Scholarship and Fellowship Awardees
Virginia Space Grant Consortium funds four scholarship and fellowship programs, the VSGC Graduate STEM Research Fellowship Program, the Undergraduate STEM Research Scholarship Program, the Community College STEM Scholarship Program and the STEM Bridge Scholarship Program. Learn more about the programs below.
Undergraduate STEM Research Scholarship Program provides awards of up to $8,500 to rising juniors and seniors who are enrolled full-time in a program of study in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) and have a specific faculty-mentored research project that has NASA or aerospace relevance. Applied Health Sciences majors are not eligible for this program.
Graduate and undergraduate papers will be posted soon.
Graduate 2022-2023
Siddarth Ajith
Siddarth Ajith is a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Virginia. Probing strong-field gravity with gravitational-wave observations through machine learning. Download research paper here.
Jarrod Banks
Jarrod Banks is a Ph. D. candidate at Virginia Tech. Transient aeroacoustics turbulence ingestion into a rotor. Download research here.
Edward Barron
Edward Barron is a Ph. D. candidate at Virginia Tech. Liquid metal elastomer composite filaments for material extrusion additive manufacturing. Download abstract.
Jessica Cropley
Jessica Cropley is a Masters candidate at William & Mary. Photocatalysts for hydrogen generation and the future of energy. Download abstract here.
Joseph Cunningham
Joseph Cunningham is a Ph. D. candidate at Virginia Tech. Development of UV-resistant polymer-regolith composite shielding material for long-term lunar habitats incorporating carbon nanotubes. Download research paper here.
Andrianna Daniels
Andrianna Daniels is a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Virginia. Creating a detailed model for boron nitride deposition mechanics. Download research paper here.
Wayne Dawson III
Wayne Dawson is a Masters candidate at the University of Virginia. A fluorescence based approach for quantifying phenology and physiology in changing boreal ecosystems. Download research paper here.
Joshua Fitzgerald
Joshua Fitzgerald is a Ph. D. candidate at Virginia Tech. Optimizing spacecraft trajectory design in perturbed restricted three-body models. Download research paper here.
Nathan Folta
Nathan Folta is a Masters candidate at Virginia Tech. Design of novel lower body exoskeleton. Download research paper here.
Alexander Hatfield
Alexander Hatfield is a Ph. D. candidate at Old Dominion University. Multifunctional boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) and BNNT composites and devices in extreme aerospace environments. Download research paper here.
Megan Hept
Megan Hept is a Ph. D. candidate at Old Dominion University. Exploring the Impact of climate change and increased carbon levels on the cyanobacteria, microcystis aeruginosa. Download research paper here.
Jeremy Hopwood
Jeremy Hopwood is a Ph. D. candidate at Virginia Tech. Energy-based wind estimation using aircraft. Download research paper here.
Ken Koltermann
Ken Koltermann is a Ph. D. candidate at William & Mary. Apollo: non-intrusive vital sign monitoring using wearable technology. Download research paper here.
Victor Kontopanos
Victor Kontopanos is a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Virginia. Modelling galvanic corrosion of aerospace fasteners and plates under thin electrolyte film conditions. Download research paper here.
Andrew Krause
Andrew Krause is a Ph. D. candidate at Hampton University. Testing QCD factorization theorems with model simulations of lepton-proton scattering processes. Download research paper here.
Zhe-Yu Daniel Lin
Zhe-Yu Daniel Lin is a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Virginia. Making baby planets: dust settling of protoplanetary disks. Download research paper here.
Deryl Long
Deryl Long is a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Virginia. Build a world: predicting planet assembly and composition with ALMA and JWST. Download research paper here.
Devin Longazel
Devin Longazel is a Masters candidate at Old Dominion University. Resorcinarene nano capsule library for metal extractions. Download research paper here.
Adam Masters
Adam Masters is a Ph. D. candidate at Old Dominion University. Improving ion traps for quantum computing applications. Download the research paper here.
Jennifer Meija
Jennifer Mejia is a Ph. D. candidate at Old Dominion University. Investigating atomic interactions of organic solar cells using solid-state NMR. Download research paper here.
Madeline Miles
Madeline Miles is a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Virginia. NOx emissions in West African cities inferred using TROPOMI NO2 observations. Download research paper here.
William Miyahira
William Miyahira is a Ph. D. candidate at William & Mary. Microwave atom chip for spin-specific atom interferometry. Download research paper here.
