Cambridge, MA – Six exceptional individuals affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have been named 2026 P.D. Soros Fellows for New Americans, a highly competitive and prestigious graduate fellowship recognizing outstanding immigrants and children of immigrants in the United States. The recipients from MIT include Denisse Córdova Carrizales SM ’26, Ria Das ’21, MNG ’22, Ronak Desai, Stacy Godfreey-Igwe ’22, Arya Rao, and Ananthan Sadagopan ’24. This distinguished cohort will receive significant financial and programmatic support as they pursue advanced degrees and contribute to diverse fields ranging from nuclear science and engineering to artificial intelligence in medicine. Additionally, Avinash Vadali, an existing P.D. Soros Fellow, is set to commence his PhD in condensed-matter physics at MIT this fall, further solidifying MIT’s standing as a hub for these remarkable scholars.
The P.D. Soros Fellowship for New Americans: A Legacy of Opportunity
The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans program was established in 1998 by Hungarian immigrants Paul and Daisy Soros with a profound mission: to invest in the graduate education of New Americans—immigrants and the children of immigrants—who are poised to make significant contributions to U.S. society, culture, or academia. Paul Soros, an accomplished entrepreneur and philanthropist, understood firsthand the transformative power of opportunity in America, having arrived in the U.S. as a refugee in 1948. The fellowship is a direct manifestation of his and Daisy’s commitment to giving back to the country that offered them a fresh start.
Each year, the fellowship provides up to $90,000 in tuition and stipend support for up to two years of graduate studies, covering a wide array of disciplines across American universities. Beyond financial aid, the program offers a vibrant community of peers and mentors, fostering an environment for collaboration and intellectual growth. With thousands of applicants annually vying for approximately 30 fellowships, the selection process is rigorous, identifying individuals not only with exceptional academic and professional achievements but also with compelling personal narratives and a demonstrated commitment to their communities and the broader society. The 2026 cohort, representing a diverse tapestry of backgrounds and ambitions, exemplifies the program’s enduring legacy of nurturing talent that enriches the American fabric.
MIT’s Enduring Role in Fostering New American Excellence
MIT has consistently been a strong presence among P.D. Soros Fellowship recipients, reflecting the institution’s commitment to attracting and cultivating top-tier talent from around the globe. The institute’s multidisciplinary environment, cutting-edge research opportunities, and culture of innovation provide an ideal ecosystem for New Americans to thrive and push the boundaries of knowledge. The selection of six MIT affiliates and one incoming fellow underscores the institute’s role as a vital contributor to American leadership in science, engineering, and public policy, powered by the diverse perspectives and intellectual prowess of its immigrant and first-generation student body. Interested students within the MIT community are encouraged to contact Kim Benard, associate dean of distinguished fellowships in Career Advising and Professional Development, for guidance on applying for this and other prestigious awards.
Spotlight on the 2026 MIT P.D. Soros Fellows
The six MIT-affiliated recipients of the 2026 P.D. Soros Fellowship represent a remarkable convergence of scientific acumen, social consciousness, and leadership. Their individual journeys and aspirations highlight the profound impact that New Americans continue to have on critical fields.
Denisse Córdova Carrizales: Pioneering Sustainable Quantum Materials
Denisse Córdova Carrizales SM ’26 is a PhD student in nuclear science and engineering at MIT, where she works in Professor Mingda Li’s lab, having completed her master’s degree earlier this year. Her research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of quantum materials, an endeavor aimed at bridging fundamental scientific discovery with industrial application to create more energy-efficient and sustainable technologies. Her work is crucial in an era demanding innovative solutions for global energy challenges and climate change.
Of Mexican descent, Córdova Carrizales grew up in Houston, Texas, before attending Harvard University, where she graduated in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in physics. At Harvard, she immersed herself in experimental condensed-matter research, a passion that has since driven her academic trajectory. Her extensive research experience includes impactful stints at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, and VEIR, exploring areas such as computational plasma physics and high-temperature superconducting magnet and cable engineering. This breadth of experience reflects a deep commitment to advancing foundational physics into practical applications.
Her scholarly contributions are already significant, including coauthored papers in high-impact journals such as Nature Physics, Nature Materials, and Advanced Materials, alongside lead-author publications in Nano Letters and Physical Review Materials. In recognition of her exceptional undergraduate research, she was awarded the prestigious LeRoy Apker Award from the American Physical Society in 2023, an honor given to only two students nationwide each year. Beyond her research, Córdova Carrizales is a vocal advocate for nuclear disarmament and risk reduction, having engaged with Congress on these critical issues and authored pieces on the nuclear stockpile stewardship program. At Harvard, she founded an organization dedicated to supporting first-generation college students pursuing physics, demonstrating her commitment to fostering inclusivity in STEM. In a testament to her diverse talents, she also performed as the lead in an off-Broadway show in New York, showcasing a remarkable blend of scientific rigor and artistic expression.
