Four recent graduates from Florida State University have been granted the 2025 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, a highly selective five-year award that assists exceptional students undertaking research-centric graduate studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Additionally, eight current FSU students and alumni received honorable mentions in this latest program.
The fellowship offers three years of financial assistance, comprising an annual stipend of $37,000 and acknowledges both the recipient’s undergraduate and ongoing graduate institutions. By investing in early-career researchers, the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) seeks to enhance the quality and capacity of the U.S. scientific and engineering workforce.
“We are immensely proud of our students and alumni honored by the NSF GRFP,” expressed Craig Filar, associate dean of Honors, Scholars, and Fellows. “The diverse range of fields and the acknowledgment of researchers at varying stages of their academic careers illustrates the extensive preparation and training our students receive in STEM areas across campus from their first year through their doctoral studies, leading to so many of our students and alumni being recognized for their innovative contributions as fellows and honorable mentions.”
A native of Tampa, Sebastian Castro (B.S. ‘25 chemical engineering) engaged in research endeavors focused on clean energy and water solutions at FSU, such as splitting water to generate hydrogen, converting carbon dioxide into beneficial products, and designing membranes for desalination.
He commenced his collegiate journey through the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), further enriched by his participation in the Presidential Scholars Program and the Student Engineering Leadership Board.
Castro attributes the support from faculty and staff as crucial throughout the fellowship application journey, noting: “FSU has backed me at every turn.”
Castro’s research focuses on promoting sustainability via electrochemical processes, a foundation he plans to enhance by refining electrochemical transformations and developing technologies for large-scale environmental remediation. This fall, he intends to begin his doctoral studies in chemical engineering at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering.
“I’m extremely honored and thankful to accept this fellowship. Beyond validating my efforts, it signifies the culmination of years of diligent work across my coursework, research, and extracurricular pursuits.”
– Sebastian Castro
“I’m extremely honored and thankful to receive this fellowship,” Castro remarked. “Beyond the validation of my efforts, it signifies the culmination of years of diligent work across my coursework, research, and extracurricular pursuits. After attaining my doctorate, I plan to work in industry, where I aspire to assist in the global energy transition. My aim is to tackle significant challenges in the design and optimization of electrochemical devices to facilitate their widespread implementation in industry.”
Nicholas Volya (B.S. ‘23 biochemistry) has concentrated on advancing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) through the innovation of radiofrequency amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (RASER) technology while at FSU. His research aims to redesign the MRI detector cavity and utilize RASER physics.
A Tallahassee local, Volya is a third-year doctoral student in physical chemistry at North Carolina State University.
“FSU significantly shaped my academic and scientific journey. Each professor motivated and challenged me to think with clarity and precision.”
– Nicholas Volya
“FSU significantly affected my academic and scientific journey,” he said. “Every professor motivated and challenged me to think with clarity and precision, especially my undergraduate Principal Investigator, Robert Lazenby. He provided the encouragement and resources that permitted me to fully engage with research, and I was proud to be part of his lab during my undergraduate years.”
The NSF GRFP fellowship will back Volya’s current research in the Thesis Lab at North Carolina State University and his aspirations for a career as a research professor.
“My work on RASER technology is thrilling, and I believe it has the potential to fundamentally alter MRI performance,” Volya stated. “If successful, it could reshape the methodology of all magnetic resonance experiments — an ambitious but inspiring prospect. My long-term ambition is to pass on the knowledge and support I have received by becoming a mentor myself.”
Brandon Patron (B.S. ‘20 biological science) will return to FSU in the fall to commence his doctorate in clinical psychology, where he will investigate the effects of early life adversity on adolescent psychological development, considering underlying neurobiological mechanisms.
“FSU, and specifically the Children’s Learning Clinic, has provided outstanding mentors and support,” stated Patron regarding the intersection of his biological and psychological journey at the university. “I was fortunate to collaborate with exceptional researchers and clinicians who shared insights into intervention research and provided the time and resources needed for my NSF GRFP proposal. I also received substantial support and advice from Director and Research Faculty, Leah Singh, who assisted in reviewing my materials and offered a recommendation.”
“FSU, and particularly the Children’s Learning Clinic, has provided excellent mentors and support. I’ve had the opportunity to work with remarkable researchers and clinicians who have shared insights into intervention research.”
– Brandon Patron
Patron expresses appreciation for the NSF GRFP Fellowship, which allows him to dedicate his time to research without the usual assistantship obligations.
“This fellowship will enable me to dedicate all my additional time ensuring my research ideas are groundbreaking and novel in the literature,” Patron said. “It validates my work and assures me that I truly deserve a career in research.”
In the long run, he hopes to establish his own research clinic, akin to FSU’s Children’s Learning Clinic, to serve the community, conduct intervention research, and develop precision medicine in response.
“My clinic would differ in that it would concentrate more on the impacts of early life adversity on pathways, such as those of stress and emotion regulation, and how interventions involving both parent and child can be customized more to fit the individual family,” Patron stated.
Luis E. Blanco (B.S. ‘18 chemical engineering) completed his undergraduate education at FSU, where he specialized in computational protein engineering, biomechanics, and microfluidics. Following graduation, he co-founded the startup Diatech Diabetes with fellow FSU alumnus John Wilcox. The company addresses the challenges faced by patients utilizing diabetes care technology.
“FSU is genuinely special in how effortless it is to forge close friendships and get involved,” Blanco said. “I learned to apply for jobs, initiated my company, met my wife, and established lifelong friendships. I constantly tell others: ‘FSU attracts some of the brightest and most talented individuals who also know how to enjoy life.’ That combination fostered an environment where I felt inspired, supported, and encouraged to aspire for greater things.”
“FSU is truly unique in how easy it is to nurture close friendships and engage. I learned to apply for jobs, I established my company, met my wife, and formed lasting friendships.”
– Luis E. Blanco
Blanco has mainly focused on infusion monitoring systems, spearheading the development of machine learning algorithms to identify insulin delivery failures and carrying out preclinical studies alongside designing sensor-driven research tools.
“Acquiring the NSF GRFP is indeed transformative, for me and my family,” Blanco remarked. “The fellowship has granted me clarity, confidence, and financial resources to fully dedicate myself to this upcoming chapter of my life. At Diatech, we’ve consistently prioritized research and have published several articles over the years, and seeking a doctoral degree will enhance and formalize the skills I’ve developed there.
Blanco is set to begin a doctorate in mechanical engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) under the guidance of Mechanical Engineering Professor Sumita Pennathur. He aims to expand upon his experience by exploring emerging fields such as nanotechnology, AI, and optics.
“This award provides rare flexibility, allowing me to intentionally design a project that is both technically ambitious and personally rewarding while fostering meaningful collaborations across UCSB,” he stated.
The post Florida State University students awarded prestigious NSF fellowship appeared first on Florida State University News.