Hal Holmes, a doctoral candidate in Bioengineering, has been selected as an inaugural Schmidt Science Fellow, an incredible honor that includes a $100,000 stipend and participation in a global meeting series — beginning at the University of Oxford in July — where fellows will learn about a range of scientific fields.
Holmes — whose research on the development of an automated system for handling small volumes of liquid with microfabricated surfaces can be applied towards a DNA screening tool to prevent illegal trafficking of timber and wildlife products — will be placed in a leading laboratory in a scientific discipline other his core area of study in order to spur interdisciplinary work.
Endowed by Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, and his wife, philanthropist Wendy Schmidt, the fellowship program seeks to support the next generation of scientific leaders, giving them the tools and opportunities they need to drive world-changing innovations.