Gahan Fellowship Fund

The Gahan Scholarship Fund is a competitive award intended to stimulate excellence in graduate research in the Department of Entomology at the University of Maryland. This award, established in 1981, was made possible through a series of gifts and bequests to the Entomology Department by James B. and Margaret Gahan, and James' sister, Winifred. The endowment honors the late Arthur B. Gahan, who was a Professor of Entomology at the University.

The Gahan is awarded to doctoral students who have advanced to candidacy. Gahan fellows are distinguished by excellence in research creativity and productivity. The scholarship consists of a full stipend, a supplemental half-time research assistantship stipend to provide health benefits, summer support provided by the major advisor and tuition remission up to a maximum of 12 credits per semester.

The Gahans: A History

Arthur Gahan was one of the University's first graduate students in entomology. He arrived at College Park in 1904 and after receiving his MS in 1906, stayed on as a faculty member, teaching here until 1913. Arthur Gahan was also a very active member of the community, both on and off campus. He coached the first basketball team at the University, and in College Park he was one of a small group who worked to put the Branchville Volunteer Fire Department on a firm footing. In 1913 Arthur took a position with the Bureau of Entomology at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and was assigned to the National Museum, where he continued his research on the taxonomy and biology of parasitic Hymenoptera until his retirement, becoming a world authority on Chalcidoidea. In 1922 he served as president of the Entomological Society of Washington.

Following in their father's footsteps, Winifred and James both spent their entire careers at the USDA. After receiving his BS (1930) and MS (1932) in Entomology from the University of Maryland, James Gahan became a leader in the development of effective methods for deploying insecticides against insects vectoring disease, receiving a War Department commendation for his role in the dramatic reduction of the incidence of malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases among U.S. troops during World War II and in tropical countries during the immediate postwar years.

Winifred Gahan also went to college at Maryland, graduating in 1931. At that time, women were a small minority of the student body. Winifred initially majored in mathematics but eventually switched to home economics. However, her excellent math skills served her well in a career working with statistics for the USDA. Winifred also led an active life in the community, including being a life-long member, Sunday school teacher and benefactor of Berwyn Presbyterian Church.

The Gahan Scholarship Fund was established in 1981 by James, his wife, Margaret, and Winifred, in honor of Arthur Gahan. The Papers of Arthur B. Gahan are housed in the Maryland Room of the Hornbake Library.

Award Eligibility and Application Process

Gahan Scholarships are available exclusively to Entomology graduate students and are administered by the Department of Entomology. Preference is given to finishing PhD students in their final 1 or 2 years of graduate study. The time limits for the Gahan scholarship are 1 year with the option of a second year renewal. To qualify, students must be entering the final 2 years of study and have advanced to candidacy for the doctorate degree at the time of application. Former or current recipients of a Graduate School Fellowship are eligible.

Applications for the Gahan Scholarship are reviewed annually, typically in the late spring. Procedures for application can be obtained from the Graduate Director:

Graduate Director
Office of Graduate Admissions
2117 Lee Building
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742-5121

Gahan Fellow Gail Langellotto

"Your generous gift has made a profound difference in my life by enabling me to complete a goal that I never dreamed could be a reality. I am the first member of my family who has graduated from college. The Gahan Fellowship was ...a gift that allowed me to focus solely on completing my dissertation during a crucial period of my graduate studies. Because I was able to complete my [PhD] ...I was able to accept the post-doctoral position of my dreams. I am now continuing my research into arthropod community structure at UC Davis. The Gahan Fellowship is a gift that I will always be thankful for, and I hope that I can honor the name of Arthur B. Gahan through both my research and my teaching in the field of entomology."