National Science Foundation donates $1.5M to MSU

The National Science Foundation is donating $1.5 million to Missouri State University.

The funding is earmarked for scholarships in science, technology, engineering and math, according to a news release.

“It’s a rigorous, competitive process to obtain NSF funding, so we are very grateful," said Ajay Katangur, MSU department head of computer science and principal investigator, in the release. “It’s incredibly important to support students who might otherwise miss out on a college education. If we don’t, we all miss out on the scientific contributions they might have made.”

Starting in fall 2023, the NSF funds will allow MSU to award $9,300 in scholarships to a cohort of freshmen for three consecutive years. Qualifying majors include biology, chemistry, computer science and engineering.

The scholarships can be renewed each year through graduation, according to the release.