SMU senior Nicole Michelle Hartman has been named a recipient of The National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP).
Nicole Michelle Hartman
|
From Lewisville, Texas, Hartman will graduate from SMU with majors in physics and mathematics from Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, and a minor in electrical engineering from the Lyle School of Engineering. She is a member of the University Honors Program, a President’s Scholar, a Hamilton Undergraduate Research Scholar and a Barry Goldwater Scholar.
She conducts particle physics research with Associate Physics Professor Stephen Sekula. Hartman has done summer research at CERN with Columbia University as part of the National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates program.
“I just feel so incredibly blessed for my last four years at SMU with the wealth of opportunities for learning inside and outside the classroom,” Hartman said. “I'm so grateful to Dr. Sekula for mentoring me and teaching me what it means to be a scientist, and to Dr. Kathleen Hugley-Cook for reading over and helping me with the application!”
She is one of 2,000 students from 488 baccalaureate institutions to receive the prestigious and highly competitive national award from a field of nearly 17,000 applicants.
"These awards are provided to individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant research achievements, and they are investments that will help propel this country's future innovations and economic growth," said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, NSF assistant director for Education and Human Resources. "The Graduate Research Fellowship Program is a vital part of our efforts to foster and promote excellence in U.S. science, technology, engineering and mathematics by recognizing talent broadly from across the nation.”
Former NSF fellows have made transformative breakthroughs in science and engineering, have become leaders in their chosen careers and been honored as Nobel Laureates. Since 1952, NSF has provided fellowships to students selected early in their careers based on their demonstrated potential for significant achievements in science and engineering.
Hartman will attend Stanford University in California. The NSF award provides three years of financial support totaling $46,000 annually within a five-year fellowship period for graduate study leading to a research-based master's or doctoral degree in science and engineering.