June 7, 2024
By Chloe Arrington

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded fellowships to several current students and recent graduates of the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering.

Velin Kojouharov, Yash Mhaskar, Madeline Morrell, Siddharth Nathella, and Jacqueline van Zyl have each received graduate research fellowships from the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP).

The NSF GRFP recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and STEM education fields within NSF's mission. The program is highly competitive, with more than 12,000 applicants each year.

The five-year fellowship provides three years of financial support inclusive of an annual stipend of $37,000 along with a $16,000 cost-of-education allowance. Recipients also receive access to opportunities for professional development.

This year, the NSF also granted Talia Thomas, a second-year Ph.D. student in the Woodruff School, an honorable mention designation.

Madeline Morrell is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Woodruff School and is grateful for the fellowship and its significance for her research. "It suggests that the scientific community also cares about the work I have proposed," she said. 

NSF Fellows are predicted to become knowledge experts who can significantly contribute to science and engineering research, teaching, and innovations. These individuals are vital to maintaining and advancing the nation's technological infrastructure and national security and contributing to the economic well-being of society at large.

Meet the recipients below: