Patrick Miller among KU students, alumni honored by National Science Foundation

2013 Apr 19

Thirteen students and alumni from the University of Kansas have won National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships or honorable mentions for 2013-14. Among them:

Patrick Miller, of Hutchinson: McNair Scholar, University Honors, Research Experience Certification. He completed a bachelor's degree from KU in psychology. He won an NSF Fellowship.

These current and former Jayhawks will build upon their experiences doing undergraduate research at KU to pursue graduate degrees at prestigious universities across the country.

Regarded as one of the premier awards in the sciences, the fellowships provide a $30,000 stipend each year for three years of graduate study plus an allowance of $10,500 to the institution for educational expenses. Each year, the Fellowship program receives more than 13,000 applications and awards approximately 2,000 fellowships. An additional 1,800 students receive honorable mentions.

"When the committee reviews applications, one of the key factors is a high-quality undergraduate research experience," said Jennifer Gleason, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. She said the award is a great honor that "frees the student to concentrate on his or her research and participate in outreach to the public." Gleason, as an NSF-designated resource person, has served on the fellowship review panel and teaches a class for students interested in applying for the fellowship.

"All of the KU students who received the fellowship this year had a strong undergraduate research experience," said John Augusto, director of the Center for Undergraduate Research. "KU has a strong tradition of attracting students who complete undergraduate research, in large part because many faculty mentors are active in getting students involved with research, and there are a number of campus programs that support and guide students through a research experience."

NSF fellowships are intended for individuals in the early stages of graduate study. Fellows must be working on research-based master's or doctoral degrees in the mathematical, physical, biological, behavioral or social sciences; engineering; the history of science; the philosophy of science; or research-based doctoral degrees in science education. For this highly competitive award, applicants must submit research proposals, which are reviewed by expert scientists in their field. NSF fellowship recipients, as well as honorable mentions, represent the best among young scientists in the United States.