FSU-PC grant to be announced

During a July 23rd press conference, Dean George DePuy will announce details of a $512,000 grant awarded to FSU Panama City by the National Science Foundation (NSF).  Funding will provide 30 FSU Panama City students enrolled in electrical, computer, civil and environmental engineering with two-year scholarships of up to $7,500 per academic year.  This is the first NSF grant received by FSU Panama City. The press conference will be held at 10:30 a.m. C.S.T. in Room 305, Barron Administration Building, FSU Panama City.
 
During academic year 2008/2009 development of the scholarship selection criteria and award processes will occur as well as establishing internship/work study programs and professional networking opportunities for recipients.
 
“We are honored to receive this significant grant from NSF and believe it recognizes the excellent engineering education available at FSU PC,” stated Dr. Korhan Adalier, Principal Investigator of the NSF grant and Program Coordinator for Civil and Environmental Engineering at FSU Panama City.  “The additional opportunities provided by the grant for students to obtain quality engineering degrees are very exciting and we are committed to supporting the NSF’s goal of increasing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates.”   
 
The first 10 scholarships will be awarded to students entering an engineering program at FSU Panama City in Fall 2009.  In 2010, 10 additional scholarships will be awarded, with a total of 20 students in the program.  The final 10 scholarship awards will occur in 2011, with 20 students served during the year.  The last cohort will graduate in 2013. 
 
The scholarships will be awarded based on financial need and academic ability.  Interested students are advised to contact the FSU Panama City Office of Financial Aid after January 6, 2009 or at the beginning of the Spring 2009 semester.   
 
With the Naval Support Warfare Center Panama City Division, Tyndall Air Force Base, Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field and numerous major defense contractors all located within approximately 50 miles of the FSU Panama City campus, graduates of the STEM programs offered at the campus are in high demand.  While these programs are all relatively new (all began less than seven years ago), FSU Panama City has produced to date 78 degreed undergraduates and 70 degreed graduate engineers.  Approximately 80% of these graduates are employed in Northwest Florida, making a significant contribution to increasing the number of STEM professionals in the region.