The National Science Foundation recently announced the winners of the 2013 Graduate Research Fellowship Program, with nine current Notre Dame students winning the prestigious award and another nine earning honorable mention. This year’s nine winners equal the total number of winners from Notre Dame over the last seven years combined.
The NSF GRFP recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based degrees. The award provides a stipend, tuition support, and research funds for three years.
Students create a research plan for the fellowship program in conjunction with their adviser. The rise in awards won by Notre Dame students corresponds to an increased effort from the Graduate School to both provide one-on-one consultations and group support for students throughout the external funding process, including finding opportunities, writing and revising proposals, and submitting formal applications.
As part of this increased effort, Gretchen Busl, Associate Program Director for Grants and Fellowships, has conducted a summer support program, a fall workshop series and an intensive fellowship “boot camp” each fall and spring break. Among this year’s nine winners, five participated in the summer session, with two of those also taking part in the fall boot camp, and two others working through the fall workshop series.
The nine winners are:
| Jennifer Arceo | Chemistry & Biochemistry (Analytical Chemistry) |
| Caroline Byrd | Psychology (Developmental) |
| Eric DeLeon | Biological Sciences (Physiology) |
| Patrick Miller | Psychology (Quantitative) |
| Enmanuelle Pardilla-Delgado | Psychology (Cognitive) |
| Rachel Schluttenhofer | Biological Sciences (Microbiology) |
| Shayna Sura | Biological Sciences (Ecology) |
| Victoria Tomiczek | Engineering (Civil Engineering) |
| Carmella Vizza | Biological Sciences (Ecology) |
Read more about the research being conducted by the nine winners.
Earning Honorable Mention were:
| Michael Gonzales | Computer Science & Engineering (Human Computer Interaction) |
| Elizabeth Loughran | Biological Sciences (Developmental Biology) |
| Kevin McDermott | Physics (Particle Physics) |
| Luan Nguyen | Chemistry & Biochemistry (Chemical Catalysis) |
| Travis Olds | Chemistry & Biochemistry (Environmental Chemical Systems) |
| Amy Remer | Biological Sciences (Evolutionary Biology) |
| Nicole Sunday | Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences (Hyrdology) |
| Cheyenne Tait | Biological Sciences (Evolutionary Biology) |
| MacKenzie Warren | Physics (Astronomy & Astrophysics) |