The National Science Foundation awarded Iona College a $649,631 grant for scholarships for undergraduate students majoring in chemistry and computer science.
The grant is part of the National Science Foundation”™s S-STEM Program aimed at increasing the number of college students pursuing education and careers in science, technology, engineering and math. Â
With the award, Iona will create a program called Development of Excellence in Science through Intervention, Resilience, and Enrichment (DESIRE). Through the program, the college will give scholarships to students majoring in chemistry or computer science with financial need and high academic aptitude.Â
“We hope our program will provide an exemplary model that can be adapted to many other higher education disciplines and demonstrate successful STEM graduates,” said Sunghee Lee, Iona College board of trustees endowed professor and chair of chemistry.
Lubomir Ivanov, a professor of computer science, said the grant represents an outstanding opportunity for select students to achieve success by working closely with faculty members.Â
“The students will engage in cutting-edge research on faculty-led interdisciplinary projects, which have the potential to further scientific knowledge and to benefit people everywhere,” Ivanov said. “For the S-STEM faculty, the grant presents an excellent opportunity to work with bright students and to be able to influence their academic and professional careers.”
