Fellowship Program

Ken Kennedy Institute Fellowship Program

With the support from the Energy High Performance Computing Conference, industry, and nominating departments, the Ken Kennedy Institute has awarded nearly $1.5 million to 172 graduate students since 2001.

Recruiting Fellowships

The Energy High Performance Computing Conference, jointly funded by the nominating department, has led to 41 four-year recruiting fellowships totaling $575,000 since 2014. These recruiting fellowships supported the recruitment of outstanding graduate students to select departments in the George R. Brown School of Engineering and the Wiess School of Natural Sciences at Rice University in the fields of high performance computing, computational science & engineering, and data science, with special consideration given to students with research interests in areas of relevance to the energy industry.

See below for past recipients:

2021/25 – Four Year Award

  • Kelsey Murphy, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences
  • Jose Palacio, Statistics
  • Xinyu (Xin) Yao, Computer Science

2020/24 – Four Year Award

  • Kristen Curry, Computer Science
  • Raul Garcia, Computational & Applied Mathematics
  • Bryant Jerome, Applied Physics
  • Mirae (Sunny) Kim, Computer Science
  • Camille Little, Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Naiming (Lucy) Liu, Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Catherine Tuppen, Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Cameron Wolfe, Computer Science
  • Tiancheng Xu, Computer Science

2019/23 – Four Year Award

  • Alejandro Nicolas Diaz, Computational & Applied Mathematics
  • Yilei Fu, Computer Science
  • Christina G. Taylor, Computational & Applied Mathematics
  • John Zito, Statistics

2018/22 – Four Year Award

  • Kyle Busse, Computational & Applied Mathematics
  • Yujie (Jeffrey) Jiang, Statistics
  • Maryam Khalid, Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • William Lewis, Computer Science
  • Alex Macklin, Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Yuxin Tang, Computer Science

2017/21 – Four Year Award

  • Nathaniel Kroeger, Computational & Applied Mathematics
  • Nigel Tan, Computational & Applied Mathematics
  • Teresa Tse, Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Keren Zhou, Computer Science

2016/20 – Four Year Award

  • Jonas Actor, Computational & Applied Mathematics
  • Andrew Wells, Computer Science

2015/19 – Four Year Award

  • Temitayo Ajayi, Computational & Applied Mathematics
  • Jeff Dudek, Computer Science
  • Indu Manickam, Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Rebecca Smith, Computer Science
  • Jasper Tan, Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Robert Weylandt, Statistics
  • Yabin Zhang, Computational & Applied Mathematics

2014/16 – Two Year Award

  • Michael Anderson, Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • C.J. Barberan, Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Frankie Camacho, Computational & Applied Mathematics
  • Thomas Klotz, Computational & Applied Mathematics
  • Gary Linkevich, Earth Science
  • Minh Nguyen, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Industry Fellowships

The Ken Kennedy Institute works with industry to sponsor graduate students through fellowships. Since 2001, the Institute has awarded 131 fellowships totaling $900,000 supported by AMD, bp, Chevron, ExxonMobil, NAG, Schlumberger, Shell, the Energy High Performance Computing Conference, and the Andrew Ladd and Ken Kennedy-Cray endowments. These one-year graduate fellowships are available to graduate students pursuing research related to high performance computing, computational science and engineering, and data science. The fellowships also provide internship opportunities and interactions with industry professionals.

The Energy High Performance Computing Conference has sponsored 23 of these graduate fellowships.

