DHS Awards 103 Scholarships and Fellowships to Undergraduate and Graduate Researchers

Release Date: November 6, 2006

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: (202) 282-8010

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announced today the award of 103 new scholarships and fellowships to high-performing undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics that are critical to the DHS mission. The DHS Scholars and Fellows Program is designed to nurture the next generation of public-service oriented scientists and engineers, while encouraging their long-term commitment to homeland security issues.

“I welcome the class of 2006 to our diverse, innovative and highly motivated cadre of U.S. students, who are excelling in science and engineering disciplines at colleges and universities across the nation,” said Jay M. Cohen, Under Secretary for Science and Technology. “I’m confident of their contributions to the DHS mission, and we are confident that this program will better equip them for success. While they are sure to be faced with multifaceted and complex scientific challenges, as well as determined adversaries, I believe they will meet and surpass our expectations and advance S&T’s future technological and scientific progress.”

There are a total of 41 scholars and 62 fellows in the class of 2006, representing more than 60 U.S. academic institutions, including land-grant institutions, historically black colleges and universities, and other minority serving institutions. The new students gathered last weekend in Washington, D.C., for an orientation, where they met DHS researchers and research managers, learned about the DHS and S&T missions, and heard about current DHS scientific initiatives and challenges. The students also participated in a research internship fair in preparation for their hands-on research experience in the summer, where they will be trained in such venues as DHS laboratories, national laboratories or university-based DHS centers of excellence.

Since 2003, the Scholars and Fellows Program has sponsored 439 scholarships and fellowships. Undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships are awarded to students pursuing degrees in areas that include computer and information science, social sciences, engineering, mathematical sciences, life sciences, and physical sciences. DHS provides tuition and fees to scholars and fellows, in addition to access to career enhancing research opportunities with highly qualified scientific personnel within the homeland security research enterprise.

The undergraduate scholarships for students entering their junior year include tuition and fees, as well as a $1,000 monthly stipend for the academic calendar. Following their junior year, students are eligible for a $500 weekly summer research internship stipend at a DHS-affiliated facility. Award recipients are eligible to request a one-year renewal for their senior year. Program mentors and graduate fellows support and encourage undergraduates to pursue advanced degrees.

The graduate fellowships include tuition and fees, as well as a $2,300 monthly stipend for the full year. Award recipients are eligible for a renewal of up to three years. Graduate fellows also participate in a summer research experience at a DHS-affiliated venue. All awards start with the current academic year.

The class of 2006 will be welcomed into the DHS Student and Alumni Network, which includes past and current program participants. DHS scholars and fellows are in the process of building the future homeland security research community, establishing a professional workforce network in the public and private sectors, and maintaining their connection with DHS. This network is being built in large part due to the efforts of student volunteers.

For more information about DHS scholarship and fellowship opportunities, visit the DHS Student and Alumni Network, at www.dhsnetwork.org, or the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, which coordinates the scholarships and fellowships for the Science and Technology Directorate, at http://www.orau.gov/dhsed.

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This page was last reviewed/modified on November 6, 2006.