Nicholas Derr (B.S.'15, Applied Mathematics, Engineering & Physics and Astronomy-Physics), a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has been selected as a recipient of the Marcus L. Urann Fellowship by The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi — the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.
Derr, a native of Beaver Dam, Wis., is one of only six recipients nationwide to receive the prestigious $15,000 fellowship, named for the society's founder.
As a Urann Fellow, Derr will pursue a master's degree in applied mathematics and theoretical physics during a one-year intensive program at Cambridge University followed directly by a Ph.D. in applied mathematics at Harvard University.
Since its creation in 1932, the Fellowship Program has become one of the society's most visible and financially well-supported endeavors, allocating $345,000 annually to deserving students for first-year graduate or professional study. Currently, 51 Fellowships of $5,000 and six of $15,000 are awarded each year.
The selection process is based on the applicants' evidence of graduate potential, undergraduate academic achievement, service and leadership experience, letters of recommendation, personal statement of educational perspective and career goals, and acceptance at an approved graduate or professional program.