EIT Announces Selection of First Cohort of Ellison Scholars

After a global search for talent, the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) is thrilled to unveil its first cohort of incoming Scholars, comprising 25 exceptional candidates - 19 to become undergraduate Ellison Scholars and six doctoral candidates to become graduate Ellison Scholars. The 25 University of Oxford offer-holders are due to begin their studies in October 2025, subject to meeting the conditions of their Oxford offers. All Ellison Scholars have successfully applied to the University of Oxford through its independent admissions process.

EIT’s mission is to translate scientific and technological breakthroughs into real world benefit for society’s most enduring problems. The Ellison Scholars programme plays a crucial role in this, by nurturing the next generation of global innovators and leaders, who will work together with EIT to generate effective solutions.  

The Scholars will receive comprehensive funding for their studies at Oxford, including full tuition, living expenses and research support. Beyond their academic work, they will engage in innovative and world-benefitting projects at EIT's state-of-the-art Oxford campus. They will work alongside world-renowned experts on practical solutions across EIT’s four Humane Endeavours: Health and Medical Science, Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture, Climate Change and Clean Energy and Government Innovation in the Era of AI.

EIT’s vision for the programme is to cultivate a lifelong network of purpose-driven leaders and innovators. After graduation, Scholars will maintain access to EIT technology and network of experts as they continue working toward profound change in their home country and around the world, whilst also providing mentorship to future cohorts.  

The Undergraduate Cohort

The inaugural undergraduate offer holder cohort includes 19 intellectually curious and innovation-driven candidates who are already putting their expertise into action to solve problems. The cohort spans 11 countries across five continents, bringing extraordinary achievements in science, technology and innovation. Selected Scholars have already made significant contributions through published research and impactful scientific and technological developments, from developing drought-resistant rice varieties to creating AI models for early disease detection. Many have won international competitions and earned recognition in fields ranging from molecular biology to quantum computing.

The Graduate Cohort

EIT will also welcome six exceptional doctoral Scholars, whose groundbreaking research will directly advance EIT’s mission. The incoming Scholars completed their previous degrees at the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford, Brown and ETH Zurich. They have stellar research experience and publications, and some exceptional clinical backgrounds – all preparing them well to hit the ground running with their chosen projects at EIT. Each Scholar has been awarded full funding for their DPhil studies at Oxford, where they will work at the intersection of their academic research areas and EIT's innovative projects.

All Ellison Scholars will work at EIT's new Oxford campus, scheduled for completion in 2027. The facility will house cutting-edge laboratories for robotics, proteomic analysis and genomic sequencing, along with advanced cloud-controlled greenhouses and computational resources to facilitate AI research. The campus will also include specialised facilities such as the Robotics Lab, IoT Sensor Lab, Drug Design Lab and a healthcare treatment clinic.

Larry Ellison, Chief Technology Officer of Oracle:

“The next generation of political and entrepreneurial leaders will inhabit a world being continuously transformed by technological advancement. Progress in artificial intelligence, genetics, robotics and data science will fundamentally transform a majority of our economy and change the way we live, work and govern ourselves.”

Professor Sir John Bell, EIT President commented:

“We stand at a pivotal moment where technology and human ingenuity can reshape our future. Today, I'm thrilled to announce the selection of our inaugural class of Ellison Scholars – 25 brilliant minds who will pursue groundbreaking research in urgent challenges facing humanity, from developing novel therapeutics to creating resilient food systems. The inaugural cohort are hugely intelligent, capable and driven to make beneficial impact. We look forward to working with them on projects that matter.”

Dr Laura Lewis, Ellison Scholars Programme Director:

“By providing these exceptional Scholars with full funding and resources, we're investing in more than just research – we're nurturing a generation of innovators who will bridge the gap between scientific discovery and real-world impact. Their work represents our commitment to fostering entrepreneurial thinking in advanced research, ensuring that transformative ideas don't just remain in labs but evolve into solutions that can improve lives across the globe."

Below is the list of incoming Ellison Scholars, their full bios can be viewed at eit.org/scholars/meet-the-scholars, along with the organisations through which the Scholars were found.

Undergraduate Ellison Scholars and University of Oxford offer holders:

