Thanks to the generosity of individual and corporate sponsors, the Department of Chemistry is happy to be able to provide opportunities to recognize and award graduate students for their achievements in both academics and research. Below you will find a listing of the current fellowships and awards available to in-stream graduate students.
The Cotton-Uphaus Award
This award was established through the estate of Prof. Therese Cotton, a member of the Department of Chemistry faculty. Her research was in analytical chemistry. Dr. Uphaus was a scientist with Ames Lab, and the husband of Prof. Cotton. He preceded her in death.
A student is eligible if she or he has not yet completed the third year of graduate study. The student may be an MS or PhD student, and may or may not have passed the preliminary exams. Students enter/nominate themselves by presenting a poster during the first Open House Poster Session. Three to five finalists will be chosen from the poster competition by a judging committee made up of the previous year’s finalists and an equal number of faculty members. The finalists will present 15 minute talks during a seminar, and the winner will be chosen by the judging committee based on the talks given.
The following awards and fellowships are determined by faculty nominations submitted to the Graduate Activities Committee each spring semester. The recipients are recognized in the Annual Spring Awards Ceremony.
ISU Teaching Excellence Award
The purpose of these awards is to recognize and encourage outstanding achievement by graduate students in teaching. The intent is to recognize up to 10% of the graduate students involved in teaching each year. The program is administered by the Graduate College with additional support from the Graduate and Professional Student Senate. Each Teaching Excellence Award consists of a letter of commendation from the ISU President and a certificate of achievement signed by the ISU President and the Graduate Dean. Probably many teaching excellence winners will not be graduating at the time these awards are given, but recipients will also be recognized at the time of their graduation – each will be given an honor cord, cited in the ISU Commencement Program and recognized during the ceremony; the award is also be noted on the student’s transcript. At the end of each term a formal photograph is taken of recipients with the ISU President, the Provost and/or the Graduate Dean.
ISU Research Excellence Award
The purpose of these awards is to recognize graduate students at the time of their graduation for outstanding research accomplishments as documented in their theses and dissertations. These students are also expected to be academically superior and able to not only do research, but develop a well-written product. The intent of this program is to recognize up to 10% of graduating students who have submitted theses and dissertations. The Research Excellence Program is administered by the Graduate College with additional support from the Graduate and Professional Student Senate. Each Research Excellence Award consists of a letter of commendation from the ISU President and a certificate of achievement signed by the Graduate Dean and the ISU President. Recipients are recognized at Commencement – each is given an honor cord, cited in the ISU Commencement Program and recognized during the ceremony; the award is also noted on the student’s transcript. Each term a formal photograph is taken of recipients with the ISU President, the Provost, and/or the Graduate Dean.
The Alpha Chi Sigma Research Award
This award was established in 1980 to benefit both the Departments of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering through an endowment sponsored by Alpha Chi of Alpha Chi Sigma, Inc. and then president Prof. Harry Svec and treasurer Prof. Harvey Diehl. To support research fellowships in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. This annual award is given to graduate students to recognize outstanding research. Nomination by major professor and is given to one person in each discipline to recognize outstanding research contributions. Although all students are eligible, by the nature of the award the awardees are most likely to be in their last year of graduate work. An honorarium is also awarded to the student(s) based on current funding.
The Chevron Phillips Fellowship Award
Established in 2004, Chevron Phillips makes available each year funds to sponsor fellowships and professional development to help promote study in chemistry at the doctoral level. All graduate students are eligible for the fellowship, although the sponsor has indicated a preference for awardees that might fit within Chevron Phillips employment picture. Nomination by major professor and is based on research progress. An honorarium is also awarded to the student(s) based on current funding.
The Arthur P. Hellwig Memorial Endowment Fund for Chemistry
Edna Hellwig Graham established The Arthur P. Hellwig Memorial Endowment Fund for Chemistry in 1987 to honor Dr. Hellwig, Ph.D. 1933. The endowment has been used to recognize the best of the present incoming class just completing their second semester in residence in either academics and/or research. Nomination by major professor and is reserved for first year graduate students. An honorarium is also awarded to the student based on current funding.
