Engineering student receives NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
DENTON (UNT), Texas -- Jennifer Williams, a first-year graduate student at the University of North Texas, has been awarded a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship to conduct research in engineering, a career she decided to pursue when she was an elementary school student.
It was during a project, in which her fourth-grade teacher challenged the class to construct bridges out of ordinary craft materials, that Williams' passion for engineering was ignited.
"I was fascinated that we could take glue and popsicle sticks and all come up with different designs. I went home and asked my mom what job would let me do that every day, and she said engineering," says Williams.
The die was cast. After graduating in the top 10 percent from Creekview High School in Carrollton, she enrolled in the engineering program at the University of Texas at Tyler; however, during her freshman year she was encouraged to tour the College of Engineering at UNT. She says she immediately fell in love with the campus, and decided to transfer.
Last May, Williams completed her bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, magna cum laude, with a minor in mathematics. Then, after completing an internship with Engineering Minds of Tomorrow – a program designed to introduce K-12 students to science, technology, mathematics and engineering – she decided to return to UNT for a graduate degree.
Williams is the first student from UNT's College of Engineering, and the seventh UNT student overall, to be named an NSF Graduate Research Fellow. The program is open to students pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees. Fellows receive up to $30,000 annually for three years. They also receive international research and professional development opportunities.
Williams says she plans to continue her research with focus on environmental monitoring systems, sustainable design and STEM education. She is particularly interested in sustainable ranching and sustainable agriculture, and says she may use sensors to study the relationship between soil moisture, humidity and automatic irrigation. Her master's thesis committee includes Dr. Miguel Acevedo, a Regents Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering; Dr. Rudi Thompson, a professor in the Department of Biology; Dr. Shengli Fu, an associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, and Dr. Kamesh Namuduri, associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering.
While at UNT, Williams has been involved with UNT's chapter of the Society of Women Engineers and also helped launch UNT's Lambda Zeta Chapter of IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu, an electrical and computer engineering honor society. After completing her master's degree in December 2013, Williams hopes to pursue a career that will allow her to mesh her passion for the environment and her passion for fostering a love of engineering in others.
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