Around this time last year, I was putting together my application for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP). The reviews were just released, and I received neither the fellowship nor an honorable mention. I knew it was a long shot when I applied, but I’m grateful for the opportunity and for everyone who helped me give it my best effort.

My advisor, Dr. Yongmei Wang, has given me so much guidance and support, and I’m thankful to have had her encouragement throughout this process. I’m also grateful to Dr. Qianyi Cheng and Dr. Nathan DeYonker in the Chemistry Department, and to my former mathematics professor and mentor, Dr. Bhawesh Mishra, for their recommendation letters and support. Having people willing to invest their time and put their confidence in me meant a great deal.

Dr. Cheng deserves a special shoutout for saving the day. She noticed that my portion of the application was due a full week before the recommendation letters. I’m normally good about deadlines, but I would have missed this one without her diligence. There was plenty of coffee involved in this application, but coffee apparently does not read the deadline instructions for you. Thank you, Dr. Cheng!

The application took many hours of drafting, late nights, and more cups of coffee than I care to count. It also pushed me to step back from the day-to-day details of my research and think carefully about the bigger picture: what I want my project to accomplish, why it matters, and how the work I’m doing now connects to my long-term goals.

That time was not in vain. Working through those questions gave me a clearer sense of direction and concrete goals to work toward during my PhD. I’m carrying that clarity forward, along with a lot of gratitude for the people who helped me get here.

It’s always reviewer #2… except I’m pretty proud of both of these reviews. Select the image to view the ratings at full size.

And yes, I’m proud of my Good | Good and Excellent | Excellent ratings for Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts, regardless of the final outcome. There’s encouragement in that feedback, and plenty of motivation to keep going.

Thank you to everyone who supported me through the application. I’m grateful for your time, your guidance, and your belief in me—and I’m looking forward to putting what I learned to work.