At the conclusion of the spring 2024 semester, Taqi Raza, a PhD student in biosystems engineering, received the 2024-2025 STEM Chateaubriand Fellowship. As he makes his way to France this fall to complete his project, his department, friends, family, and the Herbert College of Agriculture congratulate him on such an incredible accomplishment.
Over the summer, Raza was gracious enough to sit down and discuss his project and fellowship. When asked about the application process, he expressed that it was a daunting journey that took nearly three months to complete. The application required a proposal that could be no longer than three pages in length, detailing the short and long term goals of the project and how it would benefit France.
He explained, “I developed a novel multiport system to measure the storage term and vertical flux of CO2, H2O, and heat across a full maize growing season. In France, I will conduct research using the SURFATM model at INRAE, France using data that was collected during my dissertation research.”
Raza described being selected for the fellowship as “a happy and exciting moment.” It was particularly rewarding as he is the only person in his family pursuing a PhD of any kind. He looks forward to conducting the research described above, and collecting real-time data, which is revolutionary. The instrument Raza built is costly, so very few scholars are currently pursuing such research. In his first semester at Herbert, he built the instrument that would ultimately land him this fellowship.
When asked what advice he would give to students interested in this type of fellowship, he expressed how difficult the process can be, but how much can be learned from it at the same time. Raza said, “If you try your best, it will be worth it!” He also stressed the importance of peer review when writing a proposal and completing any sort of written component of an application. Showing the work to professors, mentors, committee members, and colleagues is key to creating documentation that is well-crafted.
Lastly, Raza mentioned the importance of sharing opportunities like the Chateaubriand Fellowship with other students. While one must work hard for their own success, it is just as important to share with others the possibilities for their own research by applying for various fellowship and funding opportunities.
Upon Raza’s return from France, he plans to complete his degree in the summer of 2025 and share his findings from his fellowship. Until then, the Herbert College of Agriculture and the Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science wish him luck on the exciting adventure he is about to embark on!
