Grants and Awards

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)– I received this three year research award in 2012.  The NSF GRFP is a highly competitive national grant awarded to master’s and doctoral students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.  Read more about the NSF GRF Program by clicking here.

Rackham International Research Award– Awarded full funding to complete a three month internship at Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad in Costa Rica.  I examined bacteria that live inside the guts of different insects.  Many insects are able to break down plant life.  We hope that some of their gut bacteria could be used to help humans use plant life as a source for new biofuels.

Cellular Biotechnology Training Program– CBTP is a program sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  It provided me with a full year of funding for my graduate studies.  The extra coursework and activities associated with the program introduced me to biotechnology and the relationship between academic and industrial scientific research.  Read more about the CBTP by clicking here.

Rackham Research Grant– Received two grants to purchase equipment and supplies for my dissertation research.