Uliana awarded 2016 Udall Scholarship
5/16/2016
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Adam Uliana, a Penn State chemical engineering student and Schreyer Scholar, has been selected as a 2016 Udall Scholar by the Udall Foundation.
Udall Scholars are selected annually and represent an elite group of students committed to study in fields related to the environment or American Indian health care and tribal policy. They are chosen for their leadership, record of public service and academic achievement.
Uliana was selected for his humanitarian contributions and commitment to conservation, particularly in the area of natural water filtration as a means to aid the global water crisis.
He was selected as one of 60 Udall Scholars to receive the award among 482 nominated applicants from over 225 colleges and universities. A junior Penn State, he is the first College of Engineering student to receive the award at the University.
As part of the honor Uliana will also receive a $7,000 scholarship to provide financial support during his senior year.
“I am incredibly grateful that my efforts are being recognized and valued by the Udall Foundation,” said Uliana. “I hope to bring attention to the individual responsibilities we have to conserve the world around us, and to open the eyes of others to the endless opportunities to lead environmentally conscious lives.”
As a chemical engineering student, Uliana has participated in undergraduate research to test and model the capability of a water filter functionalized by Moringa oleifera seeds. In addition, he has spent the past semester conducting research on nanofiltration membranes for water treatment at KU Leuven, Belgium, through the EuroScholars: Research Abroad program.
Uliana currently serves as co-director of Penn State’s Eco-Reps environmental outreach program and has served as an organic chemistry teaching assistant and the Community Outreach Chair for Penn State’s student chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers; among a number of additional academic clubs and extracurricular programs.
A student passionate about improving STEM education, his educational outreach roles have collectively reached over 15,000 individuals.
He is also actively pursuing three minors in environmental engineering, watersheds and water resources and chemistry, all of which he hopes will prepare him for a future career in research.
Upon graduating from Penn State, Uliana plans to pursue a Ph.D. in chemical
engineering and aspires to one day lead his own lab dedicated to researching sustainable technology and materials for water purification.
“I am extremely pleased that Adam has been selected for this significant opportunity,” said Tanya Furman, director of the Penn State Fellowships Office. “Our goal in the University Fellowships Office is to help students achieve their academic goals by introducing them to scholarships and fellowships that align with their interests and talents. In Adam’s case, the Udall Scholarship was a perfect fit to further his interest in improving and conserving the environment.”
In August, Uliana will travel to Tucson, Arizona, to participate in the Udall Scholar Orientation Weekend—an event that allows Scholars to meet one another and learn more about the Udall legacy of public service while interacting with community leaders in environmental fields, tribal health care and governance.
About the Udall Foundation
Established by Congress in 1992, the Udall Foundation awards scholarships, fellowships and internships for study in fields related to the environment and to American Indians and Alaska Natives in fields related to health care and tribal public policy; provides funding to the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy and to the Native Nations Institute to conduct environmental policy research, research on American Indian and Alaska Native health care issues and tribal public policy issues, and training; and provides assessment, mediation, training and other related services through the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution.
About the University Fellowships Office
The University Fellowships Office, a division of Undergraduate Education, is a resource for undergraduates, graduate students and Penn State alumni seeking information and guidance regarding scholarships and fellowships funded by sources other than Penn State. For more information on fellowship opportunities available, visit ufo.psu.edu, or visit their office in 212 Boucke Building.
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Adam Uliana, Penn State chemical engineering student and Schreyer Scholar
