Directory

I am a Sociologist of Education with a particular focus on opportunity, equity, and constraints in education systems. I work at the intersection of research, policy, and design to promote equitable access to education.

My research has previously explored how schooling in a child’s non-native language can make learning inaccessible, how household and gender norms complicate accessing higher education for female students, and the impact of funding and governance on the success of schools. Most notably, in my four years of working with The Citizens Foundation, Pakistan, I designed and implemented a program to provide students with the right to learn in their own language.

My PhD at the University of Cambridge focuses on the risks, resilience, and future life chances of out-of-school children in my home country, Pakistan.

Previous Education

University of Oxford Social Policy 2023
Stanford University Sociology and Education 2021

Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/minha-khan-32a129a6

As an undergraduate at Bowdoin College, I have sought to understand why religion, politics, and violence so often entangle one another. My work to date, including documentary profiles of Latine immigrants in the restaurant industry and LGBTQ+ activists in the fight for same-sex marriage, has taken a constructive approach. I aim to balance ever-churning bureaucratic mechanisms with the deeply-held lived experiences of communities across the world, pairing academia with the sometimes messy formation of equitable policy. After spending a year interviewing correctional chaplains across the country, my current Honors research is an ethnographic analysis of how religion can promote agency, or expedite restriction, in American prisons. At Cambridge, I am pursuing an MPhil in Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion with Dr. Ankur Barua to explore how clergy and religious organizations might ameliorate electoral violence and communal conflict in Northern India. Research aside, I'm usually found singing with my A capella group or mentoring ESOL high schoolers. I am excited to learn among the broad, forward-looking community of Gates Cambridge scholars.

Previous Education

Bowdoin College Religion, Government 2023
CIEE Study Abroad Spanish, Religion 2022
Harvard University Political Communications 2017

I'm a PhD student studying animal cognition as a member of the Comparative Cognition Lab at the University of Cambridge. My work focuses on cognitive processes such as learning and memory in cuttlefish (marine invertebrates that are closely related to octopus and squid). As an undergraduate at the University of Delaware, I earned an honors BS in marine science with a psychology minor. I researched topics including algal-invertebrate symbioses and the human memory error of boundary extension. I also researched shrimp population dynamics to inform fishery management as a 2021 NOAA Hollings Scholar. As a member of the Gates Cambridge Community, I look forward to initiating broad dialogues about who and what we consider “smart,” providing scientific support for animal welfare policy, and highlighting the remarkable cognitive complexity of marine life to inspire public stewardship of our oceans.

Previous Education

University of Delaware Marine Science 2023

I studied for a degree in Nutrition as I wanted to help people improve their diets to maintain good health and prevent non-communicable diseases driven by diet and lifestyle. When I worked as a community nutritionist in Malaysia, I learnt that commercial approaches in nutrition, while having their advantages, have their limitations when it comes to improving population health. This sparked my academic interest in Epidemiology, where population-based data is used to investigate the determinants of health and disease to develop population-level preventive strategies. Previously, I have worked on Nutritional Epidemiology projects on ultra-processed foods and obesity, sugar-sweetened beverages and stature loss, as well as vegetarian diets and cancer risk at King's College London, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Oxford, respectively. My PhD research at the MRC Epidemiology Unit will investigate the dietary factors linked to type 2 diabetes with a focus on multi-ethnic Asian populations. Ultimately, I want to work in epidemiology research in Southeast Asia, where I come from, as it is a highly populated and ethnically diverse region that is underrepresented in the scientific literature. I hope that my work could support the development of region-specific population health interventions in Southeast Asia and beyond.

Previous Education

University of Cambridge Population Health Sciences 2022
King's College London (University of London) Nutrition 2021

Links

https://www.mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk/people/jia-yi-lee
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jiayilee6

I grew up in Vancouver, Canada, and attended Johns Hopkins University where I earned a B.Sc. in Computer Science, minored in Applied Mathematics and Statistics, and pursued premedical coursework. This multidisciplinary training was motivated by my desire to work at the intersection of computational analysis and medicine in translational clinical research, with a focus in paediatric neurology. During my Ph.D. in Paediatrics, I will study the relationship between sleep and newborn brain development using high-density diffuse optical tomography and electroencephalography. Specifically, my project strives to shed light on preterm infant brain development and the emergence of neural networks during sleep. Beyond data collection, my project will leverage novel machine learning approaches to dynamic functional connectivity analysis and examine differences between preterm and term infant sleep. Comparing these cohorts will deepen our understanding of the preterm infant brain and contribute to global efforts aimed at improving neurocognitive outcomes for very preterm infants. Ultimately, I hope to clarify the importance of sleep in order to inform future hospital policies and practices that protect quality sleep for infants everywhere.

