Press Release

Murillo Wins National Graduate Award

 

AMES, Iowa–The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Inc. (SHPE) has selected Oscar Murillo, a PhD student at Iowa State University, as the doctoral recipient of the 2007 SHPE/GEM Graduate Award. This $5,000 scholarship award recognizes outstanding students who are pursuing advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.

Murillo, a National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science (GEM) Fellow, came to Iowa State in 2003 from El Mirage, Arizona. He earned his master’s of engineering in aerospace engineering in December 2005 and then began his PhD program with an emphasis on control systems. In support of his doctoral work, Murillo was awarded a fellowship from the Alliance for Graduate Education and Professoriate, a program sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the three Iowa Regent universities.

In addition to his academic work, Murillo has gained extensive research experience over the last five summers while on co-op with NASA’s Dryden Research Center in California. He’s also played a key leadership role in the Iowa State community, helping to provide services and outlets for fellow Hispanic students.

“Oscar is an excellent choice for this award,” says Nancy Knight, director of diversity and graduate student affairs and GEM fellowship program administrator for the College of Engineering. “Oscar hit the ground running. Within weeks of his arrival in Ames, he discussed starting a Mexican American Engineers and Scientists chapter in the college. He’s also been very helpful assisting with graduate recruiting efforts.”

Murillo will be recognized at SHPE’s 2007 National Technical and Career Conference in Denver, Colorado, January 10–14.

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