3 current, former UTulsa students awarded 2026 NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

TULSA, Okla., May 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Two University of Tulsa undergraduates and one recent alumna have been named recipients of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program award for 2026: Parker Green, Maria Isabelle "Isa" Fite and Jenna Caudle.

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program is one of the most prestigious and competitive fellowships for U.S. graduate students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. Fellowships come with a three-year annual stipend of $37,000 and a $16,000 allowance for tuition and fees.

"I am beyond excited and grateful," said Green, a senior from Guthrie, majoring in mechanical engineering and mathematics. "This fellowship opens the door for me to have the financial freedom to explore the scientific questions I am interested in answering."

She plans to pursue a doctorate in metallurgical and materials engineering. She will research the growth, manufacturing and predictive modeling of single-domain superconducting wires to decrease cost and increase accessibility to life-saving health care. "Ultimately, my motivation is to pursue materials engineering to make a difference," Green said. "This fellowship is the first step to making that a reality."

Fite is a senior from Tulsa, majoring in physics and applied mathematics. Earning an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship is one of many recent achievements for Fite who was named a 2024 Goldwater Scholar.

Fite studies ultracold Bose-Einstein gases to potentially apply a similar model to black holes and plans to study the sound speed of dark energy. "The fellowship will let me have more freedom and time to work on my research," Fite said. "It's a fascinating world out there!"

Originally from Fayetteville, Arkansas, Jenna Caudle graduated from UTulsa in 2025 with bachelor's degrees in chemistry and French and is pursuing her doctorate.

Her first year at UTulsa, Caudle worked on several projects spanning medicinal, green and synthetic organic chemistry. She acknowledged her undergraduate research for its pivotal role in preparing her to be a competitive candidate for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship program. "As a graduate student, I am proud to join a community of outstanding scientists across the nation," Caudle said. "This recognition is truly an honor."

UTulsa offers comprehensive support for students seeking nationally competitive scholarships, such as the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship award. For more information, visit https://utulsa.edu/about/leadership/provost/national-competitive-scholarship/

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SOURCE The University of Tulsa