Physics Undergraduate Bob Penna Wins Churchill Scholarship to go to Cambridge.
We have been informed the Robert F. Penna (undergraduate class of 2007) has won a Churchill Scholarship to go to Cambridge. Penna is pursuing a B.S. in Physics as well as an Honors B.A. in Mathematics.
In 2004, Penna was first recognized for his outstanding research by the award of the Schlumberger Scholarship, $1,000/yr (renewable for three years) from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) Foundation. In 2005, while a sophomnore, Penna was named a Barry M. Goldwater Scholar (see Dept. News Story). Penna was the only UR Goldwater Scholar in that year's competition. The Goldwater Scholarship is a federally sponsored undergraduate scholarship and recognizes outstanding achievement and research promise in math, science, and engineering.
Penna has co-authored a research paper in a refereed journal. In 2005, Penna and his advisor Professor Alice Quillen published a paper in the Journal of Geophysical Research, Space Sciences. The paper, "The Decay of Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections and Forbush Decrease Recovery Times" by R. F. Penna and A. C. Quillen, is available on line on the Los Alamos Preprint Server (astro-ph/0411588). (See Dept News Story).
Penna has also worked with Professors Kevin McFarland and Alice Quillen on the PARTICLE progam. PARTICLE is a summer and academic year program for high school teachers and students. See: http://www.pas.rochester.edu/particle.
Penna has served as social chair and tutor for the Society of Physics Students and is also active in the Society of Undergraduate Math Students. His current research is with Prof. Eric Blackman and they are studying MHD turbulence in accretion disks.
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For information on senior year and beyond fellowships see:
http://www.rochester.edu/College/CCAS/fellowships/
http://www.rochester.edu/College/CCAS/fellowships/seniorgrad.html
In particular the following is information on the Churchill fellowship.
Winston Churchill Scholarship http://www.winstonchurchillfoundation.org/Index.html
For seniors, current graduate students, and recent graduates in engineering, mathematics, or science fields. U.S. citizenship required.
Supports one year of graduate study at University of Cambridge .
Selection based on academic achievement ( minimum 3.9 GPA recommended ); GRE scores; recommendation letters; capacity for original, creative work; character; adaptability; demonstrated leadership; and concern for critical problems of society.
UR nomination required; two candidates may be nominated .
Campus application deadline is September 30 th .
Fellowships Preliminary Application not required; interested students should contact Dean Suzanne O'Brien (sjob@mail.rochester.edu), 275-2354, in Academic Support, prior to the campus deadline.
10 Churchill Scholars selected each year.
Article submitted by:
Arie Bodek
1/22/07; 7:13:21 PM