Wellesley College Alumnae Win National Science Foundation
Graduate Research Fellowships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 12, 2010

CONTACT: Molly Tarantino
mtaranti@wellesley.edu; 781-283-2901

WELLESLEY, Mass.— The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Graduate Research Fellowships to nine Wellesley College alumnae to support their study in master’s or doctoral degree programs. The fellowships aim to ensure the vitality of science, technology, engineering and mathematics studies in the United States and to reinforce its diversity.

The fellows will receive a $30,000 stipend and $10,500 cost-of-education allowance annually for three years. They will also be eligible for a one-time $1,000 international travel allowance.

The following Wellesley College alumnae have received NSF fellowships; their Wellesley graduation year, area of study and graduate institution are included:

  • Emily Suzanne Cibelli '09, linguistics, University of California- Berkeley
  • Rebekah Ilene Dawson '09, astrophysics, Harvard University
  • Debra Michelle Hausladen '09, geochemistry, Stanford University
  • Sanja Jagesic '08, sociology, University of Chicago
  • Esther Grace Kim '04, urban and regional planning, University of California- Berkeley
  • Kaitlyn Lucey '08, microbiology, California Institute of Technology
  • Anne Arnold Madden '06, ecology, Tufts University
  • Kali Elena Wilson '04, optical sciences, University of Arizona
  • Christina May Woo '08, organic chemistry, Yale University
Several alumnae earned honorable mentions for the program:
  • Christina Maria Tognoni '09, behavioral neuroscience, Duke University
  • Relena Rose Ribbons '09, forestry, University of Massachusetts- Amherst
  • Michelle Jee Eun Kim '05, atmospheric chemistry, Stanford University
  • Madeline Harms '08, developmental psychology, University of Oregon- Eugene
The NSF is an independent federal agency created by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950. The purpose of the NSF is "to promote the progress of science; [and] to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare by supporting research and education in all fields of science and engineering."

Since 1875, Wellesley College has been a leader in providing an excellent liberal arts education for women who will make a difference in the world.  Its 500-acre campus near Boston is home to 2,300 undergraduate students from all 50 states and 75 countries.

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