Rabia Hunky, a graduate student in petroleum
engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology, recently became
the first Missouri S&T student to receive a “Faculty for the Future” grant
from the Schlumberger Foundation. The award provides up to three years of
financial support for selected students pursuing Ph.D.
degrees.          

The “Faculty for the Future” program
encourages women to pursue academic careers in science and
technology.         

“Rabia is an excellent role model for women at
Missouri S&T and for future generations,” says Dr. Shari Dunn-Norman,
associate professor of petroleum engineering. “She is also a wonderful
ambassador for our program, Missouri S&T and her home
country.”         

Hunky’s employer, the National Oil Company in
Libya, provided support for her to complete a master’s degree in the United
States. Last year, Hunky became the first woman to earn a graduate degree in
petroleum engineering at Missouri
S&T.         

Hunky is currently back at her job in Libya,
but she will return to Missouri S&T to begin her Ph.D. studies in
June.         

In addition to providing general support, the
Schlumberger Foundation grant will help Hunky with costs pertaining to her
Ph.D. research. She intends to expand on her previous work in hydraulic
fracturing, a method used to stimulate flow from oil and gas
wells.         

After earning a Ph.D. at Missouri S&T,
Hunky expects to continue her academic career through a relationship with Al
Fateh University in
Libya.          

The Schlumberger Foundation, based in The
Netherlands, reviewed applications from more than 120 international candidates
in 2007.