This year the National Science Foundation (NSF) offered seven University of Texas at El Paso students and alumni the prestigious Graduate Research Fellowship – a record number of recipients for the University. More than 13,000 students across the nation applied to the program, while only 2,000 fellowships were awarded.
The NSF program supports outstanding students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions. Awardees receive a $34,000 annual stipend, plus $12,000 to the university the graduate is attending to pay for tuition and fees.
UTEP alumni recipients of the GRFP include Mayela Renata Aldaz Cervantes, who is currently attending the University of California, Santa Barbara; Veronica Escalante with the University of California, San Francisco; Sofia Lopez attending the University of Michigan; Jacob Richard Prat at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, and Brian Roman Zamarripa attending the University of Central Florida.
Awardees currently attending UTEP include Jacqueline Lechuga and Beu Primavera Oropeza.
In addition to the seven fellowship recipients, two current UTEP students, Oswaldo Raudel Avila and Patrick Brown, received Honorable Mentions from the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program. The designation also is considered a significant academic achievement.
“This program recognizes the best of the best in the nation when it comes to potential for achievement in science,” said John Wiebe, associate provost at UTEP. “We are incredibly proud of the UTEP students and alumni who have competed successfully for the award and those who earned honorable mention in the competition.”