Record Number of UA Students Receive National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -Five University of Arkansas students - a record number - received 2004 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Fellowships, while six others received recognition as honorable mentions. The five 2004 NSF Graduate Fellows are Michael Berumen, Robin Prince, Matthew Whitley, Peter Njuguna and Lara Douglas.

The six UA students earning honorable mention are recent graduates Matt Doyle in computer science from Fayetteville, Ark.; Diana Dunn, a Sturgis Fellow in mathematics from Douglasville, Ga.; Matt Lohse, a Sturgis Fellow in biochemistry from Ft. Smith, Ark.; Brian Sawyer, a Chancellor's Scholar in mathematics and physics from Pine Bluff, Ark.; Eric Skaug, a Sturgis Fellow in computer science from Jonesboro, Ark.; and Amber Straughn, a Chancellor's Scholar in physics from Bee Branch, Ark.

"It has been another great year for University of Arkansas students," said UA Chancellor John A. White. "Everyone associated with the university can take pride in the accomplishments of the five NSF Graduate Fellows and six NSF Graduate Fellow Honorable Mentions. The success of our students in national and international competitions is tangible evidence of the extraordinary quality of the students and the strength of the academic preparation they receive. Such success requires not only gifted students, but also talented and dedicated faculty and staff committed to helping our students succeed."

Michael Berumen, a former Sturgis Fellow in zoology from Ft. Smith, Ark., will use his NSF Graduate Fellowship to complete a Ph.D. in marine biology at James Cook University in Australia. Robin Prince, a recent Chancellor's Scholar in mechanical engineering from Farmington, Ark., will use her funding to study biological engineering at MIT. Matthew Whitley, a Chancellor's Scholar in biochemistry and German from Little Rock, Ark., will pursue a Ph.D. in biophysics at the University of Michigan.

Two of the NSF Graduate Fellows will use their fellowship to pursue Ph.D. programs at the University of Arkansas. Peter Njuguna, a graduate from Moi University in Kenya, will complete a Ph.D. program in environmental dynamics. His faculty supervisor is Professor Kim Smith in biology. Lara Douglas, from Cornell University, will study with Professor Steven Beaupre in ecology.

"I met Michael when he was in high school," White said. "What singled him out was his incredible curiosity, his sense of direction and his unlimited willingness to engage.This award comes as no surprise. Matt majored in German as well as chemistry, studying abroad in Austria. He has presented a variety of papers already and clearly has a will to achieve.

"Robin, in addition to her academic qualifications, possesses a remarkable community service record," White added. "She energized the Women in Engineering program and worked in local schools to increase participation in science among young women. Lara Douglas and Peter Njuguna are using their NSF fellowships to pursue graduate degrees on our campus, and we know they will be stellar additions to the programs they join."

The graduate fellowship program is one of NSF's oldest and most highly competitive, offering support for graduate study in all scientific disciplines. NSF graduate fellows are promising young scholars who are expected to pursue lifelong careers marked by significant contributions to research, teaching and industrial applications in science, mathematics and engineering.

College of Engineering Dean Ashok Saxena said: "The University of Arkansas has long been one of an elite group of schools consistently winning Barry Goldwater Scholarships for outstanding undergraduate performance in math, science and engineering, and now we are quickly building an impressive record with the National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships. Our students make it seem easy, but we know that it is a very tough competition."

Awards made in March 2004 carry a stipend for each fellow of $27,500 for a 12-month tenure. In addition to the funds for stipend payments, the NSF provides the fellowship institution, on behalf of each fellow, a cost-of-education allowance of $10,500 per tenure year.

The new fellowships are for maximum tenure periods of three years, usable over a five-year period. Recipients may begin fellowship tenure in the summer or fall term, and tenure must be completed before the beginning of the 2008 fall term. For more information on NSF awards or the National Science Foundation, log onto their Web site at http://www.nsf.gov/.

"I have served on NSF selection panels and know how competitive this process is," Donald Bobbitt, dean of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, said. "What our students are doing is nothing short of amazing."

The University's NSF Graduate Fellowship history includes: Ashlea Rae Bennett, industrial engineering, 2003; David Norris, physics, 2003; Christy White, chemical engineering, 2003; Matt Covington, physics, 2002; Amber Lehrman, industrial engineering, 2002; Laney Philpott, chemical engineering, 2002; Whitney Townsend, graduate studies, 2002; Elizabeth Dunn, biochemistry, 2001; Laura Fields, physics, 2001; Timothy Ferguson, mechanical engineering, 2000; Lori Galloway, psychology, 1998; and David Tabb, microbiology, 1996.

The news of the NSF Graduate Fellowships follows seven UA students receiving Fulbright Scholarships to study abroad in Germany, France and Costa Rica - making 2004 a record year for these post-graduate awards.