Nelson Walker receives NSF award
Nelson Walker has been awarded an honorable mention for National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). This is a highly competetitve national program that recruits high-potential, early-career scientists and engineers and supports their graduate research training in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Nelson was selected from more than 12,000 applicants from all 50 U.S. states, as well as the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.
Nelson is one of six current Kansas State University students and two alumni who are among the National Science Foundation's 2018 Graduate Research Fellows and honorable mentions. "The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship is one of the most prestigious recognitions for graduate students and represents a national investment in our STEM workforce," said Beth Montelone, senior associate vice president for research at Kansas State University.
As an undergraduate student at K-State, Nelson modeled the effects of age, gender and genetic variation on tooth decay in rural Appalachian residents. He also researched the feasibility of using remote sensing satellite data to improve air pollution prediction models during a graduate research experience with the Statistical and Applied Mathematical Sciences Institute.
Nelson is currently working with Dr. Trevor Hefley, assistant professor of statistics, to develop methods to correct bias in statistical models caused by location error. His efforts this past year were funded through the Lolafaye Coyne Statistics Graduate Research Scholarship and he is receiving the Graduate School's Timothy R. Donoghue Graduate Scholarship. Nelson will complete his master's degree in statistics this summer and begin his doctorate at Kansas State University in the fall.
More information about KSU recipients of this awardhttps://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/2018-04/nsfgrfp41118.html
More information about NSF Graduate Research Fellowships
https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=245024&org=NSF&from=news