91制片厂

Five 91制片厂 students have been honored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) 鈥� two with graduate research fellowships and three with honorable mentions.

The NSF (GRFP) recognizes outstanding students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and supports their pursuit of research-based graduate degrees.

Mariah Arral 鈥�18 and graduate student Richard 鈥淩J鈥� Knecht were each awarded GRFP fellowships. , a master鈥檚 student in the , Avery听Normandin 鈥�15, who is studying microbial biology at MIT, and Tessa听Artruc 鈥�18, who received her degree in in May, received honorable mentions.

鈥淭he GRFP is one of听听the most prestigious awards for graduate-level study in the STEM and social science fields,鈥� says Jeanne Sokolowski, director of 91制片厂鈥檚 Office of National Fellowships. The fellowships include approximately $34,000 per year for up to three years and tuition payment to approved universities, and 91制片厂 applicants are supported by the Office of National Fellowships, Office of Research Development and 91制片厂 Graduate School.

Mariah Lynn Arral 鈥�18, who received her bachelor鈥檚 in in May and will begin her graduate program at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in the fall, is no stranger to research.

鈥淚 started doing听research听my听freshman听year with 听in what is now the SEEDS Lab 鈥� Surface Enhanced Electrochemical Diagnostic Sensors Laboratory,鈥� she says, explaining she worked on the electrochemical detection of听NG-Hydroxy-L-arginine听or NOHA, which has been found to cause cell death in听certain breast cancer cells. 鈥淒uring my听tenure in the SEEDS Lab, I have helped order and set up equipment for the lab, trained undergraduate and graduate students and led my own听research project. The mentorship that I听experienced with Dr. Halpern has been one of the most听fundamental听and influential听experiences of my听academic听career.鈥�

The NSF GRFP is helping Arral continue on her chosen path of becoming a university professor.

鈥淕etting this fellowship has allowed me to choose听my own faculty advisor and get a kickstart on my academic career under a mentor who supports me,鈥� Arral says, explaining that her graduate school mentor at CMU recognized "my dedication to听becoming a professor and听laid out a general five-year plan that aligned with what I wanted my graduate听career to be like."

At 91制片厂, Arral was a member of the executive board of the and worked as a tutor at .

Richard 鈥淩J鈥� Knecht is a .听

鈥淢y research focuses on the 鈥榩aradox of the plankton,鈥� the听question of听how plankton species competing for听the same resources and occupying the same听niche can coexist for extended periods of time,鈥� Knecht explains. 鈥淢ore specifically, my study examines the dynamics of the听keystone zooplankton genus,听Daphnia, within Aziscohos Lake in Oxford County, Maine, a lake which has been听noted for its unusual abundance of听cladocerans, the order containing听Daphnia.鈥�

Knecht is looking forward to the opportunities the NSF GRFP opens up for him.

鈥淲inning the fellowship provides me some autonomy in choosing a dissertation topic and creates a financial safety net that allows me to stay focused on my research.听The fellowship also gives me unique opportunities and the possibility of additional resources only available to fellows,鈥� he says, adding,听鈥淚 am honored to have won this award and intend to make the most of it!鈥�

Interested in the NSF GRFP? 91制片厂's Office of National Fellowships has the details on this and other opportunities.