Katie Queen, a second-year Cellular, Molecular and Biomedical Sciences (CMB) graduate student in Dr. Jason Stumpff’s lab, recently received the news that she has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship! The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based Master's and doctoral degrees at accredited United States institutions. Only 10-15% of applicants are successful in receiving funding. Katie was one of only 36 candidates across the nation to receive funding in the area of cell biology. Katie’s project focuses on understanding the regulation of a protein critical in the process of cell division. In addition, she will encourage young adults to engage in STEM research through an outreach project that will allow high-school students to participate in hypothesis-driven science.
Katie received her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience from Northern Michigan University (NMU). While she was at NMU Katie founded a chapter of Best Buddies, an organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. After graduation, Katie spent a year working as a paraprofessional with special needs elementary school students before beginning her graduate studies at ¶¶Òõ̽̽.
When she is not working in the lab, Katie enjoys taking advantage of all the outdoor opportunities Vermont has to offer. Katie also gives back to the graduate community at ¶¶Òõ̽̽ by serving as one of the education representatives on the CMB Student Council.
A huge congrats to Katie Queen on this accomplishment!