Senator Charles E. Schumer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 9, 2007

Schumer Announces Over $127,000 Going To Cornell University For Graduate Fellowships

Grant Will Be Used To Provide Stipends To Graduate Students Pursuing PhDs In Biomedical Engineering

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that a $127,881 grant was awarded to Cornell University by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) under the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need Program. Federal dollars will be used to provide tuition and stipends to U.S. graduate students pursuing doctoral studies in Biomedical Engineering.

"This is great news for Cornell," Schumer said. "This funding will attract the most qualified students to the University and strengthen its doctoral program. It is essential for our economy to have highly trained specialists, and this program meets that need. "

Cornell University will use the Federal funding to provide tuition and supplementary stipends to six graduate students pursuing Ph.D. degrees in Biomedical Engineering. The recipients of the grant funding demonstrated their eligibility through academic achievement and financial need. The University applied for funding in order to address the rising demand for trained Biomedical Engineers in the United States. As the cost of healthcare rises nationwide, these specialists will be needed to design cost-effective health services for an aging population.

The Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need Program provides fellowships in areas of national interest to assist graduate students with excellent academic records. Fellowship recipients must demonstrate financial need and plan to pursue the highest degree available in their course of study. To qualify for the grant, the recipient institution must offer courses of study in one of the following areas of national need: Biology; General Chemistry; Computer and Information Sciences; General Engineering; General Mathematics; Nursing; and Physics.

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