Ria Das: Unraveling Conceptual Change for Equitable Systems
Ria Das ’21, MNG ’22, a PhD student in the MIT Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to her studies. She earned a dual BS degree in mathematics and electrical engineering and computer science from MIT in 2021, followed by a Master of Engineering degree in 2022. Her academic journey reflects a deep engagement with both theoretical and applied aspects of computational science.
The daughter of Indian immigrant parents, Das’s upbringing in Nashua, New Hampshire, shaped her profound interest in issues of belonging and identity—questions that intensified during her initial PhD studies at Stanford University. This introspection led her to take a leave from her doctoral program, a courageous step to explore these topics more deeply outside traditional academic confines. During this period, she traveled across the country before relocating to New York to join Basis Research Institute, an AI research nonprofit. As a research associate, Das was instrumental in developing an urban data team that collaborated with federal and municipal government agencies. Her work focused on issues of economic and housing equity, seamlessly blending her scientific expertise with a passion for addressing social problems. This experience underscored her belief in using data and technology for social good, ultimately leading her back to MIT to complete her doctoral studies.
Today, Das conducts her research with Professor Joshua Tenenbaum in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Her work investigates how individuals undergo conceptual change, with the ultimate goal of building more robust, accessible systems for automated (social) science and improving educational design. Her research holds significant implications for artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and public policy, aiming to create more adaptable and equitable learning and societal systems. Looking ahead, Das aspires to become a professor, committed to collaborating closely with policy practitioners to translate academic insights into tangible societal improvements.
Ronak Desai: Harnessing AI to Combat Infectious Diseases
Ronak Desai is a student in the highly competitive Harvard/MIT MD-PhD program, where his doctoral research is centered in chemistry. The son of immigrants from Gujarat, India, Desai was born in Tyler, Texas, and grew up in nearby Lindale. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin, demonstrating early academic distinction.
Desai’s journey is marked by a blend of scientific inquiry and public service. He gained valuable experience interning at the U.S. House of Representatives as a Bill Archer Fellow, providing him with insights into the intersection of science and policy. His biomedical research has focused on the study and engineering of novel polyketide synthases, with the ambitious goal of producing next-generation antibiotics by harnessing these newly engineered biological pathways. This work addresses a critical global health challenge: the rising threat of antibiotic resistance.
As a first-generation college student, Desai achieved remarkable academic success, graduating with degrees in chemistry and biochemistry. He was recognized as a Health Science Scholar and a Dean’s Honored Graduate, and received nine scholarships throughout his undergraduate career, underscoring his exceptional talent and dedication. His research contributions have been published in leading scientific journals, including Cell and Nature Communications, signaling his impact in the field. Desai is conducting his doctoral research under the mentorship of Professor James J. Collins in the MIT Department of Biological Engineering and the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology. His current work is at the forefront of medical innovation, focusing on using artificial intelligence to discover and design novel antibiotics, offering a promising avenue to advance treatments for patients worldwide and combat the growing crisis of antimicrobial resistance. Desai’s career ambition is to integrate his passions for medicine, science, and public policy to make a lasting difference in the treatment of infectious diseases.
Stacy Godfreey-Igwe: Championing Equitable Energy Solutions in a Warming World
Stacy Godfreey-Igwe ’22, an alumna of MIT, is a powerful advocate for energy justice and systemic equity. She attended MIT as both a QuestBridge and Gates Scholar, graduating in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and a concentration in sustainable design. Her commitment to interdisciplinary studies was evident in her also becoming the first student at MIT to complete a major in African and African diaspora studies, reflecting a deep engagement with social and historical contexts alongside her technical expertise. She was also recognized as a Burchard Scholar, a program for MIT undergraduates with outstanding abilities and achievements in the humanities, arts, and social sciences.
After graduating from MIT, Godfreey-Igwe pursued a science policy fellowship in Washington, D.C., and interned at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office. In this role, she actively worked to broaden the adoption of heat pump technologies across diverse stakeholders, demonstrating her practical application of sustainable solutions. Growing up in Richardson, Texas, as the daughter of Nigerian immigrants, Godfreey-Igwe developed an early and acute awareness of structural inequality. She witnessed firsthand how families like hers disproportionately bore the burden of severe Texas heat and exorbitant electricity costs, experiences that ignited her lifelong dedication to addressing systemic inequities embedded in everyday systems, particularly within the energy sector.
Currently, Godfreey-Igwe is a doctoral student in the joint engineering and public policy – civil and environmental engineering program at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), where she was selected for the inaugural CMU Rales Fellowship cohort. At CMU, her research investigates the critical impact of extreme heat on household energy use, with a particular focus on vulnerable communities. This work directly addresses the intersection of climate change, social justice, and infrastructure. Beyond her research, Godfreey-Igwe is deeply committed to community engagement, organizing outreach and programming for local underrepresented students in STEM. She also actively participates in institutional efforts aimed at expanding access and belonging among graduate students, embodying her belief in fostering inclusive academic environments. Her ultimate goal is to become a scholar and advocate whose work, informed by her personal experiences, contributes to the development and implementation of equitable energy solutions in an increasingly warming world.
