Thanks to a generous donation from Birla Carbon, the world's largest manufacturer and supplier of Carbon Black, the College of Science and Mathematics (CSM) at Kennesaw State University is excited to announce the Birla Carbon Scholars Program.

Requirements

  • Full-time student, pursuing a degree in the College of Science and Mathematics 
  • Undergraduate: freshmen, sophomore or junior (under 90 hrs. toward major)
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Completed online application, sponsoring full-time tenure track faculty recommendation letter, and full abstract submitted by deadline
  • 2023 Birla Carbon Symposium Participation

Completed online application, faculty recommendation letter and full abstract will begin to be accepted on Monday, January 30, 2023. A completed online application must be submitted ONLY via online form submission. The sponsoring faculty recommendation letter and full abstract must be submitted ONLY via email to BirlaScholars@kennesaw.edu

  • Final submission deadline is Monday, February 27, 2023 (5:00pm EST).
  • Selected recipients will be notified via email by Monday, March 27, 2023.

Advantages of becoming a Birla Carbon Scholar

  • STIPEND: Eleven selected recipients will receive a total summer stipend of $4,000! This will be paid in two installments: $2,000 at the beginning of the project in summer and the remaining at the project’s completion after the symposium in fall.
  • MENTORSHIP: Recipients will work with their sponsoring faculty member on their proposed undergraduate research project during the summer program, which will run Monday, May 15 - Friday, July 28, 2023. 
  • EXPOSURE: Recipients will present their final research project at the 2023 Birla Carbon Symposium in August 2023. The Birla Carbon Team judges will select the top student presentation, who will receive an additional $2,000 to use towards travel or registration expenses to present their research at a national scientific conference, the next academic year.

About Birla Carbon

Birla Carbon is a flagship of the diversified $48.3 billion Aditya Birla Group. Suppliers of high-quality carbon black, the company provides a leading presence in Tires, Rubbers, Plastics, Inks, and Paints industries globally. Birla Carbon's R&D laboratories are located in Marietta, GA and Taloja, India.

Birla Carbon has generously partnered with the College of Science and Mathematics (CSM) at Kennesaw State University for more than seven years to present the Birla Carbon Scholars Program and Symposium.

Previous Birla Carbon Scholar Recipients

  • Top row (L to R): Faith Arends, Sarah Chang, Elizabeth Ehme, Mahdi Ghasemi; Right column (T to B): Benjamin Gibbas, Darmon Kahvazadeh; Bottom row (L to R): Conner Muth, Katie Moerschel, Abigail Moen, Ira Menich; Left column (T to B): Mark Sheehan, Benjamin Nguyen
    Top row (L to R): Faith Arends, Sarah Chang, Elizabeth Ehme, Mahdi Ghasemi; Right column (T to B): Benjamin Gibbas, Darmon Kahvazadeh; Bottom row (L to R): Conner Muth, Katie Moerschel, Abigail Moen, Ira Menich; Left column (T to B): Mark Sheehan, Benjamin Nguyen

    (LEFT) Photo collage of the 2023 Birla Carbon Scholars Program recipients.

    Top row (L to R): Faith Arends, Sarah Chang, Elizabeth Ehme, Mahdi Ghasemi; Right column (T to B): Benjamin Gibbas, Darmon Kahvazadeh; Bottom row (L to R): Conner Muth, Katie Moerschel, Abigail Moen, Ira Menich; Left column (T to B): Mark Sheehan, Benjamin Nguyen

    Congratulations to Katie Moerschel, for winning the Top Poster Award!

    Link to 2023 Birla Carbon Scholars news articles »

  • 2022 biria carbon students

    (LEFT) Photo collage of the 2022 Birla Carbon Scholars Program recipients.

    Top left (clockwise): Riley Bennett, Ariane Charland-Martin, Noam Lewit, Kieran MacDonald, Lauren Massaro, David Melcher, Sandra Nguyen, Isabel Ouko, Kailen Parks, and Connor Welch.

    Congratulations to KSU junior, Ariane Charland-Martin, for winning the Top Poster Award!

    Link to 2022 Birla Carbon Scholars news articles »

  • birla carbon students 2021
    (LEFT) Photo collage of the 2021 Birla Carbon Scholars Program recipients.

