Six graduate students named 2009 Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science Doctoral Scholars

Six Ph.D. candidates, representing three colleges and six departments, have been selected as the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science Doctoral Scholars beginning in the fall semester 2009.

This class of six scholars brings the total of participants currently in the program to 26.

The 2009 Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science Doctoral Scholars are

• Sarah Foltz of Davis, Calif., a biological sciences doctoral candidate in the College of Science;
• Benjamin Freedman of Caribou, Maine, a biological systems engineering doctoral candidate in the College of Engineering;
• Gregory James of Chesapeake, Va., a chemical engineering doctoral candidate in the College of Engineering;
• Jeong-ah Lee of Seoul, South Korea, a physics doctoral candidate in the College of Science;
• Taylor Mach of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., a chemistry doctoral candidate in the College of Science; and
• William Vogt of Amherst, Mass., a biomedical engineering doctoral candidate in the College of Engineering.

The Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science Doctoral Scholars Program was established in 2007 and 11 scholars were named in the inaugural year. The program honors exceptional Ph.D. applicants through award of full graduate tuition plus a stipend award for the period of Ph.D. pursuit to a maximum of four years for each selected honoree.

The annual graduate student stipend is $25,000. Additionally, the institute supports pre-approved travel for professional development and external presentations resulting from qualifying research. This program is a cooperative effort supported and coordinated primarily by the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science, with significant contributions from participating departments, colleges, and the Virginia Tech Graduate School. Successful candidates of the highest caliber are selected for this honor.

“This award is an investment in the university’s intellectual talent, creativity, and potential in a way that is complementary to Virginia Tech’s mission and strategic plan,” said Roop Mahajan, Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science director. “The initial goal for the program is to establish a steady state of 40 ICTAS fellows by 2011 and we are well on our way,” he said.

The Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science at Virginia Tech supports and promotes cut-edge research at the intersection of engineering, science, and medicine.