Congratulations to the following Yale Physics students, who were each awarded a 2023 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRFP):
- Nikhil Harle, Physics-Intensive (Physics and Astronomy - Quantum Information Science)
- Alejandro Simon, Physics-Intensive & Computer Science (Engineering - Optical Engineering
In addition, the following Yale Physics students and alumni were awarded honorable mentions:
- Dawson Thomas, Mathematics & Physics
- Alum Laura Zhou, YC’22, Physics-Intensive;
- Alum Isabel Sands, YC’21, Physics-Intensive
Brief bios of this years fellows are included below:
Nikhil Harle is a Physics-Intensive major currently working with Michel Devoret. Nikhil served as a board member of Yale Undergraduate Quantum Computing (YuQC) for two years, during which time he served as Director of Hackathons and Director of Resources. He planned the inaugural QC Hackathon with YuQC and Stanford. He also participated in IBM and Princeton’s QURIP research program and summer school.
Alejandro Simon is double-majoring in Physics-Intensive and Computer Science working with Abhishek Bhattacharjee. While at Yale, he has done research with Professor Peter Schiffer in the Applied Physics Department, working on studying artificial spin ice. The results of this research were published in an article in Physical Review Letters. He has also worked with Professor Abhishek Bhattacharjee in the Computer Science Department, working on developing quantum algorithms for cognitive models. Finally, he spent two summers with Professor Chris Xu at Cornell University developing adaptive microscopy techniques for multiphoton microscopes. On campus, he has taught for SPLASH and been a member of the Yale Undergraduate Research Journal.
Alejandro’s advisor Abhishek Bhattacharjee, associate professor of computer science, said, “Alejandro is going to be a star scientist. He’s technically sharp and intellectually curious. He is also willing to find connections between different areas that seem – at first glance – disconnected. The GRFP is an excellent recognition of his potential, and I’m excited to watch his career blossom.”
The NSF GRFP recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions. The five-year fellowship includes three years of financial support including an annual stipend of $37,000 and a cost of education allowance of $12,000 to the institution. Click here for a list of awardees.