Brown Students Win Six Major Academic Fellowships

Six students and recent graduates from Brown University are heading toward fully funded graduate studies after winning some of America's most competitive academic fellowships.

Four undergraduates scored Goldwater Scholarships, recognized as the premier award for future scientists and mathematicians. Juniors Erin Kim and HaiTian Wu, sophomore Simon Nirenberg, and Everest Yang from the Class of 2026.5 beat out more than 5,000 nominees nationwide to win the honor. Each receives up to $7,500 annually for tuition, fees, books and housing.

Clara Tandar, who just started medical school at Brown after graduating in 2025, gained acceptance to the ultra-selective NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program. Only about 20 students worldwide earn spots each year in this accelerated doctoral program. The scholarship covers everything: tuition, living expenses, health insurance, and international travel for the roughly four years it takes to complete a doctorate.

Recent graduate Alexandra Mork joined the 2026 Class of Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford University, where she'll pursue her law degree. Stanford selected just 87 scholars from over 9,200 applicants representing 31 countries. The program covers all tuition and fees plus living stipends, relocation costs, and annual travel grants for three years.

The Ripple Effect

What sets these students apart isn't just talent. Brown's Open Curriculum lets students design their own academic paths without required courses, giving them freedom to explore bold research questions. Close relationships with faculty mentors helped each scholar refine their interests and tackle ambitious projects.

The four Goldwater winners are diving into fields from mathematics to natural sciences and engineering. Their research explores questions that could reshape their disciplines and solve real-world problems.

This year's wins continue Brown's track record of developing exceptional scholars who combine intellectual curiosity with genuine commitment to positive change. The university's culture of collaborative exploration means students don't just study existing knowledge but push boundaries to create new insights.

These six scholars represent the next generation of researchers, doctors, and legal minds who'll tackle tomorrow's challenges. Their success shows what's possible when talented young people get the support and freedom to pursue their boldest ideas.