Computer Science and Software Engineering graduate student wins Eisenhower Fellowship from Federal Highway Administration
Published: Nov 14, 2024 10:45 AM
By Kat Bader
Corey McDaniels, a master’s student in the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering (CSSE), has been awarded the 2024 Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship by the Federal Highway Administration.
The program provides fellowships to students pursuing transportation-related degrees. The award is merit-based, and winners are selected through a competitive process. Corey will use the funding to support his attendance at the Transportation Research Board annual meeting in Washington, DC, in January 2025. He will use the remainder of his award as a stipend to support his studies.
McDaniels is a research assistant with the Auburn University Transportation Research Institute (AUTRI) and is funded by a grant from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). McDaniels said he’s ecstatic and grateful to earn the Eisenhower Fellowship, something he wouldn’t have learned about without the advice from AUTRI faculty and staff. He said working with AUTRI means everything to him.
“Not everyone has the privilege of saying this, but I look forward to working in the lab every weekday,” he said. "The incredible projects we get to work on speak for themselves. I appreciate the opportunities and the supportive guidance offered by the AUTRI team.”
He thanked Laurence Rilett, AUTRI director and AUTRI Assistant Research Professors Adrian Cottam and Ernest Tufuor, for their guidance and valuable feedback on his research.
McDaniels credited his time at AUTRI as an inspiration to pursue the Eisenhower Fellowship, saying that his research through AUTRI has made him appreciate the interdisciplinary nature of transportation.
“Without the financial support of ERDC and the professional support provided by AUTRI, the wonderful opportunities I have experienced wouldn’t be possible,” McDaniels said.
McDaniels gives credence to his time at Auburn University for helping him grow as a researcher and to the fact that his experience here has rekindled his love for engineering.
“I knew that to truly be successful in the ways that I would hope for in graduate school, I had to attend an institution with a strong engineering department and consistent support from faculty,” McDaniels said. “Auburn has delivered this in more ways than I can possibly account for. Seeing so many passionate people in engineering and outside of it has really made me enjoy learning.”
After graduating with a master’s degree in spring 2025, McDaniels plans to continue his academic journey on The Plains and earn a doctoral degree. He is co-supervised by Rilett and Xiao Qin, director of Computer Science and Software Engineering Graduate Programs. McDaniels is also a recipient of the Walt and Virginia Woltosz Fellowship.
Media Contact: , kmb0190@auburn.edu,
Corey McDaniels, a master’s student in the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering (CSSE), has been awarded the 2024 Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship by the Federal Highway Administration.
