Full Breakdown
Graduate Research Fellowships Highlight Emerging Scholars in STEM
10/8/2025, 3:03:25 PM
Boise State University Recognizes Graduate Achievements
Morgan Calahan and Antone Chacartegui, graduate students at Boise State University, have been awarded National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) awards for the fall of 2025. These fellowships are designed to honor outstanding graduate students poised to make significant contributions to STEM fields. Scott Lowe, Dean of the Graduate College, noted that despite a 25% decrease in federal awards this year, the success of Calahan and Chacartegui underscores the high quality of graduate education at Boise State.
Chacartegui, pursuing a Ph.D. in Computing, will build on his previous research in machine-learning-assisted adaptive solvers for partial differential equations to enhance ocean modeling. His work aims to improve weather forecasting and resilience against extreme weather events. Calahan, a second-year Ph.D. student in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, focuses on the genomics of the Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, a species that has seen significant population declines. Her research is crucial for conservation efforts, as understanding genetic diversity is vital for species adaptation to environmental changes.
Rice University’s Chevron Energy Graduate Fellowship Program
Rice University has announced the recipients of its 2025-26 Chevron Energy Graduate Fellowships, which support ten graduate students engaged in innovative energy research. Each fellow receives a $10,000 award to advance scalable energy technologies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing energy system efficiency. This fellowship program, a collaboration between the Rice Sustainability Institute and Chevron, emphasizes the importance of nurturing talent in energy innovation.
The diverse cohort includes students from various disciplines, such as chemical and biomolecular engineering, Earth sciences, and mechanical engineering. Their research spans critical areas including carbon capture technologies, solar energy materials, and geothermal sensing methods. Notable projects include Cristel Carolina Brindis Flores's work on molecular simulations for carbon dioxide and hydrogen interactions, and Jaewoo Kim's exploration of distributed acoustic sensing for geothermal systems.
Implications for Future Research and Collaboration
Both fellowship programs reflect a broader commitment to fostering research that addresses pressing global challenges. The NSF GRFP awards at Boise State highlight the importance of supporting graduate students in ecological and computational fields, while the Chevron Energy Graduate Fellowships at Rice University demonstrate the potential for interdisciplinary collaboration in energy research.
As these emerging scholars advance their research, they contribute to a growing body of knowledge that is essential for tackling environmental issues and promoting sustainable practices. The initiatives at both universities not only provide financial support but also create networks that facilitate collaboration and innovation in their respective fields.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I would like to thank my Mom and Dad for all their support. I would particularly like to thank my advisor Michal Kopera and Donna Calhoun, who has mentored me throughout my time at Boise State. Finally I would like to thank the mathematics and physics departments at Boise State for all their support,” — Antone Chacartegui, Ph.D. Student
- “So understanding declining species from a genetic and genomic perspective is really important for conservation and managing with that in mind.” — Morgan Calahan, Ph.D. Student
- “This exciting partnership between the Rice Sustainability Institute and Chevron represents our shared commitment to advancing scalable innovations in energy that lead to emissions reductions across energy value chains,” — Reginald DesRoches, President of Rice University
- “The Chevron Energy Fellows program showcases the brilliance and drive of Rice graduate students, whose research in areas like carbon conversion, solar materials and geothermal sensing is already shaping the future of sustainable energy.” — Chris Powers, Chevron Director
These fellowships exemplify the critical role of academic and corporate partnerships in fostering the next generation of leaders in science and technology.
