K-State civil engineering graduate student receives national award

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Sources: Alok Bhandari, 785-532-1578, bhandari@k-state.edu;
and Monica Palomo, palomo@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Adam Holste, 785-532-6415, media@k-state.edu

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

K-STATE CIVIL ENGINEERING GRADUATE STUDENT RECEIVES NATIONAL AWARD

MANHATTAN -- Monica Palomo, a graduate student in civil engineering at Kansas State University, has received a 2007 Environmental Chemistry Graduate Student Award. She was nominated by her adviser, Alok Bhandari, associate professor of civil engineering at K-State.

Palomo, Manhattan, is just one of 19 national recipients of the award, which is given by the American Chemical Society's Division of Environmental Chemistry. She is currently working toward her doctorate in civil engineering with an emphasis on environmental engineering.

A maximum of 25 awards are given each year. They go to recognize graduate students working in environmental chemistry-related areas. A student transcript, record of research productivity, brief discussion of the applicant's future goals and letter of recommendation from a faculty adviser are all taken into consideration for the award.

Palomo, formerly of Guanajuato, Mexico, will receive a free one-year subscription to the research journal Environmental Science and Technology and membership in the Environmental Division for one year. She will be publicized in the publications EnvirofACS and Environmental Science and Technology. She and the other recipients also were invited to a dinner at a conference in Chicago to receive their diplomas, although Palomo was unable to attend.

"It was a big surprise to know that I was one of the recipients since the American Chemical Society is a national society and the environmental area is really competitive," Palomo said. "I thought it would be really difficult to get one. It gave me a lot of motivation to continue with my research."

Palomo has been a part of the Graduate Student Council in the department of civil engineering, serving as both president and environmental representative. She also was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers chapter, Multicultural Engineering Program and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.