PULLMAN, Wash — Nicole Aragon, a Washington State University junior, has been awarded a 10-week summer internship by the Department of Energy. The Summer Undergraduate Research Experience grant will fund her studies at Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago.
An environmental science major, Aragon has elected to join a research group, headed by soil ecologist R. Michael Miller, who is working on ways to remove excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by developing long-lasting carbon pools in terrestrial ecosystems. Prior to the research portion of the internship, Aragon will join other undergraduates for an orientation session in Portland, Ore. In August, at a concluding conference, she will give a presentation about her research project.
After completing her degree at WSU next year, Aragon plans to continue her education in graduate school.
Listed on the WSU President’s Honor Roll, Aragon is the recipient of many scholarships and awards including the McCroskey tuition fellowship from the WSU Environmental Science Program, a Rotary Club scholarship, the Promise Scholarship from the state of Washington and the University Scholar in Residence award. She is a member of two scholastic honorary societies: the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Golden Key Society.
Aragon graduated from Foster High School in Tukwila in 2000. Her parents are Karen and Anthony Aragon of Tukwila.
