By Kaylee Engle
Communications Student Assistant
Two Kansas State University College of Arts & Sciences students have received awards and recognition from the National Science Foundation.
Matthew Galliart, graduate student in biology, Hutchinson, Kan., State, received a 2015 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Ryan Greenway, also a graduate student in biology, Amarillo, Tex., received an honorable mention from the foundation.
The Graduate Research Fellowship award recognizes outstanding students who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Galliart will receive more than $102,000 across three years, which includes a yearly $34,000 stipend and $12,000 in lieu of tuition and fees.
Galliart is conducting research on long-term field selection of big bluestem ecotypes in reciprocal gardens planted across the Great Plains precipitation gradient.
“Receiving the NSF GRF is a great honor and will help provide incredible resources and professional development through my graduate studies at K-State,” said Galliart.
Galliart has also recently been awarded the University Distinguished Undergraduate Award by K-State. He has also received the American Society of Plant Biologists Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, K-State Ecological Genomics Undergraduate Research and Mentoring in the Biological Sciences Program and URM Travel Award to Botanical Society of America among many other awards and grants. He graduated from Hutchinson High School in 2011, and graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in biology from Kansas State University in 2014. Galliart is the son of Shawn and Sheri Galliart, Hutchinson, Kan.
“Matt has an incredible work ethic, as well as a level of intellect and creativity rarely observed in undergraduate students, or even graduate students,” said Loretta Johnson, associate professor of biology and Galliart’s adviser.
Greenway’s research focuses on mechanisms of speciation in fish inhabiting toxic sulfide springs throughout North America, Central America and the Caribbean Islands.
Greenway graduated from Amarillo High School in 2011 and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a bachelor’s degree in zoology in 2014. He is the son of Scott and Kristi Greenway, Amarillo, Tex.
“It’s great to hear that the National Science Foundation thinks my research is interesting and headed in the right direction. I will continue working on my projects and apply for the GRFP again this fall.”
