11 physical sciences students earn NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

Nine students from the Department of Chemistry and two from the Department of Earth System Science have earned 2015 Graduate Research Fellowships from the National Science Foundation. An equal number received honorable mentions. This competitive fellowship acknowledges graduate students who have demonstrated potential for significant achievements in STEM research. Fellows are awarded a three-year annual stipend of $32,000, a $12,000 cost-of-education allowance for tuition and fees, and opportunities for international research and professional development. “We are delighted to have such high achievers named NSF Graduate Research Fellows. Our scholars stood out from the more than 16,000 applicants,” said Kenneth C. Janda, dean and professor of physical sciences. “This is a tremendous accomplishment and speaks volumes about the outstanding students who have chosen to study at UCI’s School of Physical Sciences.” Across campus, a total of 34 students received fellowships. Those from physical sciences are:

Awardees:
Warith Abdullah, ESS
Bianca Ceballos, chemistry
Faben Cruz, chemistry
Sean Feng, chemistry
Nicole Godfrey, chemistry
Alexander Karns, chemistry
Kurtis Malecha, chemistry
Kelsey Miller, chemistry
Alana Ogata, chemistry
Andrew Schaub, chemistry
Dawn Woodard, ESS

Honorable mentions:
Bela Abolfathi, physics & astronomy
Matthew Agee, chemistry
Matthew Bovyn, MCB: physics
Danielle Draper, chemistry
Han Wai Millie Fung, chemistry
Samantha Goetz, chemistry
Kara Kapnas, chemistry
Anna LoPresti, ESS
Erika Lucas, chemistry
Joel Mallory, chemistry
Roy Row, chemistry