The National Science Foundation has named 10 Vanderbilt engineering graduate researchers as recipients of Graduate Research Fellowships. The program is aimed at aiding individuals who have demonstrated notable potential early in their research career. An additional goal is increasing the diversity of the science and engineering workforce.
“Increasing diversity in science ensures the full inclusion of equally qualified individuals across the social spectrum,” said grant recipient and environmental engineer Kofi Christie. “Joining these different perspectives can lead to more creative solutions to today’s most pressing concerns.”
Christie’s research, under the supervision of Shihong Lin, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, looks at the water-energy-environment nexus and currently focuses on an electromagnetic method for ion-removal, one that could potentially be used to desalinate water.
The fellowship provides three years of support within a five-year fellowship period. With a $34,000 annual stipend and $12,000 cost-of-education allowance, the fellowship supports 2,000 graduate students in science and engineering nationwide.
“Having this fellowship is a distinguished honor and confirms financial support throughout my graduate career, allowing me to conduct my research in directions I find interesting or most promising,” explained Taylor Kavanaugh, a biomedical engineer researching drug delivery systems for post-injury osteoarthritis.
The fellowship confers other benefits beyond financial. Cyberinfrastructure may be made available to fellows, and the fellowship creates connections with other past and present fellows, many of whom have made transformative breakthroughs in science and engineering.
“It provides a great network of resources both during your graduate career and afterwards, which I foresee being a great resource for career opportunities,” Kavanaugh said.
Overall, 16 Vanderbilt students are recipients of Graduate Research Fellowships.
One engineering undergraduate, biomedical engineering student Katelyn Flint, who also received an NSF graduate fellowship will be pursuing her graduate studies elsewhere.
The nine engineering graduate student recipients are:
Bailey, Danielle Marie
Materials Research – Biophysics
Christie, Kofi Shomari Shakir
Engineering – Environmental
Cohn, Adam Paul
Engineering – Mechanical
Cook, Andrew
Engineering – Biomedical
Hester, Tiffany Marie
Engineering – Biomedical
Kavanaugh, Taylor Elizabeth
Engineering – Biomedical
Reinemann, Dana Nicole
Engineering – Chemical Engineering
Sandberg, Anna Elisabeth
Materials Research – Physics of materials
Share, Keith
Engineering – Materials
Young, Eric Michael
Engineering – Mechanical
Contact:
Brenda Ellis, (615) 343-6314
Brenda.Ellis@Vanderbilt.edu
Twitter @VUEngineering