Jeff Helstad, a materials science and engineering undergraduate student and a soldier in the National Guard, earned a $25,000 Department of Defense scholarship that will support his research to develop new materials that add longevity to the current fleet of fighter aircraft.

Helstad is one of 11 materials science students in the nation to earn the prestigious Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation scholarship that will cover tuition, books and healthcare costs. He will spend his senior year working with UNT’s Institute for Science and Engineering Simulation team, which works with the U.S. Air Force to extend the life of its aging aircraft. After graduation, he will work for the Air Force Research Laboratories in Dayton, Ohio. His award is provided by the Naval Postgraduate School and the American Society for Engineering Education.