A Coffeyville native and Field Kindley High School graduate has been selected for a national STEM fellowship.

Maria Olds, formerly Maria Burris, is a 2001 FKHS graduate and doctoral chemistry student at the University of Texas at Arlington. Olds is one of 30 doctoral students nationwide selected for the inaugural ASCENDR Fellowship. The one-year program prepares students for defense-related research careers and provides each fellow with $12,500 for research.

Olds’ doctoral work includes studying how insect gut bacteria break down pesticides and developing new methods of ion chromatography. The fellowship concludes with a conference in June 2027, where participants will present their research to program administrators and Department of Defense officials.