Melanie Zaidel has been awarded a Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP) by the National Science Foundation (NSF).  This award, which is highly competitive, supports outstanding graduate students in STEM fields, aiming to cultivate a strong and diverse "human resource base" in the United States by empowering fellows to make significant contributions to scientific innovations and society.  Fellows are given three years of financial support and a variety of professional development opportunities.  

Melanie is a first-year graduate student in the Department of Physics advised by Professor John Beacom. Melanie's research interests are centered in applying theoretical principles of microscopic particle physics to understand macroscopic astronomical systems. Melanie's proposed research project focuses on analyzing the properties of dark matter using observations of gamma-rays, neutrinos, and cosmic rays.

Before starting graduate school at OSU in August 2022, Melanie attended Pennsylvania State University and double-majored in Physics as well as Astronomy & Astrophysics with a minor in Mathematics. In addition to involvement in undergraduate research experiences at Michigan State University, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and Penn State, Melanie was involved in the Penn State Millennium Scholars Program and the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program.  

Outside of research, Melanie is excited to mentor undergraduate students and hopes to help engage the general public with physics and astronomy.