Two students receive new scholarship to spur innovation in science and technology

Northwestern students An Kitamura and Jun Yamasaki have been named 2023 Quad Fellows by Schmidt Futures.

The Quad Fellowship, an initiative of the governments of Australia, India, Japan and the United States, is designed to build ties among the next generation of scientists and technologists.

“Schmidt Futures has created a pathbreaking opportunity for STEM students committed to scholarly and diplomatic collaboration among our Indo-Pacific allies,” said Elizabeth Lewis Pardoe, director of the Office of Fellowships. “Our two fellows in the inaugural cohort highlight the strength and scope of Northwestern’s global impact as a hub of innovative, socially-engaged, STEM scholarship.”

Kitamura, a Ph.D. student in chemistry, and Yamasaki, a senior in mechanical engineering and applied mathematics, are among the 100 science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students who will study in the U.S. this year as part of the fellowship, which develops a network of science and technology experts committed to advancing innovation and collaboration in the private, public and academic sectors, in their own nations and among the Quad countries.

Kitamura is interested in applications of organic chemistry for energy storage technology. Originally from Japan, she moved to Northfield, Minnesota, to attend Carleton College, where she received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. At Northwestern, she is working on synthesizing novel molecules for organic redox flow batteries with hopes that innovations at the molecular scale can accelerate the transition into renewable energy sources. 

Originally from Tokyo, Yamasaki is interested in theoretical and computational approaches for topics in turbulence modeling for aeronautical engineering applications. He has been researching computational fluid dynamics since freshman year, focusing on fluid mechanics-informed neural networks. He currently serves as president of Northwestern’s Japanese Student Association.

This year’s cohort of Quad Fellows includes students from 16 areas of study, and more than 70% are pursuing Ph.D. programs.

Northwestern students interested in pursuing scholarship and fellowship opportunities can contact the Office of Fellowships.