Purdue University Davidson School of Chemical Engineering graduate students Paulina M. Babiak and Aaron Woeppel are recipients of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF).

This prestigious fellowship supports and recognizes outstanding graduate students in STEM who have the potential to make significant contributions to their fields. Along with receiving financial support for three years and an educational allowance as they pursue their research, fellows are given access to key professional development opportunities.

Paulina M. Babiak

As a first-generation, low-income student and immigrant from rural Poland, Paulina M. Babiak received her B.S. in chemical engineering from Columbia University in 2019, with minors in biomedical engineering and East Asian studies. She is currently working toward her PhD in chemical engineering. Her research focuses on in vitro adipose tissue modeling for drug screening. 

Aaron Woeppel

Aaron Woeppel began his graduate study at the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering in 2019 after completing his B.S. in chemical engineering and working in Professor Fullerton’s lab at the University of Pittsburgh. He is currently studying under the guidance of Professors Bryan Boudouris and Stephen Beaudoin toward developing a flexible trace energetics sensor. Over his tenure, he has contributed one co-first authored and one third-authored paper. Woeppel’s research motivation is to understand the fundamental chemistry and physics behind electrolytes and semiconducting polymers and demonstrate how these principles can be applied to unique challenges such as energetic materials detection. 

Graduate student Ricem Diaz Arroyo received an honorable mention during this cycle.

Read here for more information about the NSF GRF

Source(s): Paulina M. Babiak and Aaron Woeppel, pbabiak@purdue.edu/ awoeppel@purdue.edu

Writer: Ashvini Malshe, amalshe2@berkeley.edu