Montana State chemistry student wins prestigious Astronaut Scholarship

BOZEMAN - Montana State University student Peyton Summerhill has wanted to be a scientist for as long as she can remember.

"For so many years as a kid, I was looking around trying to figure out where the scientists were, and they were here the whole time," said Summerhill, who grew up in Bozeman and is majoring in chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in MSU's College of Letters and Science. "I'm glad I finally found them."

As she prepares to start her senior year this fall, Summerhill's connections to the scientific community are beginning to extend well beyond Bozeman. In late May, mere hours before leaving for the Technical University of Dortmund in Germany for a highly selective summer research internship awarded by RISE Germany, she learned she had been named to the 2026 class of Astronaut Scholars by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.

The award is considered one of the nation's most prestigious scholarships for undergraduate students pursuing degrees in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and it provides professional networking opportunities with astronauts, alumni and industry leaders. Summerhill is MSU's third Astronaut Scholarship recipient in the past three years.

Her selection is one of several significant achievements over the past academic year. In November, she became a published co-author of a paper describing an unusual chemical reaction on a metal-organic framework, or MOF, that was featured in the eminent journal Science. Landing the RISE Germany internship fulfilled a wish-list goal she set as a high school student studying German, which she has continued in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at MSU. And in the spring, she was named a finalist for a Barry Goldwater Scholarship, another of the nation's top scholarships for undergraduates in STEM. Summerhill studies in the MSU Honors College, which nominated her for both the Goldwater and Astronaut scholarships. Each award is geared toward students who want to pursue research.

"That's me," said Summerhill, who, after graduating in May 2027, plans to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry and a professional career in scientific research.

Since her freshman year, she has been a member of the research group led by associate professor of chemistry Nick Stadie, who began working with Summerhill on an independent, theoretical research project before she even finished high school.

"One thing that comes to mind when I think of Peyton is that she has walked the real-deal scientific path throughout her time here at MSU, and that takes a lot of commitment," said Stadie. He said that because of the significant amount of time she has invested, Summerhill has reached a level of scientific maturity not attained by most students until they are in graduate school.

Summerhill's research has focused mainly on what she calls an "exciting and fundamental" branch of science involving adsorption thermodynamics and gas adsorption on solid surfaces, including MOFs. These porous crystals, often vibrant in color and flexible compared to typical crystals, consist of a molecular-sized scaffold that is open for exploration by gases from all sides. Such materials have the potential to both advance fundamental understanding of gas-surface interactions and bring about technological innovations. Her work has been largely theoretical, bridging the two disciplines of physical chemistry: quantum mechanics and thermodynamics.

"That's what I love about it," she said.

She explained that MOFs are potentially useful for many applications, but require a great deal of energy to create, which means they can be expensive, and some are also toxic. In Germany, she will spend the summer researching alternative crystals called porous salt frameworks. Unlike MOFs, she said, they are very easy to make, inexpensive, simple and nontoxic, though they present their own unique challenges.

"Our goal is to find the sweet spot in between," she said.

Though English is spoken in the lab where she works, Summerhill said she is excited to practice her German language skills while she is abroad. Originally scheduled to return to the U.S. shortly before the start of MSU's fall semester, she may alter her plans so she can attend scheduled events for Astronaut Scholars in mid-August in Houston. In addition to up to $15,000 in scholarship funds, each student receives a fully funded trip to attend ASF's Innovators Symposium and Gala, which includes a technical conference where the students showcase their cutting-edge research. Students also take part in the Michael Collins Family Professional Development Program. The program instructs scholars in specific topics and provides experiences - including technical conferences, networking events and industry tours - to help them grow into strong, professional leaders.

"It's a huge honor to receive a scholarship like this," Summerhill said. "I've had incredible mentors, teachers and professors who have helped me along the way."

ASF awarded its first seven $1,000 scholarships in 1986 to honor the pioneering Mercury 7 astronauts Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Walter Schirra, Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton. What began as a celebration quickly evolved into a national commitment to support exceptional college students pursuing degrees in STEM. Over the past 40 years, more than $10 million has been awarded to more than 900 college students.

"Each new class of Astronaut Scholars represents the future of innovation and discovery," said Colleen Middlebrooks, president and CEO of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. "The 2026 Astronaut Scholars have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement, curiosity and leadership, and we are proud to support them as they continue pursuing breakthroughs that will shape the future of STEM."