The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week announced the award of 165 research fellowships for students pursuing degrees in environmental studies, including nine students in Pennsylvania, with a total of nearly $10 million in awards.

The agency sponsors several fellowship programs designed to ensure a well-trained scientific workforce that can address future environmental issues.

The Science to Achieve Results (STAR) graduate fellowship program supports masters and doctoral candidates in environmental fields at accredited U.S. colleges or universities. For 2005 awards, more than 1700 applicants competed for 128 STAR fellowships. Research fellows represent 110 universities in 43 states and the District of Columbia, with students pursuing degrees in biology, toxicology, ecology and environmental sciences. These were the winners in Pennsylvania-

Christopher Weber, Carnegie Mellon University, Civil & Enviro. Engineering PhD

Lori A. Burkert, LeHigh University, Environmental Sciences Chemistry & Materials Sciences, PhD

Tiffany L. Bogich, Pennsylvania State University, Ecology Environmental Decision Making, MS

Bryn E. Kimball, Pennsylvania State University, Environmental Sciences Aquatic Systems Ecology, PhD

Sarah Knuth, Pennsylvania State University, Geography, MS

Adam C. Straub, University of Pittsburgh, Environmental Sciences Toxicology, PhD

The Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) fellowship program funds undergraduate and graduate students conducting environmental research at universities that receive $50 million or less in annual federal research funds.

Students at schools with substantial minority enrollment are encouraged to apply for GRO fellowships, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Native American Tribal Colleges. More than 260 GRO applicants competed this year for 37 awards.

The Pennsylvania winners were D. Huestis, University of Texas at Arlington, Ecological and Evolutionary Genetics (graduate) and K. Buettner Lafayette College and I. Palugod Bucknell University (undergraduate).

For more information on EPA fellowships, visit the STAR and GRO webpage.

11/18/2005