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23 Vanderbilt students win prestigious NSF fellowships

The National Science Foundation recently selected 18 Vanderbilt graduate students and five undergraduate students to receive Graduate Research Fellowships. Additionally, one undergraduate and 15 graduate students received honorable mentions.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowships provide recipients a three-year annual stipend of $34,000 along with a $12,000 cost-of-education allowance for tuition and fees, opportunities for international research and professional development, and the freedom to conduct their own research at any accredited U.S. institution of graduate education.

portrait of Vanderbilt Graduate School Dean Mark Wallace
Graduate School Dean Mark Wallace (Vanderbilt University)

“It is very exciting to welcome our newest NSF fellows, who join an accomplished cohort of current fellows,” said Mark T. Wallace, dean of the Graduate School and Louise B. McGavock Endowed Chair. “Vanderbilt has benefited greatly over the years from the support that the National Science Foundation provides in these awards, which reflects their view of our institution as a premier environment for graduate training. The recipients of these prestigious fellowships represent NSF’s strong investment in the future of American science and engineering—a future that will be deeply shaped by the training these fellows receive on our campus.”

The following graduate students received Graduate Research Fellowships:

  • Lee S. Cantrell, Chemical and Physical Biology
  • Jenna A. Dombroski, Biomedical Engineering
  • George L. Gunter, Civil Engineering
  • Darren R. Heintzman, Biochemistry
  • Jason J. Hughes, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
  • Beau P. Johnson, Mechanical Engineering
  • Joanne Lee, Biomedical Engineering
  • Niharika Loomba, Neuroscience
  • Lindsay E. Martin, Biological Sciences
  • Lucinda E. Pastora, Chemical Engineering
  • Ivette Perez, Biochemistry
  • Raunak M. Pillai, Psychology
  • Molly K. Richard, Community Research and Action
  • Morgan J. Ringell, Biomedical Engineering
  • Taylor L. Sheehy, Biomedical Engineering
  • Paul R. Slaughter, Mechanical Engineering
  • Rachel Teater, Mechanical Engineering
  • David M. Ziemnicki, Mechanical Engineering

The following undergraduate students received Graduate Research Fellowships:

  • Abby Ayers, Biomedical Engineering
  • Liam J. Kelly, Computer Science, Earth and Environmental Sciences
  • Hannah R. Knight, Chemical Engineering
  • Luke D. Neise, Mechanical Engineering
  • Faith Rovenolt, Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology

Vanderbilt graduate students receiving honorable mentions from the NSF are:

  • Wendy E. Bindeman, Cancer Biology
  • Neil C. Chada, Biomedical Engineering
  • Brad A. Davidson, Cancer Biology
  • Lindsey N. Guerin, Biochemistry
  • Kayla Hess, Chemistry
  • Nicole K. Moehring, Interdisciplinary Materials Sciences
  • Alyssa K. Nelson, Chemical Engineering
  • Michelle K. Piazza, Neuroscience
  • Gabriella Robertson, Cell and Developmental Biology
  • Dominick Ropella, Mechanical Engineering
  • Marissa Roth, Psychology
  • Kayva Sharman, Chemical and Physical Biology
  • Reyhaneh Tirgar, Biological Sciences
  • Sabrina Van Ravenstein, Biochemistry
  • Sarah G. Williams, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Undergraduate student Emma R. Hart, studying Developmental Psychology, also received an honorable mention.