CONWAY, Ark. (April
22, 2021) – Hendrix College Class of 2019 graduate Katherine Parham has
received an award from the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research
Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) for 2021.
Parham, a native
of Alma, Arkansas, is now working toward a Ph.D. in nuclear physics at Duke
University. Her current research involves studying pions that are created from
matter-antimatter annihilation at the Belle II detector in Japan.
“There was never
any question in my mind that Katherine would go on to accomplish great things,”
said Dr. Damon Spayde, a professor and chair of the Department of Physics at
Hendrix. “It was clear from her work in the classroom and the lab that she
possesses the skill set to excel as a research scientist: an inquisitive,
detail-oriented mind; a willingness to work hard; the ability to think
independently; and a passion for the field of study. Katherine is well deserving
of this very prestigious award.”
“My research
allows physicists to better understand protons,” Parham said, adding that her
very first research project as a Hendrix student helped build the skills she
now uses regularly. “For my first research project, I worked with Dr. Spayde
and built a model database for the MOLLER experiment in ROOT, a coding language
created for the Large Hadron Collider. Now that I am studying nuclear physics
at Duke, I use ROOT almost every day.”
Parham credits
her undergraduate experience at Hendrix for giving her opportunities to grow in
confidence and curiosity. “Physics can
often be an intimidating field, but I found the Physics Department at Hendrix
to be an incredibly welcoming and supportive community,” she said. “I loved the
format of the workshop physics courses at Hendrix. It encouraged me to be
comfortable not knowing all of the answers before an experiment and to view
mistakes as valuable learning opportunities—two very important skills for an
experimental physicist.”
Launched in
1952, the GRFP is the oldest graduate fellowship of its kind. It supports
outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing Ph.D.s or
research-based master’s degrees. Fellows receive a three-year stipend, coverage
of tuition and fees, and opportunities for international research and
professional development.
About Hendrix College
A private liberal arts college in Conway, Arkansas, Hendrix
College consistently earns recognition as one of the country’s leading liberal
arts institutions, and is featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40
Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges. Its academic
quality and rigor, innovation, and value have established Hendrix as a fixture
in numerous college guides, lists, and rankings. Founded in 1876, Hendrix has
been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. To learn more,
visit www.hendrix.edu.