Razin ’26 earns national Rossing Scholarship for excellence in physics

Kazi Uzayr Razin ’26 has been awarded a $5,000 Rossing Physics Scholarship. He is the first international student from Augustana College to earn this honor.

Razin, an engineering major from Dhaka, Bangladesh, is among just 11 students across the country to receive this award this year. Awards go to exemplary physics students attending one of the 26 colleges and universities related to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Dr. Nathan Frank, professor and chair of physics, engineering and astronomy, praised Razin as one of the department’s strongest students.

“Kazi has fantastic problem-solving skills and learns difficult concepts with ease,” Dr. Frank said. “In our advanced lab course, he was the key cog in any lab group, leading teams to successful outcomes. His leadership has also extended beyond the classroom, as president of Augustana Physics and Engineering Society.”

Razin said receiving the scholarship is both meaningful and motivating.

“It really feels great receiving this; it inspired me to keep working hard,” he said. “I feel like I have set a standard for myself. This recognition reminds me to keep up with that standard I have built over three years.”

At Augustana, Razin is involved in hands-on learning opportunities. On a summer project, he built the planktoscope, an algal imagining device, for the purpose of localizing the device for use in the United States. His experience prepared him for a subsequent internship with HDR, a global engineering and architecture company, where he thrived designing mission-critical data centers.

He continues to work part-time with HDR while completing his bachelor’s degree.

Razin said faculty support and mentorship have been key to his success. He encourages new students to take advantage of research opportunities.

“At Augustana, professors are always open to students joining projects, and that’s not something easily accessible elsewhere,” he said.

Dr. Frank added that Razin’s success also reflects the strength of Augustana’s engineering program.

“We provide opportunities for students to explore interests and excel in them,” Dr. Frank said. “Kazi is an impressive mix of intelligence, leadership and integrity, the kind of student who makes the most of those opportunities.”

After graduation, Razin plans to begin his career in the engineering industry before pursuing a master’s degree. He also aims to earn his Fundamentals of Engineering licenses and eventually his Professional Engineer license.

About the award
Dr. Thomas D. Rossing, a Luther College alumnus and professor emeritus of physics at Northern Illinois University, created the scholarship fund through the Foundation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

Written by Yael Haddad '26