CCJS PhD student Lydia Becker has been named a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow.

"I’m honored that the NSF GRFP will allow me to dedicate space for my own research within the busy life of a graduate student," Becker said.

The fellowship will support Becker's dissertation research related to criminal court processes over the next three years.

"The proposal I submitted for the fellowship is an exploration of how cash bail policies impact pretrial release, failure to appear, and pretrial rearrest," Becker said. "What’s nice about the GRFP is that they fund 'the person' and not 'the research.' They understand that my interests may shift throughout the dissertation process and I’m not tied to the research project I submitted. However, I’m very passionate about pretrial detention phenomena and will likely pursue that area of research for my dissertation."

Becker reflected on the support she's received within the CCJS department during her time as a PhD student.

"I’ve had great mentorship experiences in the program thus far, and I am especially grateful to Brian [Johnson], Bianca [Bersani], and María [Vélez], my reference writers," she said. "I’ve also had incredible support from my cohort, and our friendship boosts my motivation to be successful in the graduate program.

Congratulations, Lydia!