Five UC Riverside Highlanders have been selected for the 2026 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program, or NSF GRFP.
The fellowship supports students pursuing full-time, research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, fields at accredited U.S. institutions.
This competitive award has a 16% acceptance rate, and candidates must demonstrate the potential to be high-achieving scientists and engineers. Fellows are anticipated to become experts who contribute significantly to research, teaching, and innovations in STEM to maintain and advance the nation’s technological infrastructure and national security, as well as contribute to the economic well-being of society.
The five-year fellowships provide awardees with $159,000 to support their graduate studies, which includes a cost-of-education allowance and stipend.
Since the GRFP’s establishment in 1952, 42 fellows have gone on to become Nobel laureates and more than 450 have become members of the National Academy of Sciences. The program has a high rate of degree completion, with 90-95% of fellows completing their doctoral degrees within 8-10 years.
Since the 2013 establishment of UCR’s Undergraduate Education Prestigious Scholarships & Awards Office, 94 UCR undergraduates and 68 graduate students have received GRFP awards.
The program is open to current graduate students and fourth-year undergrads who will pursue graduate school. Although GRFP does not require campus endorsement, the Center for Undergraduate Research & Engaged Learning, or CUREL, provides mentorship and writing support. To learn more about the application process and deadlines, visit engage.ucr.edu or nsfgrfp.org.
Meet UCR's 2026 Awardees
Undergrads (Pursuing Graduate Study)
Janna Soliman | Undergraduate | Class of 2026 | Bioengineering | BCOE
After earning a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering from UCR, Soliman will pursue a doctoral degree in bioengineering at UCSB, with the goal of becoming a professor dedicated to advancing bioengineering innovations for women’s health.
“I am honored to have received the NSF GRFP. This achievement would not have been possible without the guidance and support of my PI, Dr. Joshua Morgan, and my mentor, William Darch.” - Soliman
Jonah Damian | Undergraduate | Class of 2026 | Biochemistry | CNAS
Damian discovered his passion for both teaching and research while instructing an R’Course in 3D printing. Working closely with students from diverse backgrounds showed him the impact of hands-on learning and inspired his interest in applying 3D printing technologies to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine research. With the support of faculty mentors and research opportunities at UCR, Damian has grown as both an educator and researcher. He plans to pursue a doctoral degree at UCLA focused on 3D tissue engineering research while continuing to mentor and inspire future scientists and engineers.
“I am beyond honored to be a recipient of the NSF GRFP. I cannot wait to continue my mentorship in the future at UCLA. This could not have been possible without my past research experiences at Loma Linda University and Johns Hopkins University. Huge thank you to Dr. Kavetsky, who has been an integral help with all of my applications, as well as the MARC program at UCR for giving me the opportunity to discover my passion within research.” - Damian
Current Graduate Students
Emily Maynard | Graduate | Class of 2030 | Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology | CNAS
As a first-generation student, Maynard received a bachelor’s in biology and studio art from Clark University in 2021. After graduating, she worked for the USDA, where she developed pheromone lures for invasive beetle detection. She went on to assist with research on pollinators in tallgrass prairie at Kansas State University. Maynard joined Professor Christopher Catano’s lab in the fall and now researches plant-pollinator networks, community assembly, and functional ecology under environmental change.
“I am deeply grateful for the honor and privilege of receiving the NSF GRFP. I want to thank my mentors, Dr. Katlyn Mathis and Dr. Tania Kim, for the countless recommendation letters and draft edits. I am especially grateful for Dr. Catano’s guidance and encouragement, which made this achievement possible and continue to shape me into a better scientist.” - Maynard
Jon Wong | Graduate | Class of 2030 | Genetics, Genomics & Bioinformatics | CNAS
As an undergraduate at UCR, Wong joined Professor Martín I. García-Castro’s lab, where his exposure to developmental biology research motivated him to pursue a career in academia. Shortly after graduating, his father was diagnosed with a terminal illness, leading Wong to delay graduate studies. He remained at UCR as a technician in Professor Prue Talbot’s lab, where he grew as both a scientist and mentor. Now, as a doctoral student in the García-Castro lab, he is combining experimental and computational approaches to understanding cell identity.
“Receiving the NSF GRFP means so much to me because my proposal feels like everything I have learned and loved about science coming together. It reflects the courses that first drew me to developmental biology, the technical and computational skills I built in UCR labs, and the mentors who encouraged me to pursue my own ideas.” - Wong
Ricco Venterea | Graduate | Class of 2031 | Astronomy | CNAS
Venterea graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s in astronomy and then conducted research in Italy under a Fulbright Award before studying at UCR, where he is now pursuing a doctoral degree. He acknowledges support from UCR’s NSF GRFP Application Workshop Series. which helped him fine-tune his application as well as overall support from the Department of Physics and Astronomy. He hopes to eventually work as a research scientist at a national laboratory or university pursuing work in cosmology and/or multi-messenger astronomy.
“I am extremely honored to have received this award and am excited to continue conducting research at UCR and beyond. I would like to thank my advisor, Professor Steve Choi, for supporting me throughout this application process. I look forward to doing more research under this award.” - Venterea