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Four Harvard students are among the 26 selected to be part of the 2026 class of Gates Cambridge Scholars at the University of Cambridge.
Sixteen of the Scholars-elect will pursue Ph.D.s and 10 will undertake one-year master’s degrees. They will study and research subjects ranging from refugee health and anti-microbial resistance to cement decarbonisation. The U.S. Scholars-elect will take up their awards this October.
The Harvard recipients of the award include:
Sharmila Dey ’25, Ph.D. Plant Sciences, Christ’s College
“As a Ph.D. candidate in the Plant Sciences Department at Cambridge, I will use vegetation models to understand the effects of climate change and logging on tropical forests. As part of my research, I hope to work closely with industry leaders and policymakers to develop actionable solutions.”
Mukta Dharmapurikar ’26, M.Phil. Environmental Policy, Jesus College
“At Cambridge, I plan to study industrial policies that accelerate green manufacturing innovation and support emerging clean technology markets.”
Larom Segev ’26, Ph.D. Physics, Corpus Christi College
“My Physics Ph.D. at Cavendish Laboratory will focus on developing the instrumentation and analysis methods for a mission going to the far side of the moon to detect this primordial signal and revolutionize what we know about our cosmic origins.”
Lea Wang ’26, M.Phil. History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine, Trinity College
“As a Gates-Cambridge scholar, I will pursue an M.Phil. in History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine, focusing in particular on the role of climate models in adjudicating questions of legal responsibility for climate change.”
The prestigious postgraduate scholarship program — which fully funds postgraduate study and research in any subject at the University of Cambridge — was established through a $210 million donation to the University of Cambridge from the Gates Foundation in 2000. Since the first class in 2001, Gates Cambridge has awarded 2,355 scholarships to scholars from 112 countries who represent nearly 800 universities globally (more than 200 in the U.S.) and around 90 academic departments and all 31 Colleges at Cambridge.
In addition to outstanding academic achievement, the program places an emphasis on social leadership in its selection process. Its aim is to create a global network of future leaders committed to improving the lives of others.
The U.S. Scholars-elect will join 50 Scholars from other parts of the world, who will be announced in early April. The full class of 2026 will comprise 76 new Scholars. They will join current Gates Cambridge Scholars in October to form a community of around 250 Scholars in residence at the University of Cambridge.
Professor Eilís Ferran, provost of the Gates Cambridge Trust, said: “I’m delighted to announce our new U.S. Scholars. Since its inception Gates Cambridge has selected scholars based on their outstanding academic achievement and their commitment to changing the world for the better. After studying at Cambridge, they go out into the world, creating a ripple effect of change across disciplines and sectors. We know that our new U.S. Scholars — and those we announce in early April from other parts of the world — will flourish in the rich, international community at Cambridge and go on to contribute significantly to improving the lives of others.”
