Alumnus awarded prestigious National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship

MURRAY, Ky. – Murray State University alumnus Matthew Hooks was recently awarded a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship sponsored by the Department of Defense (DOD).

Hooks, of Troy, Tennessee, graduated in spring 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics and a minor in mathematics and is now a master’s student in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Auburn University.

His proposal, which earned him the NDSEG Fellowship, investigates how birds use surface textures on their feathers to improve aerodynamic performance during flapping flight.

Hooks credits Murray State, and his involvement with the Murray State Rowing Club in particular, with the development of his interest in the physics of natural flight.

“Having been a member of the Murray State Rowing Club, I spent a lot of time on the water in Land Between the Lakes,” Hooks said. “I was enamored by the hydrodynamics of the sport. As I spent more time on the water, the flight of birds began to capture my eye. In my free time, outside of studying, I could be found hiking or kayaking LBL with a camera pointed to the sky. Murray State’s unique location promoted my love for the physics of natural flight.”

Hooks said his research experience at Murray State with Dr. Karim Farokhnia in the civil engineering department, as well as his research with Dr. Matthew Williams in the physics department established the baseline necessary for him to smoothly transition to the demands of graduate studies. He also credits John Hewlett in the biology department for facilitating an interdisciplinary interest in flight physics in the context of avian biomechanics.

“I owe many thanks to the Murray State Engineering Physics department and its faculty, and I am humbled by this fellowship,” Hooks said.

In an effort to increase the number of U.S. citizens and nationals trained in science and engineering disciplines of military importance, the DOD offers these fellowships to individuals who have demonstrated the ability and special aptitude for advanced training in science and engineering.

The NDSEG's three-year fellowship allows all recipients to attend any U.S. institution they choose, paying for full tuition and all mandatory fees. Hooks was the only awardee from Auburn this year. Out of 3,392 applicants, 162 awards were given out this year, placing the acceptance rate at less than 5 percent. Since the program's inception in 1989, more than 4,400 fellowships have been awarded.