Graduate student receives national award

Rajan Puri, a doctoral student in mathematics, recently received the David Merchant International Student Award for Achievement from the Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars. The award honors one international student who demonstrates exceptional accomplishments in the areas of scholarship and service.

An international student from Nepal, Puri is currently pursuing a doctorate in applied mathematics, yet he finds time to support the Office of International Programs’ global endeavors. He has been a member of Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars since 2017 and a member of the University’s Global Graduate Student Committee. As an active member of the Graduate School, Puri advocates for the interconnectedness of the world through advancing mutual respect, cultural sensitivity and sharing rather than owning knowledge.

As a graduate teaching assistant, he has learned the use of educational technology, systems of evaluation, use of academic English and the culture of American academia. In addition to being a teaching assistant, he is a graduate life fellow at the Center for Graduate Life and president of the Mathematics Graduate Student Association. He has organized and promoted various events for the Graduate School and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics focusing on bridging the social, cultural and communication gap among fellow graduate students.

Learn more about the University’s Phi Beta Delta Mu chapter on the web.