Two graduate students in the History and Philosophy of Science Program at Oregon State University, Aimee Hisey, a PhD Candidate, and Picabo Fraas, a second year master’s student were awarded the Oregon Lottery Scholarship. Hisey and Fraas were among the 25 recipients who were awarded the university wide scholarship. The award is merit based and open to any full-time graduate student at the university. The application process required the student’s CV and nomination from the student’s department chair or program director. In addition, students must submit a statement of purpose which outlines their academic and professional goals. The award comes with a stipend up to $5,000. Each department can nominate two students. It is with great pride that both nominees from the History and Philosophy of Science department were awarded this prestigious award.
Both Hisey and Fraas plan to use the money from the award towards their educational goals. Fraas will use the money to help pay for tuition and Hisey plans on using the money to help fund a research trip to Spain.
Hisey’s research seeks to uncover the networks of Jewish surgeons interrogated and prosecuted by the Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Spanish Inquisition in the seventeenth century. Fraas’s research focuses on the wives of paleontologists, particularly in the field abroad. Because of the pandemic, Fraas has had to make some adjustments to her research. Fraas has shifted the focus of her research from the United States to South Africa, but still plans to explore the same paleontologist and his wife. Hisey’s research has not changed yet, but because the project is archival centered, the direction of the research will be dictated by the materials at the archive.
Both Hisey and Fraas are quite grateful and honored to have been awarded the scholarship. Professor Nicole von Germeten, the head of the School of History, Philosophy, and Religion, nominated Hisey and Professor Jacob Hamblin, the director of graduate studies of History and Philosophy of Science nominated Fraas. This was the first time both Hisey and Fraas applied for the scholarship.
CATEGORIES: Graduate Students