Biology