Record Number of Doctoral Student Fellowships Announced by Graduate School

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Doctoral student Katherine Knierim collects water samples from Blowing Springs Cave in Bella

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A record 243 graduate students are receiving either a distinguished doctoral fellowship or a doctoral academy fellowship this fall, the Graduate School and International Education reports. Doctoral fellows are also competitive in winning external funding: Two have fellowships from the Department of Defense, three have National Science Foundation fellowships, and one has a National Institutes of Health fellowship.

For instance, Katherine Knierim, a doctoral student in environmental dynamics and previous recipient of a distinguished doctoral fellowship, was recently awarded a Science To Achieve Results doctoral fellowship from the United States Environmental Protection Agency to continue her doctoral study of water quality. Knierim learned last Friday that she has been awarded the EPA national fellowship to complete her doctoral research. The grant will provide $37,000 per year to Knierim for tuition, stipend and expenses.

“I feel so honored to have received this fellowship. It will allow me to focus on my research and help me pay some research expenses, which will help me immensely,” Knierim said. The fellowship is for three years of study and research.

Steve Boss, director of the interdisciplinary doctoral program in environmental dynamics, said, “STAR fellowships are among the most prestigious doctoral fellowships, awarded via a national competition. Kathy is the second (environmental dynamics) student to win this award, and we are very proud of Kathy's achievements. We look forward to her future success in the academy.”

Robust graduate student research contributed directly to the university’s rise to the “very high research  category in the Carnegie Foundation’s classifications — a status awarded to only 108 universities in the United States. Graduate students are an integral part of the research that faculty undertake on our campus.

Sharon Gaber, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, said, “We’re very pleased when our doctoral students are recognized with national grants and fellowships. The results of these students’ efforts in working alongside our expert faculty show up in our research production. Our graduate students are central to the mission of the university.”

The number of fellows has steadily increased since the first awards were made in 2003.