Civil and Environmental Engineering PhD student Chelsea Panos has received a 2016 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF), which provides each recipient with a $34,000 annual stipend for three years, plus a $12,000 cost of education allowance and opportunities for international research and professional development.
"The Graduate Research Fellowship Program is a vital part of our efforts to foster and promote excellence in U.S. science, technology, engineering and mathematics by recognizing talent broadly from across the nation," said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, NSF assistant director for Education and Human Resources. "These awards are provided to individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant research achievements, and they are investments that will help propel this country's future innovations and economic growth."
Panos is also an alumna of Mines, as are three other 2016 GRF recipients: Ian Stone, BS in Geophysics; Erin Jones, BS in Physics; and Amy Goodson, BS in Chemical Engineering.
“I chose Mines for my graduate work because I wanted to continue working with Terri,” said Panos, referring to her advisor, Professor Terri Hogue. “I was lucky to gain research experience with ReNUWIt as an undergraduate and realized my passion is hydrology.” ReNUWIt is the interdisciplinary, multi-institution research center for Re-inventing the Nation’s Urban Water Infrastructure.
Panos will be researching the impact of development in Denver on stormwater modeling. “As more green spaces become homes, stormwater is no longer soaked into grass—instead it runs off roofs and travels over cement, often roads with oil and other pollutants, and into our water ways without any treatment,” explained Panos. “As a graduate research fellow, I will model and analyze the impact of impervious cover change due to infill development on stormwater quality and quantity. The intent of my research is to inform stormwater management decisions and regulations, particularly in the face of climate change.”
Panos is also looking forward to including participation of middle and high school students from the Denver area in her field work. “I was involved with the Society of Women Engineers as an undergrad at Mines, and hope to work with them as well as WE²NG: Water Engineering for the Next Generation to engage young students in the data collection process."
Panos was one of 2,000 individuals chosen for the award among almost 17,000 applications, according to the NSF website.
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| Chelsea Panos conducts stormwater research with her advisor, Professor Terri Hogue. |
Contact:
Deirdre Keating, Information Specialist, College of Engineering and Computational Sciences | 303-384-2358 | dkeating@mines.edu
Kathleen Morton, Digital Media and Communications Manager, Colorado School of Mines | 303-273-3088 | kmorton@mines.edu
