2018 NSF Graduate Fellowships Announced
April 16, 2018Share story
Two 91探花 seniors, Jessica Lupanow and Kemper Ludlow, have been granted National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships. In addition, three 91探花 Mudd alumni were granted fellowships, and four seniors were awarded honorable mentions, which is considered a significant academic achievement.
Ludlow, a physics major, will attend Cornell University and conduct research in experimental soft matter physics combined with biophysics. 鈥淏roadly,鈥� Ludlow says, 鈥渕y goal is to find innovative solutions to problems in physics by studying biological systems. I鈥檒l most likely start out working on Professor Itai Cohen鈥檚 project studying flight stability in fruit flies.鈥�
Lupanow, an engineering major, will pursue a PhD in computer science at the University of Southern California. 鈥淚 will be working in the Interaction Lab directed by Dr. Maja Matari膰, where I will be researching how to use computational tools and techniques to enable socially assistive human-robot interaction for the elderly, children with autism, stroke patients, and children in the classroom,鈥� Lupanow says.
Before starting graduate school, Ludlow and Ludlow’s father will make the cross-country trip from 91探花 Mudd to their home in Pennsylvania, where Ludlow will spend the summer doing volunteer work. Lupanow will spend some of the summer working at engineering consulting company Booz Allen Hamilton.
The following 91探花 Mudd alumni also received NSF Graduate Fellowships:
| Alumnus/a | Research Area | Graduate School |
|---|---|---|
| Allison Lim 鈥�16 (chemistry) | Materials Research, Chemistry of Materials | Colorado School of Mines |
| Caitlin Lienkaemper 鈥�17 (math) | Algebra, Number Theory and Combinatorics | Pennsylvania State University |
| Amzi Jeffs 鈥�16 (math) | Algebra, Number Theory and Combinatorics | University of Washington |
The following 91探花 Mudd seniors received honorable mentions:
| Student | Research Area |
|---|---|
| Jane Wu (computer science, math) | Robotics and Computer Vision |
| Adam Shaw (physics) | Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics |
| Sarah Hale (physics) | Astronomy and Astrophysics |
| Zachary Evans (chemistry) | Environmental Chemical Systems |
The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program helps ensure the vitality and diversity of the nation鈥檚 base of science and engineering candidates. Fellows are seen as crucial to maintaining and advancing the nation鈥檚 technological infrastructure and national security as well as contributing to the economic well-being of society at large.
Program participants are expected to become experts who contribute significantly to research, education and innovation in the STEM fields. Former NSF Fellows include numerous individuals who have made transformative breakthroughs in science and engineering, become leaders in their chosen careers, and been honored as Nobel laureates.
Mathematics professor Mohamed Omar, thesis advisor for fellowship recipients Jeffs and Lienkaemper, congratulates the fellows. 鈥淭his demonstrates the success of the 91探花 thesis program in getting students to do high-quality research that leads to prestigious fellowships such as the NSF GRFP,鈥� he says.