Self Graduate Fellowship to present research in Europe
LAWRENCE — The Madison and Lila Self Graduate Fellowship at the University of Kansas will travel to Europe for the inaugural Self Graduate Fellowship International Seminar from May 14 to 23.
The 2024 international seminar will take place in Paris; Brussels; and Frankfurt and Darmstadt, Germany. The seminar attendees include 23 Self doctoral students.
On May 21, the Self Graduate Fellows will present their research at Sorbonne University, Campus des Cordeliers in the cloitre. Guests are invited to join the Self Graduate Fellowship, in partnership with the KU Alumni Association, for the poster presentations and a KU networking reception for Jayhawks abroad. Those interested may RSVP here or share the link with colleagues in the Paris area.
The fellowship is a community of doctoral student leaders selected to receive four years of financial and professional development support. This merit-based program is made up of an interdisciplinary group of fellows from 22 eligible academic fields.
The Fellow Development Program provides general education and training in communication, management, innovation, policy and leadership to train Self Graduate Fellows for leadership roles. For nearly 30 years, the fellowship has traveled to Washington, D.C., for a customized government and science policy seminar. In 2024, an international seminar was added to include cultural competency on a global stage.
This seminar will take place every other year in May with fellows participating in their second or third year in the fellowship. Future international site locations may vary. Through tours and speakers, fellows will learn about the unique structures of the host country’s academia, industries and government as well as regional history.
The Self Graduate Fellows presenting in Paris at Sorbonne University:
- Alexandra Berkowicz, biochemistry and molecular biology, KU Medical Center
- Skylar Bird, cell biology and physiology, KU Medical Center
- Reb Bryant, ecology and evolutionary biology
- Aleesa Chua, chemistry
- Grant Downes, bioengineering
- Nick Ferry, geology
- Grahmm Funk, pharmaceutical chemistry
- Kara Hageman, bioengineering
- Madeline Isom, chemistry
- Samuel Lim, computational biology
- Megan Myers, microbiology, molecular genetics and immunology, KU Medical Center
- Diana Najera, cell biology and physiology, KU Medical Center
- Kip Nielsen, atmospheric science
- Daniel Owen, aerospace engineering
- Kelly Pfeiler, ecology and evolutionary biology
- Scott Ring, mechanical engineering
- Emily Roberts, molecular and integrative physiology, KU Medical Center
- Bryan Rodriguez Colon, geology
- Mikayla Smith, pharmaceutical chemistry
- Lillian Springer, economics
- Lee Taylor, electrical engineering
- Megan Wittman, environmental engineering.
About the Self Graduate Fellowship
The late Madison “Al” and Lila Self launched and permanently endowed the Self Graduate Fellowship in 1989, motivated by their strong belief in the vital importance of developing leadership for tomorrow. Madison Self was a 1943 KU graduate in chemical engineering. Lila Self attended KU with the Class of 1943.