{"id":109022,"date":"2020-05-01T08:00:12","date_gmt":"2020-05-01T12:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=109022"},"modified":"2020-05-21T15:53:04","modified_gmt":"2020-05-21T19:53:04","slug":"15-ucf-students-named-national-science-foundation-graduate-research-fellows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/15-ucf-students-named-national-science-foundation-graduate-research-fellows\/","title":{"rendered":"15 UCF Students Named National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellows"},"content":{"rendered":"

Angelina Leary, a student in UCF\u2019s clinical psychology doctoral program<\/a>, is one of 15 students at the university named a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow.<\/p>\n

The NSF program recognizes outstanding students who have demonstrated significant achievements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The students are either in their senior year of college and plan to continue their education or already in their first year of graduate school.<\/p>\n

The NSF awarded only 2,076 fellowships nationwide. Recipients get funding that covers their college tuition and fees for three years in addition to a monthly stipend. The idea is that with most costs covered, students can focus on their innovative research as they complete their advanced degrees. For UCF students this year, it represents more than $2 million in funding.<\/p>\n

\u201cResearch is a vital part of preparing our students,\u201d says Elizabeth Klonoff, vice president for the Office of Research<\/a> at UCF. \u201cI\u2019ve been an NSF reviewer for these fellowships. I know how tough the competition is and to have so many of our students selected speaks to the quality of our students and our research mentoring.\u201d<\/p>\n

The recipients have until May 7 to decide where they will go to graduate school. But for Leary, there was no question she would continue at UCF.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce a Knight, always a Knight,\u201d she says proudly. She credits the faculty for her decision to complete her doctoral work at UCF.<\/p>\n

They have challenged her in her academic pursuits and fueled her passion to dismantle stigmas and increase the presence of people with disability\/chronic illnesses in graduate programs, she says.<\/p>\n

Leary was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in her senior year of high school. Since then she has been working with organizations to advocate for students with disabilities.<\/p>\n

Her passion for improving lives is also a theme in her doctoral research.<\/p>\n

Leary uses the REALE (Risk, Eating & Addiction Longitundinally Examined Through In situ Momentary Experiences) Time Lab<\/a> in the Department of Psychology<\/a>, which the Substance Use Research Group at UCF uses to develop and test brief motivation interventions to increase healthy behaviors.<\/p>\n