45 Finalists Named for the 2022 Hertz Fellowships

February 3, 2022
Hertz Foundation
Livermore, Calif

The Fannie and John Hertz Foundation today announced 45 finalists for the 2022 Hertz Fellowships in applied science, mathematics and engineering.

Selected from more than 650 applicants and representing 17 universities, the finalists advance to a culminating round of interviews for one of the most competitive and coveted Ph.D. fellowships in the nation. The 2022 class of Hertz Fellows will be announced in May.

Since 1963, the Hertz Foundation has granted fellowships empowering the nation’s most promising young minds in science and technology. Hertz Fellows receive five years of funding, valued up to $250,000, with the flexibility to pursue vital research that advances our security and economic vitality.

In addition to receiving financial support, Hertz Fellows join a multigenerational, intellectual community of peers, offering a unique engine for professional development and collaboration. Hertz Fellows have access to lifelong programming such as mentoring, events and networking, which have led to research collaborations, technology commercialization, and the creation of and investment in early-stage companies, among other opportunities. 

“This year’s remarkable finalists have achieved success in both academic and research pursuits during a very challenging period,” said Derek Haseltine, director of the Hertz Fellowship Program. “Their ability to solve big problems with bold scientific approaches will no doubt have a lasting impact on our nation.” 

The Hertz Foundation is dedicated to expanding and accelerating the U.S. pipeline of scientific and technical leadership. Through a rigorous and time-tested selection process, led by Hertz Fellow Philip Welkhoff, director of the malaria program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the fellowship selection committee seeks out candidates who show extraordinary potential to become great leaders in their fields and address the most pressing challenges facing the nation.

Over the foundation’s 59-year history of awarding fellowships, more than 1200 Hertz Fellows have established a remarkable track record of accomplishments. Their ranks include two Nobel laureates; recipients of eight Breakthrough Prizes and three MacArthur Foundation “genius awards”; and winners of the Turing Award, the Fields Medal, the National Medal of Technology, and the National Medal of Science. In addition, 48 are members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, and 32 are fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Hertz Fellows hold over 3,000 patents, have founded more than 375 companies and have created hundreds of thousands of science and technology jobs.

2022 Hertz Fellowship Finalists

Finalists are listed with their most recent university affiliation and field of study.

Anna Alvarez
University of California, Santa Barbara
Mechanical Engineering

Vidal Arroyo
University of Oxford
Quantitative Biology and Bioengineering

Galen Bundy Bascom
University of Colorado, Boulder
Aerospace Engineering

Roderick Bayliss III
University of California, Berkeley
Electrical Engineering

Elizabeth Bennewitz
University of Maryland, College Park
Physics

Nikhil Bhattasali
Stanford University
Computer Science

Joseph Bonavia
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mechanical Engineering

Cole Brabec
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Electrical Engineering

Jeffrey Brown II
Stanford University
Electrical Engineering

Alexander Cohen
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mathematics

Grady (Max) Daniels
Northeastern University
Computer Science, Statistics

Nicholas Diaco
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Materials Science

Louis Golowich
Harvard University
Computer Science

Wenjie Gong
Harvard University
Physics

Jonah Herzog-Arbeitman
Princeton University
Theoretical Physics

Charles Hultquist
Michigan State University
Physics and Chemistry

Adarsh Jeewajee
Stanford University
Computer Science

Leyla Kabuli
University of California, Berkeley
Electrical Engineering, Computational Imaging

Mason Kamb
University of Washington
Biophysics

Sandeep Kambhampati
Harvard University
Quantitative Biology

Nishaad Khedkar
Princeton University
Electrical Engineering

Nicholas Krasnow
Harvard University
Chemistry

Abigail Landers
Cornell University
Quantitative Biology

Niklas Lauffer
University of California, Berkeley
Computer Science

David Li
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Quantitative Biology and Bioengineering

John Li
Stanford University
Materials Science and Engineering

Daniel Longenecker
Princeton University
Physics

Anasuya Lyons
University of California, Berkeley
Physics

Alexander Morgan
University of Southern California
Electrical Engineering

Scott Moroch
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Physics

Rajiv Movva
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Computer Science and Engineering

Kabir Nagrecha
University of California, San Diego
Computer Science and Engineering

Vivek Nair
University of California, Berkeley
Computer Science

Anusha Nathan
Harvard University
Immunology, Quantitative Biology

Syamantak Payra
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Electrical Engineering

William Pinney III
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Biological Engineering

Parker Ruth
Stanford University
Computer Science and Engineering

Shuvom Sadhuka
Harvard University
Quantitative Biology, Computer Science

Shreya Shankar
University of California, Berkeley
Computer Science

Kye Shi
Harvey Mudd College
Theoretical Computer Science

Daniel Stein
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Quantitative Biology and Bioengineering

Jasmine Stone
Columbia University
Neuroscience

Emily Trimm
Stanford University
Biophysics

Franklyn Wang
Harvard University
Computer Science

Anonymous
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Physics

Additional Finalist Information


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About the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation

The Fannie and John Hertz Foundation identifies the nation’s most promising innovators in science and technology and empowers them to pursue solutions to our toughest challenges. Launched in 1963, the Hertz Fellowship is the most exclusive fellowship program in the United States, fueling more than 1,200 leaders, disruptors and creators who apply their remarkable talents where they’re needed most — from the future of health care to the future health of our environment. Hertz Fellows hold 3,000+ patents, have founded 375+ companies, and have received 200+ major national and international awards, including two Nobel Prizes, eight Breakthrough Prizes, the National Medal of Technology, the Fields Medal and the Turing Award. Learn more at HertzFoundation.org.