Department of Physics Graduate Student, Mathew Leon, has been awarded a 2026 SMART Scholarship from the US Department of War!

The SMART (Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation) Scholarship is "...a unique opportunity for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students to advance their education and jumpstart their careers. SMART provides merit-based scholarships to bachelor's, master's, and doctoral students pursuing STEM degrees. SMART scholarship recipients receive full tuition, annual stipends, summer internships, and after graduation, civilian employment with the Department of War." (Department Of War, Scholarship for Service Program)

Mat will do internships at the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) Technical Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where he will work in the Directed Energy Research Division. 

Specifically, Mat will work on a project related to interactions between ultrashort pulsed lasers and materials, which connects to SMDC’s efforts in high-energy laser technologies to counter rockets, drones, and other threats. The research he does at OSU will be aimed at the development of next-generation laser technologies for attosecond spectroscopy.

You can read more about the SMART program on the Department of War website.

Congratulations, Mat!