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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2007
MEDIA CONTACT: Beth Higdon
321-455-7013 or Beth@AstronautScholarship.org
Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Awards $190,000 in Scholarships to Outstanding College Students
Kennedy Space Center, FL — The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation is proud to award 19 outstanding students with its $10,000 scholarships for the 2007–2008 school year.
Several astronauts will make appearances at universities nationwide to personally present the students their scholarship checks. They will congratulate the students, offer a short presentation and tour the science and engineering schools during their visit.
The astronauts chose top students from across the country who exhibited exceptional performance, initiative and creativity in the science or engineering field of their major. While scholarship recipients must display intellectual daring, the committee also looks for well-rounded students who are involved in campus and community activities.
"The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation's increasingly important mission is to retain America's leadership in science and technology by providing the best this country has to offer with the means to achieve their dreams," said Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Chairman and Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden. "These students will receive much more than a generous scholarship check; they will receive lifelong mentors — the astronauts — and we believe in them."
Scholarship candidates are nominated by faculty members and reviewed by a board at each of the 19 cooperating educational institutions. Two nominees from each school are submitted to the Foundation's Scholarship Committee, comprised mostly of astronauts, former academia personnel and past scholarship recipients, for selection. The selections are then presented to the Board of Directors for final approval.
Among the most prestigious national scholarships awarded for science and engineering students, the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation has disbursed nearly $2.5 million in scholarships to 226 students nationwide since its inception in 1985.
The recipients for the 2007–2008 year are:
Georgia Institute of Technology — Nicole Alexandra Larsen from Suwanee, GA is a senior with a double major in physics and applied mathematics and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in physics specializing in particle physics.
Harvey Mudd College — Samuel David Eisenberg is a senior physics major from Minnetonka, Minnesota. He is also co-founder of Mudders Organization for Sustainability Solutions that aims to reduce usage of natural resources.
Miami University — Eric William Frey, a senior physics major from Centerville, OH, is concentrating on quantum mechanics with plans to become a professor of physics.
North Carolina A&T University — Matthew Andrew Pittman from Brown Summit, NC is a junior biology major with a special interest in neurobiology. This summer, he is participating in the Summer Research Identification Program at Brown University.
North Carolina State University — Ryan Wayne Going from Raleigh, NC is a junior pursuing a double major in electrical engineering and applied mathematics. He has conducted original undergraduate research in electromagnetics and has spent his spring breaks volunteering for Habitat for Humanity in Asheville, NC, Mobile, AL and Ecuador.
North Carolina State University — Dennis Adam Young is a senior biomedical engineering major from Charlotte, NC. He is currently working with a fusion inhibitor which prevents the AIDS virus from binding to target proteins.
North Dakota State — Current Astronaut Scholar Jonathan Michael Pikalek from Fargo, ND is completing his Ph. D. this year in computer science concerning the control of unmanned air vehicles. He has co-authored five scientific papers and continues to serve the university as student representative on several committees.
Penn State University — Vincent Anthony Viscomi from Exton, PA is a senior with majors in astronomy and astrophysics, physics, and mathematics. He is also active in science outreach program for high schools.
Purdue University — Christine Linda Troy from Cincinnati, OH is a senior in aeronautical and astronautical engineering. She has designed several new and useful computer tools, including a mission control console application to aid flight controllers during Space Shuttle ascent.
Syracuse University — Rebecca L. Rought from Merrimack, NH is a senior in aerospace engineering. She interns each summer with BAE Systems, a global defense and aerospace systems company. She also mentors high school students in science and is an active member of the university's engineering sorority.
Texas A&M University — Daniel Borsodi Araya is a senior in aerospace engineering from Cedar Hill, TX. Among other things, he has written computer code for an abort during ascent trajectory for the new Orion vehicle and has worked on wind tunnel research for the T-38 jet trainer.
Tufts University — Natalie Ann Wolchover from Blanco, TX is a senior in physics with plans to pursue a Ph. D. and become a professor. She has worked in precision spectroscopy, discovering new ways to improve eyesight and treatment of eye disorders.
University of Central Florida — Benjamin Andrew Corbin from Shalimar, FL is a senior in aerospace engineering with minors in physics, mathematics and astronomy. He is presently working in gas dynamics and advance propulsion systems with plans to work on ion and rocket engines. He also tutors physics students and plays several musical instruments.
University of Colorado — Benjamin Ryan Safdi from Cincinnati, OH is a senior in engineering physics and mathematics. He is currently spending the summer at European research facility CERN studying experimental physics. He has already published one scientific paper and plans to pursue further studies and research.
University of Kentucky — Andrew Lee Lynch is a junior chemical engineering major from Corbin, KY. He plans to follow a Ph. D. program in biochemical engineering because f his great interest in ground water contamination. He has served as a volunteer for several environmental organizations and spent months in Malaysia and Thailand with the Border Green Energy Team. He also mentors and tutors Appalachian and minority science students.
University of Michigan — Matthew Henry McKeown from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is a senior in aerospace engineering. He founded the Michigan Aeronautical Science Association for building and flying rockets used in demonstrations for K-12 students. He plans to pursuer a graduate degree in aerospace engineering, focusing on fluid mechanics and propulsion
University of Minnesota — Current Astronaut Scholar Alex John Kossett is a senior mechanical engineering major from Vadnais Heights, Minnesota He is currently continuing his studies working to improve robotics hardware and software.
University of Oklahoma — Current Astronaut Scholar Ryan Anthony East from Greenwood, Arkansas is a senior in aerospace engineering and has been working on lunar descent trajectories. He was awarded the Johnson Space Center Co-op Special Achievement award in 2006 and plans to pursue graduate work.
Washington University — Lonia Rachael Friedlander from Akron, OH is a senior with majors in chemistry and earth and space sciences. Field work in Spain her sophomore year crystallized her interest in the field of mineral spectroscopy and she anticipates earning a Ph. D. in this field.
The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation is a 501 (c)(3)non-profit organization established in 1984 by the six surviving members of America's original Mercury astronauts. Its goal is to aid the United States in retaining its world leadership in science and technology by providing scholarships for exceptional college students pursuing degrees in these fields. The Foundation funds nineteen $10,000 scholarships annually and has awarded $2.5 million to 226 students nationwide.