• Divyan Bavan (Canada, Biomedical Sciences at St Hilda’s College): Rise Finalist and funded by Emergent Ventures. Interested in how biotechnology can be used to revolutionise how we treat diseases, and AI-guided protein design.
• ‍Prisha Bhat (United States, Biology at Jesus College): International recognition in molecular biology and AI for crop science. Published research on drought and arsenic resistant rice and developed AI models for early drought stress detection. Her interests include environmental sciences, botany and biology.  ‍
• Aliyan Boodhwani (Canada, Engineering Science at University College): Canada-Wide Science Fair silver medallist, Villars Institute Fellow and wet lab developer at UltraRice. Interested in the applications of microalgae. More generally interested in projects in climate change and food security.
• ‍Lydia Chernyavskaya (Russia, Mathematics and Statistics at Jesus College): Winner of multiple mathematics challenges, including World Mathematics Championships gold medallist. Founding member of The Youth Longevity Association. Interested in applying mathematical methods in global enterprise.   ‍
• Atharva Dangre (India, Medicine at Jesus College): Winner of eight Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards – including highest marks in the world for Mathematics and Chemistry. Authored a review paper on the role of abscisic acid in diabetes. He is interested in epidemiology, genetics and developmental biology. ‍
• Ziad Elgendy (Egypt, Electrical Engineering at Jesus College): Multiple Outstanding Learner Award recipient, including highest marks in the world in Pearson A-Level Mathematics. Developer of Computer Vision models using python and logic designs with VHDL. Interested in researching energy storage devices and how they could be developed to address the world’s growing energy demands. ‍
• Gagik Gevorgyan (Armenia, Mathematics and Computer Science at St Catherine’s College): Silver medallist at the International Olympiad in Informatics and chess tournament winner. Interested in leveraging advanced technologies to support small-scale farmers worldwide. ‍
• Daniel Gilman (United States, Mathematics and Computer Science at Magdalen College): International competition finalist and developed an oil-absorbent polyurethane foam for oil spill cleanup. Interested in applying mathematics and AI to real-world challenges. ‍
• Nimay Gupta (India, Computer Science and Philosophy at Jesus College): Olympiad competitor, Non-Trivial Fellow and founder of Indian Albinism Foundation. Studied computational math and logic at SRS Bulgaria, Beyond Research. Former AI intern at HPE, NTU. Interested in harnessing AI for healthcare and governance, bridging math with ethical reasoning to tackle real-world problems. ‍
• Nicholas Kruus (United States, Philosophy, Politics and Economics at St Catherine’s College): Non-trivial Fellowship and Emergent Ventures grant recipient, co-written a report with an International Monetary Fund economist on improving World Bank emissions forecasts. Interested in political, ethical and quantitative analysis to identify and solve the world’s greatest challenges. ‍
• Kaavya Kumar (India, Computer Science and Philosophy at Exeter College): Non-trivial Fellowship, TCS Sustainathon finalist and Emergent Ventures winner. Published research on quantum game theory and developed an app to distinguish between different genera of mosquitos. Interested in the intersections of technology with fields such as healthcare, and its potential to address and aid in alleviating global issues. ‍
• Rockwell Li (United States, Engineering Science at Magdalen College): Internationally acclaimed in mathematics, engineering and physics. Developed an AI model to enhance Scanning Tunnelling Microscope images on nano materials. Interest in the advancement of nanotechnology and AI for solving global problems. ‍
• Bleddyn Mottershead (United Kingdom, Engineering Science at Magdalen College): Winner of chemistry, maths and physics challenges. Co-authored research on post-nuclear refuge bunker location modelling. Interested in applying developments in robotics and automation to challenges like revolutionising food production security and sustainability. ‍
• Anastasia Prokhorov (Australia, Medicine at Magdalen College): Winner of multiple awards, including top in the World Award for IGCSE Physical Science. Undertook award-winning research into saline land regeneration. Interested in quantum chemistry and using mathematical modelling to revolutionise preventative healthcare infrastructure. ‍
• Daniel Rotaru (Romania, Engineering Science at Magdalen College): FIRST LEGO League Cyprus Super Champion. Developed autonomous maze-solving robots and atmospheric data collection systems. Interested in autonomous systems and their possible applications in environmental sustainability. ‍
• Ionut Gabriel Stan (Romania, Engineering Science at St Catherine’s College): Gold medallist in multiple international physics Olympiads. Undertook international award-winning research into environmental engineering. Interested in exploring energy efficiency and storage with projects ranging from sustainable power solutions to lithium-ion battery improvement. ‍
• Keith Anesu Raul Tamwa (Zimbabwe, Engineering Science at Jesus College): Distinguished achievements in physics, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and sustainability. Holds multiple Cambridge Learner Awards for placing top in the country. Interested in sustainable energy and multispectral imaging, as well as using AI to tackle food insecurity. ‍
• Timothy Torubarov (United States, Mathematics and Computer Science at Jesus College): Competition winner in computer science, mathematics and physics. Worked on developing deep-learning AI models to predict freshwater quality and neoantigen immunogenicity. Interested in AI, with a focus on predictive modelling, as well as pushing the boundaries of computational problem-solving. ‍
• Kinsey Yi Hin Yiu (Singapore, Engineering Science at Harris Manchester College): Represented country at Stockholm Junior Water Prize. Won Gold at the Singapore Science and Engineering Fair and was selected to represent Singapore at the Global Youth Science and Technology Bowl in Hong Kong. Interested in novel wastewater treatment methods and biofilm eradication in healthcare settings.  

Graduate Ellison Scholars and University of Oxford offer holders:

• Robbie Hammond (United Kingdom, DPhil in Clinical Medicine): Member of the Royal College of Physicians and published researcher in infectious diseases and diagnostic services. EIT Project: The Pathogen Program / EIT Pathogena. ‍
• Martin A. Kononov (United States, DPhil in Clinical Medicine): Research assistant at multiple labs across the US. Numerous research awards from Brown University. Published researcher in multiple journals and founder of Crimson Bear Associates. EIT Project: Longevity and Healthy Aging. ‍
• Emily Molins (United States, DPhil in Statistics): Stanford King Center Research Fellow and Award of Excellence recipient. Winner of Frederick Emmons Terman Engineering Scholastic Award and Stanford Award of Excellence. EIT Project: Foundation Models for AI-enabled Care. ‍
• Priyanka Shrestha (United States, DPhil in Clinical Medicine at Balliol College): Published researcher in biomedical informatics and holds research experience in various labs across the US. Patent holder for SWIFT sequencing tool. EIT Project: Cancer Therapy Discovery.
• Junko Takata (United Kingdom, DPhil in Clinical Medicine at Green Templeton College): Holds research positions at University of Oxford and has been practicing ICU medicine across several UK hospitals. Published researcher in infectious disease management. EIT Project: The Pathogen Program / EIT Pathogena.‍
• Lorenzo Tarricone (Italy, DPhil in Statistics): Amgen Scholar at Institute Pasteur Project and nominated Fellow of the Pi School of AI. Research intern at Roche, specialising in combinatorial design and machine learning. EIT Project: Correlates of Protection and Vaccines. ‍

The Ellison Scholars team can be contacted by email: scholars@eit.org