UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Fourteen graduate students from Penn State have been awarded research fellowships and nine undergraduate students from around the commonwealth have been awarded scholarships from the Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium (PSGC).
For 35 years, the Pennsylvania Space Grant College and Fellowship Program has been working to expand opportunities in Pennsylvania for citizens to learn about and participate in NASA programs by supporting STEM education, training, research, and public understanding while promoting multi-faceted diversity among project participants. The program is one of 52 NASA Space Grant programs across the country that are part of the NASA-run initiative to support educational initiatives in the STEM fields — science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Each year PSGC receives funds from the national NASA Space Grant Project to develop and implement student fellowships and scholarships programs. Through this funding PSGC administers the Graduate Fellowship Program and Undergraduate Scholarship Program.
Graduate fellowships
Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium Graduate Research Fellowships annually provides a one-year fellowship of $5,000 to outstanding Penn State students pursuing graduate study leading to masters or doctoral degrees in STEM fields that promote the understanding, assessment and utilization of space and contribute to NASA's Mission Directorates. In keeping with the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program goals, scholars agree to participate in mentoring or educational outreach activities for a minimum of 10 hours per semester.
The following Penn State students are the 2023 graduate fellowship recipients:
College of Agricultural Sciences
- Xiaoling Chen, pathobiology
College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
- Danielle Buchheister, geosciences
- Nancy Huang, materials science and engineering
- Olivia Spencer, geography
- Miranda Sturtz, geosciences
Eberly College of Science
- Kallan Berglund, physics
- Clancy McIntyre, biology
- Mary Ogborn, astronomy and astrophysics
- Michael Palumbo, astronomy and astrophysics
College of Engineering
- Jennifer Colborn, mechanical engineering
- Emma Jaques, aerospace engineering
- Victoria Vasquez, electrical engineering
College of Health and Human Development
- Katie Bernhard, dual-title degree in transdisciplinary research on environment and society, and recreation, park and tourism management
College of the Liberal Arts
- Patrick Druggan, anthropology
Undergraduate scholarships
The Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium Undergraduate Scholarship annually provides a $4000 award to full-time undergraduates attending an accredited Pennsylvania college or university for one academic year. The PSGC Undergraduate Scholarship is awarded to students with outstanding academic records who will be juniors or seniors in the fall semester. Students must be U.S. citizens, enrolled in science, engineering, or mathematics and likely to pursue a career in an area of interest to NASA with demonstrated potential for graduate study. In keeping with the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program goals, scholars agree to participate in mentoring or educational outreach activities for a minimum of 10 hours per semester.
Penn State students who received 2023 undergraduate scholarships are:
- Bellah Barriga, biochemistry and molecular biology major
- Nathaniel Carey, biotechnology major
- Anna Tartaglia, physics and astronomy and astrophysics double major
In addition, the following students also received 2023 undergraduate scholarships:
- Marc Bonnet, engineering science major at Lincoln University
- Kristen Fulford, biology major in the cell and molecular concentration at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
- Lydia Guertin, astronomy and physics double major at Haverford College
- Samiya Henry, physics and binary engineering dual degree major at Duquesne University
- Rory Oden, civil engineering and engineering and public policy double major at Carnegie Mellon University
- Kadisha Vallejo, geology major at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania