Eight UMBC students and alumni have been awarded the prestigious 2026 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP), a highly competitive honor that supports outstanding graduate students in STEM disciplines. This year’s large cohort of Retriever recipients demonstrates the university’s commitment to fostering research excellence and preparing students to become leaders in their fields.
The recipients are already making waves with their work. Caly Ferguson ’26, mechanical engineering, was recently named to the National Society of Black Engineers’ “25 Under 25” list and received the Barry Goldwater Scholarship in 2025. He has been working on developing an affordable and dextrous prosthetic forearm and hand with Ramana Vinjamuri, associate professor of computer science and electrical engineering.
Lesley Hernandez conducted research with Michael Summers at UMBC. Today she is a Ph.D. student at the University of Michigan in biomedical science. (Melissa Penley Cormier, M.F.A. ’17/UMBC)
Lesley Hernandez ’25, biochemistry, will use the GRFP to support her doctoral studies in biomedical science at the University of Michigan. At UMBC, she studied HIV replication with Michael Summers, professor of chemistry and biochemistry. Both Ferguson and Hernandez are Meyerhoff Scholars, and Hernandez also balances her science with a passion for Latin dance.
Peter Allen Wilschke ’24, economics and political science, is heading to graduate school after completing a two-year research assistant position at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington, DC. His research at UMBC on the complex relationships between political factors and fiscal policy garnered national attention.
Peter Wilschke (right), presented his research at the 2024 Pi Sigma Alpha National Student Research Conference. Eric Stokan (left), professor of political science and one of Wilschke’s mentors, was there to support him. (Courtesy of Carolyn Forestiere/UMBC)
Sydney Braithwaite, who completed her bachelor’s in forensic chemistry at Towson University, will bring her fellowship to UMBC for graduate study with Lee Blaney, professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering. Meredith Morse ’25, chemical engineering; Shefra Shah ’24, biochemistry and molecular biology; and Terra Miley ’25, chemical engineering, are all conducting doctoral work at the University of Delaware; Salman Mirza ’25, mechanical engineering, is pursuing a Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University.
Caly Ferguson (center) was one of three UMBC recipients of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship for the 2025 – 2026 academic year, along with Lea-Pearl Njei (right) and Jariatu Kargbo (left). (Michael Mower/UMBC)
The substantial fellowship provides three years of financial support, including an annual living stipend and funds for tuition and fees, and the recipients can take their fellowship to any institution in the U.S. That flexibility makes it easier for students to pursue exactly the research they are passionate about with faculty who share their enthusiasm, regardless of the level of resources available at the host institution.
These eight fellowships are a testament to the drive and talent of UMBC’s graduates as they take on new challenges along their research journeys. Each is in a strong position to make their mark on scientific discovery and innovation across the country.