FIU Awards Full STEM Scholarship
Miami Beach Senior High School freshman, Rebecca Rauch-Thane, was awarded a full scholarship to Florida International University at the Miami Beach Environmental Resiliency Summit: Miami Beach Rising Above on March 27th, 2015. The event was hosted by Mayor Phillip Levine and included guest speakers such as Al Roker, American television personality and weatherman, and Bill Roedy, Founder and Former Chairman of MTV.
“It’s a bit unusual to award such a scholarship to someone who isn’t even finished with their freshman year of high school, but Rebecca has already proven she is an exceptional student committed to meaningful solutions to the world’s problems,” said Mike Heithaus, Dean of FIU’s College of Arts & Sciences. “We want to make sure she has the opportunity to stay here in South Florida, where she can make a difference.”
Rauch-Thane was awarded her scholarship based on her work detecting soil contaminants though the testing of coconut water in Key Biscayne and Virginia Key. Her work will be available for exposition at the Miami-Dade County Public School STEM Expo and has been touted as a low-cost alternative to current environmental testing procedures in place.
