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  Recognizing talentIowa State University graduate student Leon Pickett, BSEngSci’96, has been awarded two major fellowships, which will help fund his pursuit of a Ph.D. in engineering mechanics. Pickett received a fellowship from the National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science, Inc. (GEM). He is the first Iowa State doctoral candidate to receive the award. Iowa State also awarded him with a George Washington Carver Doctoral Fellowship. Combined, the two fellowships will pay Pickett’s tuition and an annual stipend of $20,000 for three years. “One of the great things about this is that it’s allowing me to pursue full-time study of my Ph.D., so that’s a great relief,” said Pickett, who is married with two children. Iowa State opens the competitive Carver Fellowship to underrepresented ethnic minority doctoral students. Evaluation and selection are based upon the applicant’s academic record, the recommendation of former teachers, and a statement of professional intentions. GEM consists of Fortune 500 companies, government laboratories, and universities that combine to sponsor minority students through fellowships. Pickett’s sponsor is Ford Motor Company Product Development. As part of the fellowship, Pickett traveled to Detroit last spring to spend three months at Ford as a product development engineer. Pickett’s academic focus is nondestructive evaluation and solid mechanics, particularly composite materials. He has worked as the College of Engineering’s minority outreach coordinator for undergraduate programs. |