Mary Cecilia Mulvaney
Mary Cecilia Mulvaney is a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Virginia. Evaluating formability of aluminum alloys for flow formed aerospace structures. Download research paper here.
Elizabeth Prior
Elizabeth Prior is a Ph. D. candidate at Virginia Tech. Investigating flood-vegetation interactions through remote sensing and modeling. Download research paper here.
Alison Ritz
Alison Ritz is a Ph. D. candidate at Virginia Tech. Using NAIP imagery and point clouds to build biomass maps through remote sensing techniques. Download research paper here.
Anna Schmedding
Anna Schmedding is a Ph. D. candidate at William & Mary. Epidemic spread modeling for COVID-19 using mobility data. Download research paper here.
Randal Shoemaker
Randall Shoemaker is a Ph. D. candidate at William & Mary. Surface computations with decoupled intrinsic geometry. Download research paper here.
Jordan Shroyer
Jordan Shroyer is a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Virginia. Probing cosmic inflation: testing novel high-sensitivity detectors for next-generation surveys. Download research paper here.
Mark Siebert
Mark Siebert is a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Virginia. A rigorous molecular survey of stellar graveyards. Download research paper here.
Virginia Smith
Virginia Smith is a Ph. D. candidate at Virginia Tech. High-altitude balloon mission optimization. Download research paper here.
Zachary Steele
Zachary Steele is a Ph. D. candidate at Old Dominion University. Utilizing triple oxygen isotopes for assessing animal metabolism and water intake. Download research paper here.
Connor Stephens
Connor Stephens is a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Virginia. Oxidation mechanisms of refractory transition metals and carbides at ultra-high temperatures in molecular vs. dissociated oxygen. Download research paper here.
Elizabeth Urig
Elizabeth Urig is a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Virginia. Modeling Al-6061 microstructural evolution during integrally stiffened cylinder formation. Download research paper here.
Rahim Zaman
Rahim Zaman is a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Virginia. Design of ultra-high temperature ceramics for oxidation resistance. Download research paper here.
Elizabeth Zengel
Elizabeth Zengel is a Ph. D. candidate at Old Dominion University. Analyzing HEDMs with DFT and molecular dynamics to determine trigger bonds and sensitivities. Download research paper here.
STEM Bridge 2022-2023
Daniel Adjei
Daniel Adjei is a Bachelors candidate at Virginia Tech majoring in Engineering.
Jordan Amarchih
Jordan Amarchih is a Bachelors candidate at Virginia Tech majoring in Engineering.
Jada Bonds
Jada Bonds is a Bachelors candidate at William &Mary majoring in Chemistry.
Loren Butts-Bails
Loren Butts-Bails is a Bachelors candidate at Old Dominion University majoring in Mechanical Engineering.
Marjorie Cenese
Marjorie Cenese is a Bachelors candidate at Old Dominion University majoring in Electrical Engineering.
Emily Chang
Emily Chang is a Bachelors candidate at the University of Virginia majoring in Computer Science.
Amar Dunham
Amar Dunham is a Bachelors candidate at William & Mary majoring in Data Science.
Eric Hernandez
Eric Hernandez is a Bachelors candidate at Virginia Tech majoring in Data Science.
Mahmoud Idris
Mahmoud Idris is a Bachelors candidate at Virginia Tech majoring in Mechanical Engineering.
Kaleea Korunka
Kaleea Korunka is a Bachelors candidate at William & Mary majoring in Biology.
Janae Brooke Marcia
Janae Brooke Marcia is a Bachelors candidate at Old Dominion University majoring in Electrical Engineering.
Amaiya Mauney
Amaiya Mauney is a Bachelors candidate at William & Mary majoring in Biology.
Grace Milton
Grace Milton is a Bachelors candidate at the University of Virginia majoring in Mechanical Engineering.
Halia Morris
Halia Morris is a Bachelors candidate at Hampton University majoring in Marine and Environmental Science.
Abdulmujeeb Omotosho
Abdulmujeeb Omotosho is a Bachelors candidate at Virginia Tech majoring in Computer Science.
Justin Orchard-Hays
Justin Orchard-Hays is a Bachelors Candidate at the University of Virginia majoring in Biochemistry.
Myles Perry
Myles Perry is a Bachelors candidate at Old Dominion University majoring in Electrical Engineering.
