Six Eberly students offered graduate funding from National Science Foundation
Six Penn State Eberly College of Science students and alumni pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees have received fellowship offers from the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) for the 2022-23 academic year.
The NSF program supports outstanding graduate students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines; those in STEM education and learning research; and those in social and behavioral sciences, who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees.
Eberly students and alumni to receive fellowship offers this year include:
- Audrey Arner, class of 2020 bachelor of science in biological anthropology and biology
- Heidi Busse, doctoral student in chemistry
- Victor Ginsburg, class of 2020 bachelor of science in mathematics
- Jenna Kanyak, doctoral student in chemistry
- Kadi Runnels, doctoral student in physics
- Dante Serrano, doctoral student in biochemistry and molecular biology
Eberly students and alumni receiving honorable mentions this year include:
- Samuel Birrer, doctoral student in chemistry
- Victoria Boehm, class of 2022 bachelor of science in astronomy and astrophysics
- Elizabeth Boville, doctoral student in biology
- Thomas Nguyen, class of 2022 bachelor of science in astronomy and astrophysics
- Michael Zaidel, class of 2022 bachelor of science in astronomy and astrophysics
Several other Penn State students and alumni were offered the fellowship.
According to the NSF website, “as the oldest graduate fellowship of its kind, the GRFP has a long history of selecting recipients who achieve high levels of success in their future academic and professional careers.” The website states that fellows benefit from a three-year annual stipend of $34,000 along with a $12,000 cost of education allowance for tuition and fees (paid to the institution), 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.
The GRFP annual program solicitation was released in July and is available on the NSF website. Applications are accepted via Fastlane, the NSF's official online information and business transaction center. Application deadlines begin in late October and vary depending on the field of study.
NSF-supported fields of study include: chemistry, computer and information science and engineering, engineering, geosciences, life sciences, materials research, mathematical sciences, physics and astronomy, psychology, social sciences, and STEM education and learning research.
For additional information on the GRFP, contact the Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards Administration at gsfellowships@psu.edu.