NASA Fellowships, Scholarships Bring Diversity to Future STEM Workforce

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA's Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) has awarded fellowships and scholarships for the 2013-2014 academic year to 40 graduate and undergraduate students from across the United States to increase diversity in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines.

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Thirty graduate students from 16 states and the District of Columbia were selected to receive the competitive Harriett G. Jenkins Graduate Fellowship, which provides as much as $45,000 annually for as many as three years, and includes tuition offset, student stipend, and a research experience at a NASA center. It addresses NASA's mission-specific workforce needs and supports the development of the future STEM workforce through the increased number of master's and doctorate degrees awarded to women, ethnic minorities and disabled people in STEM disciplines.

Ten undergraduate students from nine states and Puerto Rico were selected to receive the competitive MUREP scholarship, which provides an academic stipend worth as much $9,000 and $6,000 more for a 10-week internship at a NASA center. These scholarships support women, ethnic minorities and disabled students pursuing STEM degrees and enables them to augment their academic learning with technical collaborations and professional development.

NASA's Office of Education is strengthening involvement with higher education institutions to ensure that NASA can meet future workforce needs. Currently, minorities make up a disproportionately small percentage of graduates entering STEM fields. MUREP strives to ensure that underrepresented and underserved students participate in NASA education and research projects, which stimulates increasing numbers of them to continue their higher education and earn advanced degrees.

NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., manages MUREP activities for the Office of Education.

For more information about the Harriett G. Jenkins Graduate Fellowship and the MUREP Scholarship to see a complete list of the 2013-2014 awardees, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education/MUREP_2013_Awardees

For more information about NASA's education programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education

SOURCE NASA