PASADENA—Two students at the California Institute of Technology have received National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowships. These prestigious fellowships are administered by the Department of Defense to support its commitment to increase the number and quality of scientists and engineers in the United States. Each year fewer than 100 students nationwide receive these fellowships.

Eric Dickson, who graduated from Caltech this spring with a BS in physics, is one of the fellowship recipients. He is the son of Kirby and Wilma Dickson of Long Beach, California, where he attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School. He will start graduate school this fall at Princeton University, where he plans to earn a doctorate in astrophysical sciences.

Peter Bogdanoff, who just finished his first year of graduate school at Caltech, is the second fellowship winner. He is the son of David and Gloria Bogdanoff of San Francisco, California, where he attended Lowell High School. He earned his BS from Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California, and his MPhil in chemistry and physics from Cambridge University, England, and is currently working on his PhD in materials science.

Founded in 1891, Caltech has an enrollment of some 2,000 students, and a faculty of about 275 professorial members and more than 400 research members. Over the years, 23 Nobel Prizes have been awarded to faculty members and alumni, and 39 Caltech faculty members and alumni have received the National Medal of Science.

Contact: Jay Aller (818) 395-3631 aller@caltech.edu