The Noble Hines Endowed Graduate Fellowship
Mr. Hines received his MS in 1925 from Iowa State University and then proceeded to Detroit, where he was employed as a chemist. During his stay there he helped to formulate Vernor’s Ginger Ale, a very popular soft drink at the time. But his first love was teaching, and when the opportunity presented itself, he left Detroit to assume a position on the faculty at Long Beach City College in California. He remained a very well respected member of the chemistry faculty there for the rest of his career Prof. Hines and his wife Ruth Ball had no children of their own, but he became a "father figure" to many of his students. An ardent ping pong and bridge player, he often had students over to his home to play. He and Mrs. Hines delighted in their contact with young people, and they remained a major concern of his to the last days of his life. Nomination by major professor, this fellowship shall be made to graduate students entering or attending Iowa State University and studying in the Department of Chemistry. An honorarium is awarded to the student(s) based on current funding.
The Frank J. Moore and Thoreen Beth Moore Fellowship
Dr. Moore finished his Ph.D. in plant chemistry in 1940 with Prof. Johns and began work with Texaco in Port Arthur, Texas in the refining fuels laboratory. In 1945, he went to Texaco’s Beacon Research Lab in Glenham, NY. In 1960, he became Director of the Fuel Group in Beacon; he was later appointed Director of the Gent Research Laboratory in Gent, Belgium. In 1972 he returned to Houston where he eventually retired from the Corporate Office. Dr. Moore’s passion outside of science was golf of which upon retirement he played every day. Nomination by major professor, this fellowship shall be made to graduate students entering or attending Iowa State University and studying in the Department of Chemistry. An honorarium is awarded to the student(s) based on current funding.
The Edward V. Sayre Chemistry Scholarship
Edward V. Sayre advanced the study of archaeology through the development of statistical evaluation techniques and the application of nuclear analytical methods to questions of provenance and trade. Sayre developed the archaeological chemistry program of the Brookhaven National Laboratory to apply neutron activation analysis to study of compositional patterning for a wide variety of material and artifactual types. Dr. Sayre was raised in Iowa; BS 1941 Iowa State College in Chemical Technology, worked on the Manhattan project from 1942 to 1945, and after the war completed his Ph.D. at Columbia University in the physical chemistry of rare earth elements. He worked at the Kodak Research Laboratory for a time, and then became a senior chemist at Brookhaven National Laboratory in 1952. In addition to his duties at Brookhaven, he taught the chemistry of conservation at the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. Sayre became Director of the Research Laboratory at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston from 1974 until 1984. After his retirement in 1984, Sayre took on another job – that of directing and influencing archaeological and conservation research at the Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education. (Biographical information from the Archeological Institute of America). Nomination by major professor, this fellowship shall be made to graduate students entering or attending Iowa State University and studying in the Department of Chemistry.. An honorarium is awarded to the student(s) based on current funding.
The Sleight Graduate Student Chemistry Scholarship
Norman R. Sleight established the scholarship in the name of his wife, Alethea. Alethea Elizabeth Paul was born September 25, 1915. She transferred to Iowa State College (University) as a sophomore in 1937 after first taking classes at Muscatine Junior (Community) College in Iowa. As a student at Iowa State, Alethea was active in Sigma Alpha Iota (national music fraternity), Home Economics Club, Campus 4-H Council, Dormitory Council, Mixed Chorus, Women’s Glee Club, and Y.W.C.A. Alethea received her B.S. (1939) in dietetics from Iowa State. Alethea married Norman Sleight, who studied graduate-level chemistry at Iowa State from 1940 until 1942. Together they had two children, Douglas and Susanne. Alethea was a homemaker and Norman retired as Regional VP for State Farm Inusrance. The fund will provide an annual scholarship to a graduate student studying chemistry at ISU. Preference will be given to applicants whose undergraduate degree is from a College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. An honorarium is awarded to the student(s) based on current funding.