Muhammad Rabiu
Muhammad Rabiu is a Bachelors candidate at Old Dominion University majoring in Computer Engineering.
Jaron Scott
Jaron Scott is a Bachelors candidate at Hampton University majoring in Mathematics.
Paige-Symone Scott-Cooper
Paige-Symone Scott-Cooper is a Bachelors candidate at Hampton University majoring in Economics.
Emanda Seifu
Emanda Seifu is a Bachelors candidate at Virginia Tech majoring in Computer Science.
Nebiyu Solomon
Nebiyu Solomon is a Bachelors Candidate at the University of Virginia majoring in Biomedical Engineering.
Caleb Tyson
Caleb Tyson is a Bachelors candidate at Hampton University majoring in Chemical Engineering.
Zachary Vaillancourt
Zachary Vaillancourt is a Bachelors candidate at Virginia Tech majoring in Aerospace Engineering.
Taylor Young
Taylor Young is a Bachelors candidate at Hampton University majoring in Biochemistry.
Undergraduate 2022-2023
Isabella Dressel
Isabella Dressel is Bachelors candidate at the University of Virginia. Satellite and aircraft observations of interactions between intra-urban nitrogen dioxide inequalities and ozone air quality in Houston, Texas. Download abstract here.
Lauren Duma
Lauren Duma is a Bachelors candidate at Virginia Tech. Reducing the risk of skin lacerations from drone impacts. Download research paper here.
Grayson Hoy
Grayson Hoy is a Bachelors candidate at William & Mary. Blinking-Based Multiplexing: A New Approach to Multicolor Super-Resolved Imaging of Nanomaterials. Download abstract here.
Evan Johnson
Evan Johnson is a Bachelors candidate at Old Dominion University. Locking Multiple Lasers to a Single Optical Cavity. Download research paper here.
Aliya Kaplan
Aliya Kaplan is a Bachelors candidate at Virginia Tech. Infiltration of Porous Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics for Active Cooling. Download research paper here.
Ubaid Kazianga
Ubaid Kazianga is a Bachelors candidate at William & Mary. Designing an apparatus for Strain and Temperature tuning of materials during Infrared Microscopy measurements. Download research paper here.
Alicia Mand
Alicia Mand is a Bachelors candidate at Old Dominion University. Electrons for Neutrinos in the One-Proton One-Pion Channel. Download research paper here.
Danielle Miller
Danielle Miller is a Bachelors candidate at Virginia Tech. Synthetic trees for underground water extraction and purification. Download research paper here.
Christian Mueth
Christian Mueth is a Bachelors candidate at Virginia Tech. Lower body exoskeleton design and control. Download research paper here.
Ruby Neisser
Ruby Neisser is a Bachelors candidate at William & Mary. Investigations into the structure photochemistry of 2-pyrrolecarboxaldehyde. Download research paper here.
Kayla Pineda
Kayla Pineda is a Bachelors candidate at Old Dominion University. Gaze-guided drone proximity navigation framework. Download research paper here.
Medha Prakash
Medha Prakash is a Bachelors candidate at the University of Virginia. Morphology and process-based implications of martian ridges and terrestrial eskers. Download research paper here.
Bjorn Shockey
Bjorn Shockey is a Bachelors candidate at William & Mary. The impact of human presence and human activities on the total mass and chemical composition of the very thin lunar atmosphere. Download research paper here.
Anthony Spinetta
Anthony Spinetta is a Bachelors candidate at Virginia Tech. He is researching Computational Modeling and Investigation of Strain and Damage Sensing in Mock Energetic Materials. Download research paper here.
Sophia Yi
Sophia Yi is a Bachelors candidate at the University of Virginia. Determining the measurability of white dwarf temperatures using gravitational wave measurements from LISA. Download research paper here.
Community College 2022-2023
Hannah Bogert
Hannah Bogert is an Associates candidate at John Tyler Community College majoring in Engineering.
Brianna Burchell
Briana Burchell is an Associates candidate at Germanna Community College majoring in Electrical Engineering.
Sarah Diaz
Sarah Diaz is an Associates candidate at Tidewater Community College majoring in Science.
Alexander Gemond
Alexander Gemond is an Associates candidate at Northern Virginia Community College majoring in Engineering.
Tyler Zodun
Tyler Zodun is an Associates candidate at Eastern Shorn Community College majoring in Electronics Engineering.