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Local Internship Results in Prestigious Scholarship for Student

06/22/09

 

Springfield, Ohio (June 16, 2009) - Former Avetec intern Connie Estep recently received the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Institute in Education (ORISE) scholarship to continue research at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB). The scholarship is awarded to individuals pursuing degrees and conducting research at national laboratories and federal research facilities nationwide.
 
Estep, who is currently a junior majoring in pharmacy at Ohio Northern University, began her Avetec internship at WPAFB in the summer of 2006 as a part of the Wright Scholar Research Assistant Program and continued in the program for three years, through the end of last summer. The ORISE scholarship will allow her to expand her research at the Air Force Research Laboratory where she’s been evaluating the toxicity of nanoparticles on humans through studies on skin cells.
 
“I am very excited to have received this award to continue my research experience at Wright-Patt,” says Estep. “It’s given me a head start into work in pharmacology and toxicology, and I am grateful to be able to continue my work with many well-published experts in the field.”
 
Avetec offers students several options to learn about and enter the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. These programs offer the development of technical skills and help students gain a better understanding of the demands and expectations of the workforce. 
 
“The Wright Scholar program was the best experience I could have had in order to be where I am right now with my career,” said Estep.  “The Wright Scholar program opened many doors, and I was able to work my way into a lab suited for my interests.”
 
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Note to Editor: Avetec is a not-for-profit public benefit research organization that aims to facilitate a dramatic reduction in the cost and time it takes to design, develop and test new turbine engines for commercial and military applications.
 
 
Media Contact: Latice Strickland, 937.322.5000 ext. 2045
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