Dayton Engineer
OSGC Master's Fellowship Awarded to Two UD Students
By Tayte Miller, marketing communications intern
When it comes to prestigious awards, the Ohio Space Grant Consortium Master’s Fellowship is at the top of the list for students seeking graduate degrees in STEM-related disciplines. This year, two of the five students awarded in Ohio were from the University of Dayton.
Established in 1989, the Ohio Space Grant Consortium (OSGC) enhances opportunities for Ohioans to participate in NASA STEM-related research and learning. Graduating seniors Kevin Lawson and Nick DeBortoli are 2020-2021 recipients of the fellowship.
“I was excited, grateful and relieved to have received this award,” said Lawson, who is working towards a master’s in mechanical engineering. “This was something I have been working towards, so it was nice to have it come to fruition.”
When it comes to the OSGC’s goals, their top priorities are developing a diverse STEM workforce in Ohio, engaging students and faculty in hands-on STEM research activities, and supporting collaborative STEM research for Ohio faculty and students. The consortium is composed of 24 institutions of higher learning and six community colleges in Ohio.
Included in the OSGC Master’s Fellowship is funding of $20,000 to go towards research in the student’s discipline. While the fellowship begins in the fall of 2020, they may be extended for an additional six months.
“I will be focusing my research on the mathematical modeling and validation of a nature-inspired, dynamic radiator for thermal management of small spacecrafts,” said DeBortoli, who is pursuing a master’s in mechanical engineering. “In slightly simpler terms, I will be making a Python model of a system to regulate the temperature of small satellites, specifically CubeSats.”
Lawson’s proposed research focuses on material modeling – specifically, predictive modeling of additively manufactured materials for various applications.
When it came to applying for the fellowship, students submitted resumes, transcripts, personal statements and detailed research proposals. Applications first went through an internal board at UD before being sent to OSGC. Robert Wilkens, associate dean for research and innovation, is the campus representative for the program, a role that includes advertising the program, reviewing applications, processing forms and helping guide students throughout the process.
“Research helps to increase understanding and to expand the boundaries of knowledge,” said Wilkens. “The funding, connections, statewide presentations and the prestige of this award are extremely beneficial.”
Both Lawson and DeBortoli agreed that completing their master’s at UD offers great opportunities, as they experienced firsthand as Flyers during their undergrad years. As one of the top universities in the nation for sponsored engineering research and development, UD has connections with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as well as dedicated faculty who offer countless resources.
In the future, DeBortoli hopes to enter the aerospace field working on robotic systems – the most important thing to him is to learn as much as possible while in school. Lawson hopes to build a career in research and development in the aerospace or defense sectors.
“I want to thank my family for getting me where I am today,” said DeBortoli. “Without their guidance and assistance, I would have barely made it through my undergrad, let alone my master’s. I also want to thank the most important person in me receiving this fellowship: Dr. Rydge Mulford. Without Dr. Mulford’s mentorship and impressive work, I would have never heard of the OSGC and probably would not have gone to grad school at UD. So, thank you, Dr. Mulford, from the bottom of my heart.”
“Dr. Robert Lowe has been a great help, both as a professor and an adviser,” said Lawson. “His support has been integral in identifying and making possible a lot of the opportunities I’ve had.”
Congratulations to both Kevin Lawson and Nick DeBortoli – your hard work and dedication has not gone unnoticed.