Henry Freer
GEORGIA TECH LONG SNAPPER NAMED GO BOWLING
MILITARY BOWL STEM SCHOLAR-ATHLETE
Georgia Tech long snapper Henry Freer, a graduate student studying for his Ph.D. in chemical and biomolecular engineering, has been named a Go Bowling Military Bowl STEM Scholar-Athlete.
Freer, who is from College Park, Ga., graduated in May 2023 with a 3.84 grade-point average and a degree in chemical and biomolecular engineering. He is believed to be the first Georgia Tech football player to compete while studying for a doctorate degree.
Freer is a three-time member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll and aspires to be a chemical engineer. He is currently working on a project funded by a grant from the U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, with a goal of making green hydrogen at a low cost for use as an alternative energy to help with the worldwide transition away from fossil fuels.
“Henry is a true scholar-athlete,” said Paul A. Kohl, regents professor and Thomas L. Gossage chair of the Georgia Tech chemical and biomolecular engineering department. “Henry is making rapid progress on his Ph.D. research project because he is very bright and extraordinarily dedicated. His recent discoveries will soon be published in scientific journals. However, there is much more to Henry than just a hard-working, bright student. Henry is very caring and giving of his time. He is already mentoring several undergraduate students who are involved in undergraduate research. Henry’s dedication and performance make him a role model for everyone around him.”
Freer was a semifinalist for the 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by the National Football Foundation to the nation’s top college football scholar-athlete. In the past, he has done internships in automation and as a quality control chemist. He worked on undergraduate research to design binder systems to improve mechanical stability in high-capacity electrodes.
With all of his academic requirements, time in the lab and the demands of playing college football, Freer’s days often are hectic. For instance, his teammates might take it easy after walkthroughs while Freer speeds off to the research lab.
“Everyone grabs a nap, and I’m fabricating electrodes over there in the lab, trying to get stuff done,” Freer said. “Hurry to practice, then practice ends and I’ve got to go check on whatever I made and make sure nothing is leaking.”
The Go Bowling Military Bowl is proud to announce the members of the fourth annual STEM Scholar-Athlete Program, recognizing some of the brightest minds competing on the gridiron in the ACC and the American Athletic Conference.
“The Go Bowling Military Bowl STEM Scholar-Athlete Program honors an amazing group of young men who truly showcase what it means to be a student-athlete,” Military Bowl Foundation President & Executive Director Steve Beck said. “We are thrilled to honor this group of talented players for their success on and off the field while continually challenging themselves in the classroom.”
The Go Bowling Military Bowl STEM Scholar-Athlete Program honors one football player at each university that is a member of the ACC and the American Athletic Conference – the two conferences that are represented in the Go Bowling Military Bowl college football game. These players are studying STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) subjects and/or aspire to STEM careers.
The two players whose teams compete in the 2024 Go Bowling Military Bowl will be recognized at the game, which takes place on Saturday, Dec. 28 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md. Kickoff is at 5:45 p.m. ET and the game will be televised on ESPN. Bowl tickets are on sale now. A donation will be made in the name of these two players to their respective school’s general scholarship fund.