Record number of Auburn students and alumni awarded National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships

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Eight Auburn University students and alumni have been awarded National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, an Auburn record.

The National Science Foundation announced earlier this spring that four current Auburn University graduate students and four graduates have been selected for the prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. The fellowship provides three years of support at $30,000 annually and an additional $10,500 cost of education allowance. The purpose of the fellowship program is to help ensure the vitality and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce in the United States.

"We are especially happy to see the increase in the number of Auburn students being awarded this most prestigious fellowship," said Melissa Baumann, Auburn University assistant provost and director of the Honors College. "This award would not be possible without the support and mentoring of dedicated Auburn University faculty."

The following currently enrolled graduate students have been selected as 2015 NSF Graduate Research Fellows:

- Chloe Josefson is a doctoral student in biology in the College of Sciences and Mathematics. Her research advisor is Haruka Wada.

- Hannah Correia is pursuing a doctoral degree in biology and a master's degree in statistics, both in the College of Sciences and Mathematics. Her research advisors are F. Stephen Dobson and Ash Abebe.

- Johnathan Bolton is a doctoral student in aerospace engineering in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. His research advisor is Brian Thurow.

- Steven Boomhower is a doctoral student in cognitive and behavioral sciences in the College of Liberal Arts. His research advisor is M. Christopher Newland.

In addition, four Auburn undergraduate alumni were selected for the award:

- Erik Brush is a 2013 graduate in biological sciences in the College of Sciences and Mathematics and will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall. His research advisors were Nanette Chadwick and Kenneth Halanych.

- Ethan McCurdy is a 2014 graduate in biochemistry in the College of Sciences and Mathematics and will pursue graduate study at Columbia University. His research advisor was Douglas Goodwin.

- Amber Hubbard is a 2014 graduate in chemical engineering in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering and will pursue graduate study at North Carolina State University. Her research advisor was Virginia Davis.

- Brad Rogers is a 2003 graduate in mechanical engineering in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering and is pursuing graduate study at Indiana University. His research advisor was Sushil Bhavnani.

The National Science Foundation's Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions. For more information, go to www.nsfgrfp.org or contact either Paul Harris or Ken Thomas in the Honors College.

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