Fernando Rigal Receives NSF Grad Fellowship, Rishi Lohar Receives NDSEG Fellowship

Illinois Physics graduate student Fernando Rigal was awarded a 2023 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, and Illinois Physics graduate student Rishi Lohar was awarded a 2023 National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship. Only roughly 2500 NSF Grad Fellowships were awarded nationally. Incoming Illinois Physics graduate student Freddy Hancock also received a 2023 NSF Grad Fellowship and current 1st-year Illinois Physics graduate student Keshav Kapoor earned an Honorable Mention distinction for the 2023 NSF Grad Research Fellowship Competition.

Fernando is a 2nd-year graduate student working with Paul Selvin and Rishi is a 1st-year graduate student working with Bryce Gadway.

Fernando joins the following 19 current Illinois Physics grad students who are or have been NSF graduate fellowship recipients: Adam Bauer, Ryan Bugocki, Brandon Buncher, Mari Cieszynski, Bryce Cousins, Michael Highman, Daniel Inafuku, Kevin Kleiner, Colin Lualdi, Julian May-Mann, Debora Mroczek, Rachel Nguyen, Kathleen Oolman, Randy Owen, Kristen Schumacher, Saavanth Velury, Laura Wadleigh, Michael Wentzel, and Garrett Williams. Rishi joins Rachel Birchmier as the second current Physics Graduate Student holding an NDSEG Fellowship.