The Women in Chemistry Award
Dr. Marguerite Fling earned her PhD in 1946 in bio and organic chemistry with Prof. Fox. One of her more notable classmates who graduated at the same time was Prof. Samuel Massie (Gilman). Dr. Fling was a senior research fellow in the biology Division at Caltech in the lab of Dr. Norman Horowitz until she retired in 1986. Women who are or will enroll as full-time graduate students. The original award was made through a bequest of Dr. Marguerite O. Fling through the Graduate College and was first awarded in 1988. Nomination by major professor, this fellowship shall be made to graduate students studying in the Department of Chemistry. An honorarium is also awarded to the student(s) based on current funding.
The Mary K. and Velmer A. Fassel Fellowship**
Velmer Fassel enrolled in graduate school at Iowa State College in 1941 and was recruited for Project 1050, which was the production of uranium metal for the Manhattan Project. In 1943 he married Mary. After WWII he graduated with a PhD in physical chemistry. He joined the faculty of ISC in 1949 in analytical chemistry and was named a group leader in the continuation of the scientific effort of the Manhattan Project which evolved in to the Ames Laboratory (DOE). He was named Distinguished Professor in 1976. He is well known for his pioneering work on inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy. The fund recognizes the accomplishments and celebrates the memory of Velmer A. Fassel, a graduate and distinguished professor of chemistry at ISU. Nomination by major professor, this fellowship is to provide financial assistance to deserving graduate students in the Ph.D. track majoring in analytical chemistry. Nomination by major professor and is based on academic/research progress. Selection will be made by the graduate committee based upon the recommendation of the analytical chemistry faculty. An honorarium is also awarded to the student(s) based on current funding.
The Joseph F. Nelson Fellowship**
Research performance is to be the sole criterion for selection of the awardee. Dr. Nelson received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Iowa State University in 1937 under Dr. Gilman. He was employed with Esso Research and Engineering Co. (Exxon), where he conducted research making synthetic rubber, detergents and other chemicals from petroleum. He was the inventor and co-inventor of 81 U.S. patents on chemicals, rubber and detergents made from petroleum. Nomination by major professor. All graduate students in chemistry are eligible for this fellowship. Students need not have passed the preliminary exams; therefore, first- and second-year students are eligible. An honorarium is also awarded to the student(s) based on current funding.
The Dr. Ching Ching Chiu Doctoral Fellowship for Women in Chemistry**
Research performance is to be the sole criterion for selection of the awardee. The Chiu Family has established this fellowship in honor of their wife/mother, Dr. Ching Ching Chiu, who completed her Ph.D. in Chemistry at Iowa State University in 1969 under the direction of Prof. Walter Trahanovsky. At this time she was one of a few women in the Doctoral Chemistry program and the family would like to support other women in their pursuit of doctoral degrees in chemistry. At the time of her passing Dr. Chiu was the Associate Director of Regulatory Affairs for Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. Nomination by major professor. All female graduate students in chemistry are eligible for this fellowship. Students need not have passed the preliminary exams; therefore, first- and second-year students are eligible.
The Henry Gilman Fellowship**
Prof. Gilman’s contributions to research are numerous and outstanding, including 1,000 separate articles and books. The principal themes have been organometallic and heterocyclic chemistry. Starting from a few scattered observations in the literature and inspired by the preparation of the Grignard reagents, Gilman developed that branch of science now known as organometallic chemistry. Nomination by major professor. All graduate students in chemistry are eligible for this fellowship. Students need not have passed the preliminary exams; therefore, first- and second-year students are eligible. Research performance is to be the sole criterion for selection of the awardee. An honorarium is also awarded to the student(s) based on current funding.
** The Fassel (Analytical), Gilman and Nelson awards have been historically reserved for graduate students who have had outstanding achievement in their research to this point in their graduate career. We have had younger students receive this honor in the past, but primarily it has been reserved for those students who are well into their PhD thesis work – usually those that are mid-career so they may take advantage of the 12 month tuition and fees