The Kummer Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) Doctoral Fellows program welcomes Fernando Chavez as the new program manager.

Chavez has worked at Missouri S&T for three years, beginning in 2022 as an office support coordinator for earth sciences and engineering. In 2023, he became a student support coordinator for graduate education. 

In his new role, Chavez will support the doctoral fellows while helping monitor their academic and program progress.

“My main goals are to identify what our fellows need most and how to best support them using what I’ve learned from graduate education, as well as finding ways to strengthen connections with industry partners and employers so we can create more opportunities for our students,” Chavez says.

The Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows program offers funding for doctoral studies with a strong emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship, opportunities to present research and career development.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how this program continues to grow and to be part of supporting students as they reach their goals here at S&T,” Chavez says.