Purdue Engineering Graduate Students Earn Prestigious National Fellowships
Purdue University’s College of Engineering continues to set the standard for graduate excellence, as a remarkable group of students has been selected for some of the nation’s most competitive and prestigious fellowships. These honors recognize not only the academic prowess of Purdue’s graduate engineers but also their potential to drive innovation and impact in science, technology, and society.
Award announcements are received on a rolling basis, and others are routed through non-College channels. Below are the known awardees as of Spring 2025. Purdue Engineering maintains a running list of awardees that is frequently updated and also offers an online form for submissions.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP): Purdue Engineering continues its tradition of excellence with several students earning the NSF GRFP, one of the most competitive fellowships in the country. The college maintained its strong percentage of recipients this year, despite fewer awards nationwide, underscoring the high caliber of its graduate programs.
- Aeronautics & Astronautics (AAE): Calle Wilkes Junker
- Chemical Engineering: Jaatani Abdi, Andrew Simonson
- Biomedical Engineering: Elizabeth Su
- Mechanical Engineering: Calvin Nguyen, Treyton Dorrell
For more on Purdue’s NSF GRFP recipients, as well as Purdue Engineering Baccalaureate alumni awardees of the NSF GRFP, see the official news release.
SMART (Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation) Fellowship: Purdue’s representation in the SMART Fellowship program is outstanding this year, with students from multiple disciplines earning this honor:
- Chemical Engineering: Austin Choi, Sarah Finch
- Materials Science and Engineering (MSE): Tyriek Craigs
- Aeronautics & Astronautics (AAE): Frank Centlivre
- Mechanical Engineering (ME): Adin Freese and Richard Sullivan
NDSEG (National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate) Fellowship: The NDSEG Fellowship, awarded to top U.S. graduate students in science and engineering, recognized several Boilermakers:
- Chemical Engineering: Christopher Dean
- Materials Science and Engineering: Matthew Thompson
- Biomedical Engineering (BME): Elizabeth Frazier
Purdue Engineering Graduate Students also were awarded many discipline specific Graduate Awards, including:
- Aeronautics & Astronautics: Aaron Liao (Advisor: Ken Oguri), Drew (Girard) Siciliano (Advisor: Keith LeGrand)
- Biomedical Engineering: Haripriya Sakthivel (Faculty Mentor: Young Kim)
DOE Office of Science Graduate Student Research Program Fellowship
- Chemical Engineering: Luke Pretzie
FFAR (Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research) Fellowship
- Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE): Caleb Fretz
- Biomedical Engineering: Monseu Subah (Faculty Mentor: Rachel Surowiec)
US Air Force Fellowships
- Dr. Heather Wilson STEM PhD Fellowship (MSE): Nathan Misenheimer
- Faculty Pipeline Fellowship (MSE): Benjamin Lam
These fellowships are not only a testament to the individual achievements of Purdue’s graduate students but also highlight the supportive, innovative environment fostered by Purdue Engineering. As these scholars embark on transformative research and professional development, they reinforce Purdue’s reputation as a powerhouse for engineering talent and leadership.