Funded by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, the scholarship supports exceptional undergraduate students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Each year, Purdue may nominate six students for the award, with only three selected to receive scholarships of up to $15,000.

Krishnan was inspired to apply because of her passion for research and her desire to pursue a career in computational biology and biophysics.

"I became interested in the Astronaut Scholarship because of my strong interest in research and its mission of supporting undergraduate students pursuing STEM research careers," Krishnan said.

For the past three years, she has conducted undergraduate research in Dr. Jianing Li's laboratory in Purdue's Borch Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology. The experience has strengthened her research skills while confirming her goal of pursuing a PhD in computational biology and biophysics.

The scholarship will help support the cost of her undergraduate education while also connecting her with a national network of outstanding STEM scholars.

"Through this scholarship, I am excited to join a community of scholars who share my excitement for scientific discovery and STEM research," she said. "I look forward to building my academic and professional network through the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation and its events."

As an Astronaut Scholar, Krishnan will attend the foundation's annual Scholar Orientation and Technical Conference, where scholars present their research, connect with fellow students and accomplished STEM professionals, and begin building a network that supports the next generation of scientific leaders.

As she enters her senior year, Krishnan hopes the opportunity will strengthen her academic and professional network while preparing her for the next step in her research career.