Published: April 8, 2021

Thirty-eight graduate students at CU Boulder have received National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowships, a prestigious award that recognizes and supports outstanding students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. With 38 awardees, CU Boulder ranks eighth in number of 2021 recipients among universities in the United States. In addition, 33 graduate students received honorable mention recognition. 

“In a single year, we’ve seen a 46% increase in National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship awards at CU Boulder. This is a huge statement about the quality of both graduate education and our world-class research programs,” said Scott Adler, dean of the Graduate School.

“These awards and others like them testify to CU Boulder as a place where the world’s best graduate students are coming to extend the boundaries of research and change the nature of graduate education.”  

Fellows receive a three-year annual stipend of $34,000 along with opportunities for international research and professional development that span five years. The 2021 fellowship recipients represent a wide range of disciplines from across campus, including engineering, psychology, ecology, STEM education, anthropology, astronomy and physics.

“I am proud of our fellowship recipients, whose innovative research, scholarship and creative work are benefiting communities around the globe,” said Adler.