Schmidt College of Science Invests in the Next Generation of Scientists and Problem Solvers

To ensure a brighter future for our students, the field of science, and society, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science has invested $1.52 million in 2023 to place tomorrow’s scientists on a path to success, across all collegiate levels of learning. The funding supports undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers. The College is committed to investing in the next generation of scientists, problem solvers, leaders, and policy makers.

“The development of society relies on the continuous progress of science,” expressed Dean Valery Forbes, Ph.D. “A healthy research environment is crucial for the development of future scientists, and we are dedicating funding to ensure our students succeed and are leading the way. I am immensely pleased that we offer college students at all levels unique experiential learning opportunities and specialized skills to maximize their potential and be prepared for the challenges of tomorrow. We are also excited about our new Jumpstart Postdoctoral Program that is helping launch novel research collaborations with colleagues across FAU, and our faculty and graduate students.”

Beginning this summer, the College has partnered with Florida Atlantic’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry (OURI) to provide an additional 10 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF), boosting the total 2023 SURF enrollment to 22 students. SURF projects are 10-week, intensive summer immersion research experiences for an FAU undergraduate student and faculty mentor. Each SURF award allocates $4,000 in support of each chosen project.  View the list of awardees.

The Schmidt College of Science is also making a concerted investment in graduate assistants, with over $700,000 invested to bolster stipends in 2023. The College supports over 360 graduate research assistants and graduate teaching assistants who benefit from the stipend increase. This was an important step toward ensuring that Schmidt College of Science graduate assistants receive a competitive monthly stipend, allowing the College faculty to recruit the top graduate students both nationally and globally.

“Graduate students are often the drivers of scientific advancements and breakthroughs,” said Zhixiao Xie, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Professor of Geosciences, Schmidt College of Science. “Investing in them is an investment in the future. In an increasingly interconnected world, boosting graduate student stipends will help attract and retain top talent, maintain our competitive edge in advancing science, and tackle the pressing issues facing our society.”

Earlier this spring, Dean Forbes announced the awardees of the Schmidt College of Science’s inaugural Jumpstart Postdoctoral Program. The initiative aims to “jumpstart” novel multidisciplinary research collaborations between faculty and postdoctoral associates across the University and beyond. The College dedicated $780,000 towards the Jumpstart Postdoctoral Program, which was announced in Fall 2022 and awarded in Spring 2023. The College hopes to be able to continue the program in future years. The program is designed to facilitate successful award applications from promising postdoctoral researchers with diverse backgrounds to solve some of today’s complex societal challenges, which increasingly requires multidisciplinary and team-based approaches.

FAU is the most diverse public university in the state of Florida, and the Schmidt College of Science is home to the most diverse population of students across all the colleges at Florida Atlantic. The Schmidt College of Science also boasts the highest number of undergraduate researchers of any college at FAU. Continuing to Invest in our next generation of scientists is a top priority for the College.

FAU Schmidt College of Science 2023 Summer SURF participants and their faculty mentors are:

Student Fellow: Joseph Swaress
Faculty Mentor: Rindy Anderson, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Student Fellow: Gustavo Mundim
Faculty Mentor: Mare Cudic, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Student Fellow: Isabella Klopukh
Faculty Mentor: Kevin Darby, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Student Fellow: Martha Torres
Faculty Mentor: Evelyn Frazier, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Student Fellow: Diannelle Lacambra-Rivera
Faculty Mentor: Vivian Merk, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Student Fellow: Adam Zaidan
Faculty Mentor: Jason Mireles-James, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Student Fellow: Carter Sale
Faculty Mentors: Aliza Sloan and Scott Kelso, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Student Fellow: Marli Knox
Faculty Mentor: Robert Stackman, Jr., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Student Fellow: Nicholas McInchak
Faculty Mentor: Maciej Stawikowski, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Student Fellow: Paige DeForest
Faculty Mentor: Carmen Varela, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Student Fellow: Adam Burjan
Faculty Mentor: Ilyas Yildirim, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Student Fellow: Mia Michnik
Faculty Mentor: Xing-Hai Zhang, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science

Student Fellow: August Stone
Faculty Mentor: Meredith Ellis, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

Student Fellow: Florinda Cano
Faculty Mentor: Yolanda Gamboa, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

Student Fellow: Emily Seigelman
Faculty Mentor: Neeraj Puro, College of Business

Student Fellow: Alexis Crowder
Faculty Mentor: Michael DeDonno, College of Education

Student Fellow: Laura Rojas
Faculty Mentor: Masoud Jahandar Lashaki, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Student Fellow: Sofia Wiskoff
Faculty Mentor: Myeongsub (Mike) Kim, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Student Fellow: Camila Rimoldi Ibanez
Faculty Mentor: Andia Chaves Fonnegra, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

Student Fellow: Arthi Khan
Faculty Mentor: Ceylan Isgor, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine

Student Fellow: Maria Merlano Gomez
Faculty Mentor: Julie Pilitsis, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine

Student Fellow: Theodora Tertus
Faculty Mentor: Christine Toledo, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing