Breaking: Cal Poly Alumnus A.J. Nicholson Awarded Prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Cal Poly Anthropology and Geography alumnus A.J. Nicholson has been awarded the highly prestigious and nationally competitive National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRFP) for 2026.  This is one of the most selective honors for graduate students in the United States. A.J. is a former Human Evolutionary Ecology (H.E.E.) student lab manager working under Drs. Stacey L. Rucas and Timothy McHale, and also served as a lab researcher with Sociologist Dr. Martine Lappé.  A.J. is currently pursuing graduate study in medical anthropology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

The NSF GRFP recognizes only a small fraction of applicants nationwide and supports individuals with exceptional promise as future scientific leaders. AJ's award highlights both his academic excellence and the strength of Cal Poly’s Social Sciences Department and our unique learn-by-doing research training.

Notably, Mr. Nicholson follows in the footsteps of fellow alumnus Sophie Klitgaard, also a former Anthropology and Geography graduate and H.E.E. Lab Manager, who previously received the coveted NSF GRFP in 2023, and is now pursuing her Ph.D. in Anthropology at the University of California Los Angeles.  

Please join us in celebrating these outstanding alumni and their remarkable national achievements.