Along with the offer of admission next fall into Maryland’s Chemical Physics Graduate Program, Grimes has been selected to receive several sources of financial support: a prestigious NIH Graduate Partnership Program (GPP) Fellowship, a supplementary Chemical Physics Fellowship and an optional summer research assistantship. The admission offer totals $30,800 for the first year.

“The comprehensive package indicates Maryland’s high regard for Will’s abilities, accomplishments and potential to make significant contributions as a scientist,” said Raj Ambrose, chair of the MC physics department. “The Chemical Physics Program offers exceptionally strong academic training in both physics and chemistry and a wide range of research opportunities in Will’s area of interest – biophysics.”

During the summer of 2001, associate professor of physics Chris Fasano helped Grimes get a summer internship at Argonne National Laboratory. Grimes did so well there, reported Ambrose, that they sponsored him to present a paper at the national meeting of the American Physics Society (APS) in Hawaii. He got an APS award, which covered all his expenses to attend this meeting.

Grimes will soon be traveling again, as he has been invited to visit the University of Maryland at no expense to learn first-hand about its Chemical Physics Program,

“The NIH Graduate Partnership Program Fellowship is very prestigious and highly competitive,” said Ambrose. “Last year only four such fellowships were awarded. This is a great accomplishment for Will and a significant honor for the physics department and Monmouth College.”

Grimes is the son of Ron and Kathy Grimes of Virden.