EPSCoR Graduate Fellowship Program (EGFP): WIdening the Nation's STEM Workforce INside Louisiana: WIN-WIN

The National Science Foundation (NSF) EPSCoR Graduate Fellowship Program (EGFP) supports EGFP designated institutions and programs in EPSCoR jurisdictions by providing funding for graduate fellowships for new or continuing EGFP-eligible applicants. EGFP awards provide funding for a total of three years of stipend and an associated cost-of-education (COE) allowance for each NSF EPSCoR Graduate Fellow. This award at Louisiana State University (LSU) will support 10 EPSCoR Graduate Fellows whose research will align with the unique goals and programs supported by the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO), Directorate for Engineering (ENG), Directorate for Geosciences (GEO), and the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP). The Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences (DOCS) and Cain Department of Chemical Engineering (CDCE) graduate programs at LSU are strategically paired in this project to foster future academic, industry, and government leaders who understand the linkages between Louisiana’s most important industry and valuable coastal ecosystem. By designing intentional science co-production spaces into the graduate experience, Fellows will be well equipped to grow the State of Louisiana’s economic and research competitiveness well beyond the project’s conclusion. As a U.S. leader in the energy and chemical processing sectors, the fortification of these Louisiana industries with talented, highly trained personnel will advance national prosperity and security. Fellows will join impactful research programs confronting pressing coastal and energy challenges to improve resilience and achieve ambitious energy efficiency and independence goals. Fellows will be trained by highly qualified mentors with both emerging and long-running records of mentorship excellence with novel research projects across coastal sciences and chemical engineering, ranging from river delta connectivity and function, coastal hydroclimate drivers, and wetland soil-plant-microbe interactions to operando chemical reaction imaging, in silico design of high-entropy alloy catalysts, and microplastic dynamics in the environment. To facilitate synergy across projects and foster innovative partnerships, Fellows will participate in WIN-WIN Convergence Workshops focused on developing novel solutions to coastal and energy issues that will define the next generation of coastal scientists and chemical engineers. WIN-WIN will prepare Fellows for post-graduation advancement by emphasizing holistic student training through personalized mentorship plans that foster mental wellness, academic excellence, and career development. Accordingly, Fellows will be primed for success upon graduation, ensuring a true WIN-WIN for Fellows, LSU, the State of Louisiana, and national interests. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.