Recognizing Outstanding Future Space Scientists

In keeping with its goal to recognize and develop promising future scientists in space-related disciplines, Universities Space Research Association (USRA) today announced the winners of the prestigious annual USRA Scholarship Award. These scholarships are awarded to outstanding undergraduate students in fields of aerospace engineering and space science through a competitive process.  They are granted to students who tackle challenging questions in space research and exploration, particularly astrophysics and astronomy and engineering.  

The scholarships were established in the memory of individuals who have played a significant role in the fields of planetary science, astrophysics, and aerospace technology.

The 2018 recipients of this coveted award are:

• The James B. Willett Memorial Scholarship Award Mr. Bryce Cousins, a senior astronomy and physics major at Indiana University –Bloomington
• The John R. Sevier Memorial Scholarship Award Ms. Destiny Fawley, a junior aerospace engineering major at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• The Frederick A. Tarantino Memorial Scholarship Award Ms. Hanna Lyons, a junior microbiology and cell science major at University of Florida, Gainesville
• The Frederick A. Tarantino Memorial Scholarship Award Ms. Mahlet Shiferaw, a senior astrophysics major at Harvard University, Boston
• The Thomas R. McGetchin Memorial Scholarship Award Mr. Connor Tinker, a junior mechanical engineering and planetary sciences major at Purdue University

"We at USRA are extremely proud of the students who receive these awards," said Dr. Jeffrey Isaacson, President and Chief Executive Officer, USRA. "They demonstrate not only outstanding scholarship, but an aptitude for basic and applied research that truly sets them apart. Finalists are selected on the basis of their leadership potential and initiative. We congratulate these talented students and wish them a brilliant future."

The five awardees were selected from a pool of 66 entrants from 55 different universities. The selection was based the students' self-motivation in their research efforts, the clarity of their career objectives, as well as their achievement and leadership both inside and outside the classroom.

The applications were reviewed by a panel of university faculty members in science and engineering disciplines from among the top tier universities.

Seven other students received an Honorable Mention:

• Mr. Anthony Flores, Physics and Applied Mathematics,  Johns Hopkins University
• Mr. Chris Gnam, Aerospace Engineering, University at Buffalo
• Mr. Barry Holland, Aerospace Engineering, Missouri University of Science & Technology
• Ms. Ella Mullikin, Chemical Physics, Wellesley College
• Ms. Kendara Noneman, Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University
• Ms. Hannah O'Brien, Earth Science, University of Notre Dame
• Mr. Jose Torres, Aerospace Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology
• Mr. Darwyn Ward, Mechanical Engineering, California State University, Fresno

The USRA Scholarship Award Program is an annual award program that provides college scholarship awards to outstanding students who have a career interest in the sciences or engineering with an emphasis on space research, space science education, or aerospace.

(Source: USRA news release)

FMI: Scholarship Program Info