Johns Hopkins PhD student wins $100,000 fellowship endowed by former Google CEO
Johns Hopkins doctoral candidate Wesley Fuhrman has been selected as an inaugural Schmidt Science Fellow for his research into a promising but mysterious class of quantum materials called topological insulators.
Endowed by Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, and his wife, philanthropist Wendy Schmidt, the fellowship program seeks to support the next generation of scientific leaders, giving them the tools and opportunities they need to drive world-changing innovations. Winners receive a $100,000 award.
"The next frontiers of scientific discovery will be pioneered by those who can transcend the traditional boundaries of science, using techniques from multiple scientific fields to tackle society's longstanding challenges," Eric Schmidt said. "The first class of Schmidt Science Fellows have the intelligence, inspiration, and ambition to be leaders in science and society. We at Schmidt Futures look forward to helping them realize that potential."
Selected from a pool of 220 global applicants and 31 finalists, Fuhrman, who is earning his PhD in physics at Hopkins, was one of 14 scientists to join the first cohort of Schmidt Science Fellows. In addition to the $100,000 stipend, the scientists are invited to a global meeting series hosted by the world's leading universities—beginning at the University of Oxford in July—where fellows will learn about a range of scientific fields.