College of Science graduate students selected for prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
Since 1952, the NSF has funded over 60,000 Graduate Research Fellowships out of more than 500,000 applicants.
The University of Arizona had eight students selected for the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP), including five awardees from the College of Science.
The College of Science also had two students selected as Honorable Mentions.
The NSF GRFP is the country’s oldest fellowship program that directly supports graduate students in various STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions. The five-year fellowship provides three years of financial support inclusive of an annual stipend of $37,000.
Note: This list comprises of current UArizona students only. We look forward to welcoming additional NSF GRFP awardees in the fall!
The five graduate students in the College of Science awarded the NSF GRFP are:
- Brianna Billingsley – College of Science, Physics and Astronomy
- Nicolas Deshler – College of Science, Physics and Astronomy
- Savannah Fuqua – College of Science, Ecology
- Eric Lu – College of Science, Molecular & Cellular Biology
- Sheila Whitman – College of Science, Applied Mathematics
The two College of Science graduate students to receive Honorable Mention are:
- Liam O'Connor – College of Science, Geochemistry
- Megan Nickerson – College of Science, Environmental Biology
According to the NSF GRFP website, NSF Fellows are anticipated to become knowledge experts who can contribute significantly to research, teaching, and innovations in science and engineering. These individuals are crucial to maintaining and advancing the nation’s technological infrastructure and national security as well as contributing to the economic well-being of society at large.
Since 1952, the NSF has funded over 60,000 Graduate Research Fellowships out of more than 500,000 applicants. Currently, 42 Fellows have gone on to become Nobel laureates, and more than 450 have become members of the National Academy of Sciences. In addition, the Graduate Research Fellowship Program has a high rate of doctorate degree completion, with more than 70 percent of students completing their doctorates within 11 years.
The College of Science congratulates all of this year's NSF GRFP recipients!