    Left to right, top to bottom: Julie Allsen, Chakayla Ashford, Christopher Boon, Andrea Brenner, Datiel Dayani, Mia Jones, Jaiden Outten, Christian Perez, Rebecca Senft, Gavin Treadaway, and Ethan Wagner.

    Congratulations to Senior, Ethan Wagner, for winning the Top Poster Award!

    Link to 2021 Birla Carbon Scholars news articles »

  • birla carbon scholars 2020
    (LEFT) Photo collage of the 2020 Birla Carbon Scholars Program recipients.

    Left to right, top to bottom: Soobin An, Preston Eldridge, Oliver Erasmus, Ian Foster, Gracyn Jewett, Ansa Malik, Pavan Mayinampati, Basirat Olorunlambe, Abeer Osman, Minh (Megan) Vo, and Brittny Vosper.

    Congratulations to Senior, Basirat Olorunlambe, for winning the Top Poster Award!

  • 2019 Birla Carbon Scholars Program recipients.
    (LEFT) Photo collage of the 2019 Birla Carbon Scholars Program recipients.

    Left to right, top to bottom: Max Andrews, Braden Clinebell, Robbie Cronin, Tia Gordon, Rebekah Henneborn, Emma Henry, Tessa Jordan, Naza Okafor, Destiny Paige, Emma Pearson, and Hunter Spivey.

    Congratulations to Junior, Destiny Paige, for winning the Top Poster Award!

    Link to 2019 Birla Carbon Scholars news articles »

  • birla carbon scholars 2018
    (LEFT) Photo collage of the 2018 Birla Carbon Scholars Program recipients.

    Top left (clockwise): Sarah Beauvais, Olivia Brooks, Hope Didier, Trae Dunn, Liana Gerhardt, Daisy McGrath, Kimberly Meyberg, Michael Reynolds, Sagi Shaier and Alyssa Venn.

    Congratulations to Junior, Hope Didier, for winning the Top Poster Award!

    Link to 2018 Birla Carbon Scholars news articles »

  • 2014 Birla Carbon Scholars Program recipients.
    (LEFT) Photo collage of the 2017 Birla Carbon Scholars Program recipients.

    Top left (clockwise): Beryl Khakina, Ian Duncan, Hayley Milner, Neil Dodd, Kaylee Bronson, Kevin Patel, Kaveh Kiani, Reagan Hooper, Rahiq Rahman and Rebecca Webster.

    Congratulations to Senior, Rebecca Webster, for winning the Top Poster Award!

    Link to 2017 Birla Carbon Scholars news articles »

  • Birla carbon students 2016
    (LEFT) Photo collage of 2016 Birla Carbon Scholars Program recipients.

    Top right (counter-clockwise): Courtney Willett, Katerina Slavicinska, Johnathon Ard, Elena Ninova, Graeme Bettler, Rebecca Hyche, Omar Ugarte Trejo, Danielle Varljen, David Axford, and Soprinye Dappa-Fombo.

    Congratulations to Sophomore, Katerina Slavicinska, for winning the Top Poster Award!

    Link to 2016 Birla Carbon Scholars news articles »

  • 2015 Birla Carbon Scholars Program recipients.
    (LEFT) Photo collage of 2015 Birla Carbon Scholars Program recipients.

    Top left (clockwise): Myles Robinson, Tara Allen, Cody Padgett, Abdelsalam Sharkaski, Jacob Michelis, Kirt Ronig, Garrison Kohler, Aqsa Adnan, Eric Gabilondo and Sydney Green.

    Congratulations to Junior, Eric Gabilondo, for winning the Birla Carbon Top Poster Award!

    Link to 2015 Birla Carbon Scholars news article »

  • 2014 Birla Carbon Scholars Program recipients.
    (LEFT) Photo collage of 2014 Birla Carbon Scholars Program recipients.

    Top Row (Left to Right): Daniel Hoffman, Dennys Rosales, Maredith Sapp, Samuel Keenan, Bradley Norvel.

    Bottom Row (Left to Right): Aaron Pital, Alberto Romero, Amber Caldara, James Law, Alden Lathrop.

    Link to 2014 Birla Carbon Scholars news article »