SU student wins National Science Foundation award

Southern University and Timbuktu Academy Scholar Casey Stevens has been chosen to receive a 2008 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship award.
Funded by the Department of Navy, NASA, National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation and Hewlett-Packard, Timbuktu Academy was established in 1990 to mentor undergraduate physics majors.
Stevens, a senior physics major from Baton Rouge, was selected based on her scholarly accomplishments, ability to influence and strengthening the vitality of the U.S. science and engineering enterprise.
She will graduate from Southern in May with a Bachelors of Science degree in physics, and has been admitted into the doctoral program at the University of Chicago to study fluid dynamics with full financial assistance.
During her time at the Timbuktu Academy, Stevens was mentored by the director of the academy and academic advisor Diola Bagayoko.
Bagayoko said, “I am delighted and elated, Casey came to the academy in middle school. She has been working here since her freshman year and focusing on her studies, we have been planning for Casey to receive this award since her freshman year.”
The academy includes pre-college programs, and recruiting majors in other SME fields, with an emphasis on engineering and chemistry.
It offers the Summer Bridge Institute, which is an early college enrollment program intended for high achieving high school graduates who pledge to major in one of the discipline areas covered by the Timbuktu Academy.
The Undergraduate Research Program is a support, mentoring and research participating program for high undergraduate students majoring in chemistry, engineering, physics, computer science and mathematics.
It also includes the Educational Service Program, which is an extensive outreach program that entails the production of new knowledge, publications, presentations, and include ACT/SAT preparation workshops.
“They will learn development in sound judgment, development in solid character meaning self discipline and time management, and hard work. With these three tools students will be able to excel anywhere on the planet,” said Bagayoko.
There is a weekly seminar for any student interested, every Tuesday in Lee Hall between 4 and 5 p.m. in room 102.
Stevens was not the first SU student to receive the fellowship. In 2005, Anthony Pullen a student of the academy also was a recipient.