Two students and an alumnus from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, have been awarded National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships. Dessie Durham, Amelya Fox and Alissa Gordon will use the scholarships to further their research and talents in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
As a national leader in student success and the state’s premier public university, UT is dedicated to supporting students in their pursuit of research, nationally competitive fellowships and creative activity.
“Our recipients this year are exceptional scholars and leaders in their chosen STEM fields who have demonstrated their extensive capacity for research and discovery,” said Meredith Malburne-Wade, director of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. “We are excited to follow their trajectories and offer our sincerest congratulations.”
The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program — the oldest graduate fellowship of its kind — ensures the quality and vitality of the United States‘ scientific and engineering workforce. Awarded to 1,000 students in 2025, the fellowship provides three years of financial support, including an annual stipend of $37,000 along with a $16,000 allowance for tuition and fees paid to the institution.
Meet the recipients
Durham of Dawsonville, Georgia, is a first-year graduate student studying nuclear physics. The NSF-GRFP will allow her to research the origin of nucleon spin at the U.S. Department of Energy‘s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, a lab dedicated to researching nuclear physics, materials science and accelerator science.
“Thank you to all my friends, professors and family who have helped me receive this amazing award,” said Durham.
Fox of Plainfield, Illinois, will graduate this spring with a bachelor‘s degree in biomedical engineering. The NSF-GRFP will support her pursuit of a full-time scientific research-based PhD program.
“Receiving the NSF-GRFP is a great honor, and I’m incredibly grateful to all of the mentors who have helped me get here,” said Durham. “I hope to uplift the mission of the award in graduate school and my career, supporting the quality, vitality and diversity of science in the United States.”
Gordon, who graduated from UT in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in statistics with minors in biology, mathematics, public health and economics, will pursue her continued education at another institution.
Seniors interested in applying for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program can contact Undergraduate Research and Fellowships for more information. Graduate students are encouraged to work with their departmental supervisors.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Maggie Palmer (965-974-3993, mpalme19@utk.edu)