Newman said the $13,500 prize will help her accomplish goals she had already set for herself.
"I wasn't planning on getting a real job anyway," she said. "But this makes it easier to do things I would have done anyway."
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Rzepka expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming year.
"I'm glad to have the freedom to pursue this kind of research," he said. "I'm glad that someone thinks it's worthwhile enough to fund it."