Lauren Iskander 鈥�25 ChE Awarded Prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship
Lauren Iskander 鈥�25 ChE has been named a 2025 fellow of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). The highly competitive program supports full-time graduate students pursuing research-based degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, to strengthen the scientific workforce in the US.
The five-year fellowship includes three years of financial support with a $37,000 annual stipend. Iskander, who will pursue a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University, has been involved in research since high school and viewed the NSF GRFP as one of her most significant goals.
鈥淲hen I found out I received the NSF GRFP, I felt incredibly grateful for the opportunities provided to me by 奶糖直播 that made this achievement possible,鈥� Iskander said.
As an undergraduate student in Chemical and Biological Engineering at 奶糖直播, Iskander received a through the Fulbright Canada鈥揗itacs Globalink Program to conduct neuroscience research in Montreal. She aims to utilize the NSF GRFP fellowship to bridge the gap between engineering and neuroscience by developing technologies that restore function and enhance the quality of life for individuals affected by neurodegenerative diseases or injuries. Iskander is also deeply committed to ensuring that the solutions she creates are accessible and inclusive for all communities.
鈥淧ersonally, winning this award was a strong affirmation of the values that drove me to pursue research: curiosity, resilience and a desire to improve the lives of others through science,鈥� Iskander said. 鈥淧rofessionally, this fellowship opens doors for me to pursue bold, interdisciplinary questions in neuroengineering that can hopefully change the lives of many for the better.鈥