Mason Leffler and Wanji Li, graduating seniors, were recognized for this year's Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). Mason, a chemistry major (biochemistry concentration) and undergraduate researcher in the Heemstra Lab, received an Honorary Mention. Wanji, a double major in chemical engineering and chemistry (biochemistry concentration) and undergraduate researcher in the Zhang Lab, was awarded the Fellowship. As a GRFP awardee, Wanji will receive three years of funding support over a five-year fellowship period for graduate education.
Two chemistry alums, Mark Jareczek (AB'23) and Sean Wang (AB'24), also received honorable mentions.
The Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP) is a prestigious honor that recognizes excellence in scholarship among rising and current graduate students. According to the program website, "NSF Fellows are anticipated to become knowledge experts who can contribute significantly to research, teaching, and innovations in science and engineering. These individuals are crucial to maintaining and advancing the nation's technological infrastructure and national security as well as contributing to the economic well-being of society at large." The GRFP is the nation's oldest fellowship program (established in 1952), directly supporting graduate students in various STEM fields. The NSF receives approximately 12,000 applications annually, and only 1,000 awardees received fellowships in 2025.