Arya Rao: Revolutionizing Therapeutic Design with AI
Arya Rao is a student in the Harvard/MIT MD-PhD program, poised to make significant contributions at the nexus of medicine and technology. She completed her undergraduate degrees in biochemistry and computer science at Columbia University, establishing a strong foundation for her interdisciplinary pursuits. Rao’s research focuses on leveraging evolution as a lens for therapeutic design, developing cutting-edge artificial intelligence methods that interpret the genetic record to guide new intervention strategies. Her work has the potential to transform drug discovery and personalized medicine.
Working with esteemed professors Pardis Sabeti (Harvard University) and Sangeeta Bhatia (MIT), Rao’s research is at the forefront of understanding biological systems through computational models. Leveraging her dual training in medicine and computer science, Rao also leads the MESH AI Research Group at Mass General Brigham. In this role, she develops simulation-based tools designed to rigorously test clinical AI systems in realistic educational settings before their implementation with patients. This crucial work ensures the safety, efficacy, and ethical deployment of AI in healthcare, addressing a growing need for robust validation mechanisms.
Rao’s innovative contributions have garnered widespread recognition. She was honored with a Forbes 30 Under 30 distinction, the Massachusetts Medical Society Information Technology Award, the Harvard Presidential Public Service Fellowship, a Harvard Medical School Dean’s Innovation Award, and a Ladders to Cures Accelerator Award. Her prolific publication record includes more than 30 manuscripts in high-impact journals such as JAMA, Nature, and NEJM AI, underscoring her significant influence in the scientific community. Growing up in rural northern Michigan, Rao was profoundly inspired by her parents, Konkani immigrants from India, who served as two of the area’s only physicians. This upbringing instilled in her a lifelong vision of a career that could harness scientific innovation to improve patient care, particularly for communities lacking adequate access to medical services, much like her own childhood community. Looking forward, Rao envisions a career as a surgeon-scientist, a role that would keep her directly connected to patients while also enabling her to take on leadership positions that shape how new technologies are evaluated, implemented, and made usable in the places that need them most.
Ananthan Sadagopan: De-risking Novel Therapeutic Strategies for Cancer
Ananthan Sadagopan ’24, an MIT alumnus, has a distinguished academic record rooted in chemistry and biology. He grew up in Westborough, Massachusetts, as the child of immigrants from Chennai, India. His early talent in chemistry was evident through his victory in the You Be the Chemist Challenge in middle school and earning a gold medal at the International Chemistry Olympiad for the United States in high school—a testament to his exceptional aptitude and dedication. He attended MIT for college, completing his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology in an impressive three years, graduating in 2024.
At MIT, Sadagopan engaged in advanced research with multiple prominent faculty members. He collaborated with Srinivas Viswanathan on computational biology projects and with William Gibson, Matthew Meyerson, and Stuart Schreiber on chemical biology initiatives. His leadership extended to projects characterizing somatic perturbations of X chromosome inactivation in cancer, developing a machine-learning tool for cancer dependency prediction, utilizing small molecules to relocalize proteins in cells, and creating a generalizable strategy to drug one of the most frequently mutated genes in cancer, TP53. The TP53 gene, often referred to as the "guardian of the genome," plays a critical role in tumor suppression, and targeting it has been a long-standing challenge in oncology. Sadagopan’s work in this area represents a significant advancement. His impactful research has led to patents and publications in prestigious journals such as Cell and Nature Chemical Biology, highlighting the originality and potential of his discoveries.
Beyond his research, Sadagopan demonstrated strong leadership skills as president of the chemistry undergraduate association and by leading the events committee for MIT Science Olympiad, fostering scientific engagement among younger students. He is currently pursuing a PhD in biological and biomedical science at Harvard University, having also been awarded the highly competitive Hertz Fellowship and Herchel Smith Fellowships. His overarching interest lies in de-risking new therapeutic strategies, particularly for diseases like cancer. Sadagopan’s ultimate hope is that his work will inspire pharmaceutical companies to accelerate the development and bring first-in-class therapies to patients, ultimately transforming treatment paradigms and improving patient outcomes.
Broader Impact and Implications
The recognition of these six MIT-affiliated scholars by the P.D. Soros Fellowship underscores a critical trend: the indispensable role of immigrants and their descendants in driving American innovation and maintaining its global competitiveness. Their work spans urgent global challenges, from sustainable energy and climate change adaptation to combating infectious diseases and unraveling the complexities of human cognition. Each fellow’s story is a powerful narrative of ambition, perseverance, and a deep commitment to using scientific and intellectual prowess for the betterment of society.
Collectively, these fellows embody the diverse talent that MIT attracts and nurtures. Their backgrounds, experiences, and research interests reflect the rich tapestry of perspectives essential for tackling multifaceted problems. The P.D. Soros Fellowship not only provides crucial financial support but also creates a network of New American leaders who are poised to shape the future of their respective fields and contribute significantly to public discourse and policy. Their achievements serve as an inspiration, highlighting the profound impact that investing in exceptional talent, regardless of origin, can have on national progress and global well-being. MIT proudly congratulates these outstanding individuals and looks forward to their continued groundbreaking contributions.
