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Secretary Chu Announces 150 Students to Receive Graduate Fellowships in Science, Mathematics and Engineering

New Department of Energy Graduate Fellowship Program Aimed at Empowering Students to Choose Careers in Science

Washington, D.C. � Underscoring the Obama Administration�s commitment to bolstering science education, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that 150 students have been selected to receive graduate fellowship awards as part of a new Department of Energy Graduate Fellowship program. Each graduate fellow will be provided with tuition, living expenses, and research support for three years to academic institutions across the country. The new fellowship program is designed to strengthen the nation�s scientific workforce by providing support to young students during the formative years of their research.

�The exceptionally talented students selected as graduate fellows are part of our nation�s next generation of scientific and technical leaders,� said Secretary Chu. �This investment in the training of scientists and engineers is part of the Administration�s continued effort to ensure that America has the scientific and engineering workforce we need to secure our energy future and our continued economic competitiveness.�

The goal of the fellowship program is to encourage students to pursue graduate degrees in physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, engineering, and environmental and computer sciences�fields that will prepare students for careers that can make significant contributions in discovery-driven science and science for national needs in energy and the environment.

Each fellow will be provided $50,500 per year for up to three years to support tuition, living expenses, research materials and travel to research conferences or to Department of Energy scientific user facilities. Support comes in part from $12.5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

For a complete list of awardees and eligibility requirements visit the Office of Science Graduate Fellowship program.

Editorial Date August 5, 2010
By Brad Bugger