See below for past recipients:

2021/2022

  • Shabnam Daghaghi, Electrical and Computer Engineering (bp)
  • Luqin Gan, Statistics (Shell)
  • Bishal Lamichhane, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Energy HPC Conference)
  • Thiago Jose Pinheiro dos Santos, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (Energy HPC Conference)
  • Xin Tan, Statistics (Energy HPC Conference)
  • Morgan Underwood, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (Kennedy-Cray)
  • Zichao (Jack) Wang, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Schlumberger)
  • Zhaozhuo Xu, Computer Science (bp)
  • Zhiwei Zhang, Computer Science (Andrew Ladd)

2020/2021

  • Alejandro Diaz, Computational and Applied Mathematics (bp)
  • Boning Li, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Kennedy-Cray)
  • Huiming Lin, Statistics (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Tharun Medini, Electrical and Computer Engineering (bp)
  • Thomas (Mitch) Roddenberry,  Electrical and Computer Engineering (ExxonMobil)
  • Ivan Rosa de Siqueira, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (Schlumberger)
  • Jiarong Xing, Computer Science (Andrew Ladd)

2019/2020

  • Nidish Narayanaa Balaji, Mechanical Engineering (Kennedy-Cray)
  • Randall Balestriero, Electrical and Computer Engineering (bp)
  • Ao Cai, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (Shell)
  • Mae Markowski, Computational and Applied Mathematics (Shell)
  • Afsaneh Rahbar, Computer Science (Andrew Ladd)
  • Thomas (Mitch) Roddenberry, Electrical and Computer Engineering (AMD)
  • Christina Taylor, Computational and Applied Mathematics (bp)
  • Keren Zhou, Computer Science (ExxonMobil)
  • Ye Emma Zohner, Statistics (Schlumberger)

2018/2019

  • Manav Bhati, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Ao Cai, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (bp)
  • Carly Fagnant, Statistics (ExxonMobil)
  • Jaeho Lee, Computer Science (Schlumberger)
  • Eleni Litsa, Computer Science (Andrew Ladd)
  • Mae Markowski, Computational and Applied Mathematics (bp)
  • Alana Semple, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Jordan Shivers, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Wenya Shu, Civil and Environmental Engineering (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Philip Taffet, Computer Science (Kennedy-Cray)
  • Christopher Thiele, Computational and Applied Mathematics (Shell)
  • Yicheng Wu, Electrical and Computer Engineering and Applied Physics (OG-HPC Conference)

2017/2018

  • Ashesh Chattopadhyay, Mechanical Engineering (bp)
  • Beidi Chen, Computer Science (bp)
  • Jeffrey Dudek, Computer Science (Kennedy-Cray)
  • Kaihang Guo, Computational and Applied Mathematics (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Christopher Metzler, Electrical and Computer Engineering (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Ewa Nowara, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Schlumberger)
  • Narmadha Rajan Babu, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ExxonMobil)
  • Luqing Wang, Materials Science and Nanoengineering (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Keren Zhou, Computer Science (Andrew Ladd)

2016/2017

  • Maurice Fabien, Computational and Applied Mathematics (ExxonMobil)
  • Xin Huang, Computer Science (Schlumberger)
  • Ali Mousavi, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Schlumberger)
  • Kim Raath, Statistics (Shell)
  • Yen Sun, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (bp)
  • Luqing Wang, Materials Science and Nanoengineering (Shell)
  • Dingqiao Wen, Computer Science (Andrew Ladd)
  • Michael Weylandt, Statistics (bp)
  • Yabin Zhang, Computational and Applied Mathematics (Kennedy-Cray)

2015/2016

  • Suguman Bansal, Computer Science (Andrew Ladd)
  • Simbarashe Dzinamarira, Computer Science (Schlumberger)
  • Maurice Fabien, Computational and Applied Mathematics (Kennedy-Cray)
  • Robert Kosar, Statistics (Shell)
  • Caleb Magruder, Computational and Applied Mathematics (ExxonMobil)
  • Yen Sun, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (Shell)
  • Lai Wei, Computer Science (bp)
  • Muhong Zhou, Computational and Applied Mathematics (bp)

2014/2015

  • Rajesh Balagam, Bioengineering (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Milind Chabbi, Computer Science (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Xiaodi Deng, Computational and Applied Mathematics (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Lei Fu, Earth Science (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Jie Hou, Earth Science (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Ryan Luna, Computer Science (Andrew Ladd)
  • Shangyu Luo, Computer Science (Kennedy-Cray)
  • Brianna Lynn, Computational and Applied Mathematics (Shell)
  • Caleb Magruder, Computational and Applied Mathematics (bp)
  • Deepak Majeti, Computer Science (ExxonMobil)
  • Alina Sbirlea, Computer Science (Schlumberger)
  • Javier Villarreal, Mechanical Engineering (Schlumberger)
  • Zheng Wang, Computational and Applied Mathematics (Shell)
  • Chaoran Yang, Computer Science (bp)

