Elena Schell Receives Honorable Mention for NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
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Kinesiology graduate student Elena Schell received an honorable mention from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) during the latest awards cycle for its highly competitive Graduate Research Fellowships Program (GRFP).
The program recognizes and supports outstanding students who are pursuing research-based graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Fellowships provide the student with a three-year annual stipend of $37,000, along with a $12,000 allowance for tuition and fees that is paid to the institution.
Schell currently works jointly in the Human Robot Systems Laboratory run by Meghan Huber, Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, and the UMass Integrative Locomotion Lab (UMILL) run by Wouter Hoogkamer, Research Associate Professor of Kinesiology. Her research focuses on developing novel interventions to improve post-stroke gait rehabilitation. She earned her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in 2025.
“This year, the program received more than 14,000 applications,” notes Huber. “The NSF GRFP supports fundamental science and engineering rather than health- or disease-focused research. The fact that she was able to lean into the technical aspects of her work and receive an Honorable Mention in the highly competitive field of Engineering is especially impressive. It is a true testament to her willingness and ability to seamlessly bridge engineering and the health sciences.”
Read more about UMass Amherst NSF GRFP award recipients and honorable mentions here.