2026 Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program
WASHINGTON — Early-career researchers in the 2026 Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship program have begun their 12-week assignments at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. This program provides fellows with a firsthand experience in science and technology policy through collaboration with experienced scientists, engineers, and medical professionals.
The program is designed for full-time experiential training, where fellows work closely with a National Academies team and are paired with mentors. The aim is to deepen their understanding of science and technology policy, explore career paths, and acquire essential skills for working in science policy across various government levels.
Neil H. Shubin, President of the National Academy of Sciences, expressed enthusiasm for the new cohort saying, “For almost three decades, Mirzayan fellows have made valuable contributions to the work of the National Academies, many becoming policy leaders in the larger STEM community.”
The 2026 Fellows Are:
- Himanshu Ahuja, Exponent Inc.
- Charlotte Benedict, The Ohio State University
- Charles (Duke) Bickham, University of Southern California
- Willa Brenneis, Northwestern University
- Robert (Rob) Claassen, The Ohio State University
- Olufemi Fatunsin, Alabama A&M University
- Veronica Valencia Gonzalez, University of South Carolina
- Rebecca Grekin, Stanford University
- Januka Gyawali, Tufts University
- India Jackson, Georgia State University
- Yufan Ji, The Ohio State University
- Kasra Khodkar, Oklahoma State University
- Harshita (Hershey) Kondeti, Loyola University Chicago
- Kelly Matuszewski, Northwestern University
- Mahhad Nayyer, Purdue University
- Robin Oliverio, Static Media
- Annie Y. Patrick, Bucknell University
- Christine Smothers, Case Western Reserve University
- Angélica Valdés-Valderrama, Tufts University
- Vishnu Vijayasankar, National Laboratory of the Rockies
- Liya T. Weldegebriel, Stanford University
The Mirzayan Fellowship program, inaugurated in 1997, will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year.
About the National Academies
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions providing independent, objective analysis and advice to tackle complex issues and guide public policy related to science, engineering, and medicine. Established under an 1863 congressional charter signed by President Lincoln.
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