2013/2014

  • Zhuhua Cai, Computer Science (Schlumberger)
  • Milind Chabbi, Computer Science (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Caleb Fast, Computational and Applied Mathematics (ExxonMobil)
  • Lei Fu, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (bp)
  • Rajesh Gandham, Computational and Applied Mathematics (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Ellis Giles, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Kennedy-Cray)
  • Golnaz Habibi, Computer Science (Chevron)
  • Jie Hou, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (bp)
  • Jizhou Li, Computational and Applied Mathematics (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Xu Liu, Computer Science (NAG)
  • Eleazar Marquez, Mechanical Engineering (Schlumberger)
  • David Medina, Computational and Applied Mathematics (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Kuldeep Singh, Computer Science (Andrew Ladd)
  • Jun Tan, Computational and Applied Mathematics (Shell)
  • Zheng Wang, Computational and Applied Mathematics (Shell)

2012/2013

  • Devin Grady, Computer Science (Schlumberger)
  • Jonathan Grossman, Computer Science (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Yin Huang, Computational and Applied Mathematics (OG-HPC Conference)
  • Huafeng Liu, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (Chevron)
  • Kun Liu, Computational and Applied Mathematics (Shell)
  • Xu Liu, Computer Science (bp)
  • Jianxin Lu, Mechanical Engineering
  • David Medina, Computational and Applied Mathematics (Shell)
  • Azalia Mirhoseini, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Schlumberger)
  • Yiting Xia, Computer Science (Kennedy-Cray)
  • Muhong Zhou, Computational and Applied Mathematics (bp)

2011/2012

  • Yenny Chandra, Civil and Environmental Engineering (Kennedy-Cray)
  • Rajesh Gandham, Computational and Applied Mathematics (bp)
  • Xu Li, Computer Science (Schlumberger)
  • Kaijian Liu, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (bp)
  • Corina Serediuc, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Schlumberger)

2010/2011

  • Drew Bryant, Computer Science (Schlumberger)
  • Saifon Chaturantabut, Computational and Applied Mathematics (Kennedy-Cray)
  • Samantha Summerson, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Schlumberger)
  • Xin Wang, Computational and Applied Mathematics (bp)
  • Jie Zhang, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (bp)

2009/2010

  • Sanda Lefteriu, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Schlumberger)
  • Travis Martin, Computer Science (Schlumberger)
  • Igor Terentyev, Computational and Applied Mathematics (Kennedy-Cray)
  • Xin Wang, Computational and Applied Mathematics (bp)

2008/2009

  • Arta Sadrzadeh, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Nanoengineering (Kennedy-Cray)

2007/2008

  • Mack Joyner, Computer Science (Kennedy-Cray)

2006/2007

  • Kelsey Beach, Mechanical Engineering (Schlumberger)
  • Elica Skorcheva, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Schlumberger)

2005/2006

  • Kelsey Beach, Mechanical Engineering (Schlumberger)
  • Heather Johnson, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Schlumberger)

2004/2005

  • Sarah Burkhart, Mechanical Engineering (Schlumberger)
  • Gina Upperman, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Schlumberger)

2003/2004

  • Christine Ambrose, Mechanical Engineering (Schlumberger)
  • Elspeth Simpson, Computer Science (Schlumberger)

2002/2003

  • Anne Christian, Computer Science (Schlumberger)
  • Katherine Streit, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Schlumberger)

2001/2002

  • Sarah Densmore, Mechanical Engineering (Schlumberger)
  • Ginger Walden, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Schlumberger)

Fostering relationships and highlighting trends in HPC for the energy industry. #energyhpc