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From the Board of Visitors Executive Committee


Astronomy Student Award Winners for 2012

Nine of The University of Texas at Austin Department of Astronomy's Graduate Students and seven Undergraduates have won awards funded by the Board of Visitors or other sources in 2012.

GRADUATE STUDENTS

Guillermo Blanc

Guillermo Blanc:
2012 Outstanding Dissertation Award

The Outstanding Dissertation Award was established in 1979 by The University of Texas at Austin Graduate School to recognize exceptional work by doctoral students and to encourage the highest levels of scholarship, research, and writing. Only three awards of $3,000 each are given annually in this campus-wide competition.

Manos Chatzopoulos

Manos Chatzopoulos:
David Benfield Memorial Fellowship in Astronomy

The David Alan Benfield Memorial Fellowship in Astronomy recognizes outstanding research by a senior graduate student.

Manos Chatzopoulos:
A 2012 William Powers, Jr. Graduate Dissertation Fellowship

The prestigious William Powers, Jr. Graduate Dissertation Fellowship, presented by The University of Texas at Austin Graduate School, one of the school's most competitive awards. Award winners are chosen from across all university departments.

Taylor Chonis

Taylor Chonis:
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

This funding will support development of a New Low Resolution Spectrograph for the Hobby-Eberly Telescope and Investigating the Nature of Lyman-Alpha Emitting Galaxies in the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment Survey (supervisor: Gary Hill)

JJ Hermes

JJ Hermes:
2012 Fred T. Goetting Endowed Presidential Scholarship

The Fred T. Goetting Endowed Presidential Scholarship recognizes a student for outstanding service to the Department of Astronomy, usually for excellence in teaching.

JJ Hermes:
2013 David Allen Benfield Memorial Fellowship in Astronomy

The David Allen Benfield Memorial Fellowship in Astronomy recognizes outstanding research by a senior graduate student.

Paul Robertson

Paul Robertson:
2012-13 Astronomy Continuing Fellowship

The University of Texas at Austin’s Continuing Fellowships are the University’s largest, based on major accomplishments since entering graduate school, a well-defined program of research, a strong personal statement, and letters of recommendation. Financial need is considered. Nominations are accepted from Graduate advisors, and evaluated by faculty review committees.

Chalence Safranek-Shrader

Chalence Safranek-Shrader:
NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship

This funding will support investigation of Metal Enriched Star Formation in the First Galaxies and Observational Implications for the James Webb Space Telescope (Supervisors: Milos Milosavljevic and Volker Bromm.

Mimi Song

Mimi Song:
2012 Frank N. Edmonds, Jr. Memorial Scholarship in Astronomy

The Frank N. Edmonds, Jr. Memorial Fellowship in Astronomy is given to a second- or third-year student who shows strong promise in research.

Tim Weinzerl

Tim Weinzirl:
AAS Rodger Doxey Travel Prize

The Rodger Doxey Travel Prize, awarded by the American Astronomical Society, allows outstanding students to attend the AAS winter meeting. Weinzirl's was one of only 10 selected from among all the dissertations submitted nationally for the conference.

You can read more about the winning students and their work at the Department's Graduate Student News Web site.

Graduate Student News

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Caroline Caldwell:
2012 Ralph Cutler Greene Award

The Ralph Cutler Greene Award is a $2,500 scholarship is awarded annually to one of our most outstanding senior Astronomy students at the University of Texas. Service to the department, University and community at large were considered in addition to quality research and academic performance.

James Diekmann, III:
Oracle Award for Astronomy Research

Every Spring, the College of Natural Sciences celebrates its student-scientists at the Undergraduate Research Forum. More than 200 students present posters describing their research. The best and most innovative posters and presentations are recognized with awards judged and sponsored by the university, faculty, alumni and industry. James Diekmann won the Oracle award for his astronomy poster.

Ryan Fuller:
2012-13 Astronomy Freshman Prize for Excellence

The Astronomy Freshman Prize for Excellence is awarded annually to an incoming freshman of outstanding promise.

Justin Hickey:
2012 C. Lee Walton, Jr. Memorial Fund Award

The C. Lee Walton, Jr. Memorial Fund supports travel and lodging for undergraduates carrying on research at McDonald Observatory

George Miller:
2012 George H. Mitchell Award for Academic Excellence

The George H. Mitchell Award for Academic Excellence is the grand prize from the University Co-operative Society, which celebrate University of Texas at Austin students with exemplary academic records who have made an extraordinary contribution to their fields of study through a research project, literary work, musical composition, humanitarian project or similar undertaking.

Arina Rostopchina:
2012 Board of Visitors Undergraduate Scholarship

The Board of Visitors Undergraduate Scholarship is given annually to a junior or senior astronomy student for excellent overall performance.

Alyx Stevens:
2012 Outstanding Senior Award

The Outstanding Senior Award is given to a graduating senior for outstanding overall performance, considering grades, research, and service.

Renata Violante:
2012 Karl G. Henize Endowed Scholarship

The Karl G. Henize Endowed Scholarship is awarded to an outstanding junior or senior who intends to pursue a graduate career in astronomy.

Renata Violante:
2012 BoV Undergraduate Scholarship

The Board of Visitors Undergraduate Scholarship is given annually to a junior or senior astronomy student for excellent overall performance.

You can read more about the winning students and their work at the Department's Undergraduate Student Awards page.

Undergraduate Student Awards

[Joel Barna]

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November 2012

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Student Award Winners