April 3, 2012. Four first-year Department of Chemistry graduate students have been announced as award recipients of this year's NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program. The awardees are: Esther Frederick from Yeshiva University, in the Bernasek Group; Max Friedfeld from University of Virginia, in the Chirik Group; Erin Gray from Furman University, in the Doyle Group; and Jake Herb from Muhlenberg College, in the Bocarsly Group.

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions. GRFP fellows receive:

• Three years of support
• $30,000 annual stipend
• $10,500 cost-of-education allowance to the institution (anticipated to increase to $12,000 for 2012)
• International research and professional development opportunities
• TeraGrid Supercomputer access