Previous Education

University of Cambridge Medical Science (Paediatrics) 2023
Johns Hopkins University Computer Science 2022

I grew up in a small town in North Carolina, after which I studied anthropology and global health at Harvard College. Combined with my interests in cultural psychiatry, history of medicine, and East Asian studies, I wrote a senior honors thesis unpacking the history, present-day implications of, and lived experiences behind women’s engagements in the plastic surgery industry in South Korea, highlighting how colonial and imperial influences gave way to the normalization of aesthetic standards rooted in racialized and gendered notions of “beauty,” and discussing this phenomena’s implications in South Korean discourses around health, gender, citizenship, and geopolitics. I plan to continue this line of research through Cambridge’s MPhil in Multi-Disciplinary Gender Studies, as I apply a more rigorous understanding of feminist theory and methodologies to my work. More generally, I am passionate about devising more culturally and gender inclusive ways of understanding mental health, fighting for equity in health and education access, and contributing to more diverse approaches of studying—and teaching—the social sciences, especially in its application to health and education.

Previous Education

Harvard University Anthropology 2022

My research respondents in less-privileged areas and groups in China and Southeast Asia share a common desire: a longing for a life elsewhere. For many of them, education is regarded as a vital means of upward mobility, even if moving up usually means moving away and shifting one’s identity. How can we understand mobility and identity change, and what are their benefits and downsides? My previous research disentangled the intricate power dynamics in shaping different educational mobility in Asia. Building on this, my Ph.D. project investigates the emotional imprint of education-related mobility and elucidates the mechanisms of mobility in a transnational context composed of uneven modernities and entangled histories. My research training in politics, area studies, and sociology from Peking University and the University of Cambridge allows me to examine both structural forces and individual agencies in this era of social transformations. With support from the vibrant Gates community, I hope to use the insights of the social sciences to better understand identity-related struggles and foreground the diversity of the world.

Previous Education

University of Cambridge Sociology 2021
Beijing University (Peking University) Politics and IR 2020

Aspiring historian. My research interests lie in the transregional composition of legal and normative regimes of gender and sexuality across maritime Asia. Fascinated by the transmission of ideas across geopolitical boundaries, I study the nexus between law and sexual norms in the most intellectually, culturally and linguistically vibrant region in the world—Southeast Asia. I am part of Imagined Malaysia, a Malaysia-based non-profit organisation which aspires to cultivate a transnational appreciation of Southeast Asia’s history. At the University of Nottingham Malaysia, my BA thesis was on the lived experiences of Section 377 in pre-war British Malaya. My MPhil thesis takes a more critical view to challenge the purported hegemony of the colonial legal project in Malaya, examining the reception of Section 377 and 377A in multiethnic, multilingual and plural legal official and unofficial spaces. Since 2022, I have worked closely with senior academics, emerging scholars, and PhD students in archival research efforts in Malaysia and the United Kingdom. My interest in bridging academia and civil society has also motivated my involvement in advocacy efforts in Malaysia along the themes of historical literacy, inter-religious dialogue, and child rights, especially in the EU-funded #TanpaPerkauman public education project in 2021.

Previous Education

University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus Int. Relations with French 2022
Sunway College - 2019

My earliest memories in New England were of my older brothers teaching me how to play ice hockey, motivating me to become a girls hockey coach. I am fascinated by the malleability of our memories. In particular, how do changes in physical health, mental well-being, or age influence how memories are formed, retrieved, and retained? I was inspired to study neuroscience after observing family members suffer from frontotemporal dementia, schizophrenia, and PTSD. I researched how the pandemic influenced the relationship between sleep and personal memory at Boston College’s Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory. This motivated my master’s research on the role of sleep stages in the consolidation of emotional memories across the lifespan. I am honored to join the Gates Cambridge Scholar Community. At Cambridge, in Professor Jon Simons’ laboratory, I will investigate how sleep architecture and structure influence brain activation and connectivity when retrieving emotional memories. My long-term aim is to discover interventions that positively influence those suffering from maladaptive memories underlying conditions including anxiety, PTSD, and Alzheimer’s, that could also enhance the health of personal memories for all.

Previous Education

Boston College Psychology 2023
Boston College Neuroscience 2022

I grew up in Toronto, Canada and did my undergraduate and masters degree at the University of Cambridge, studying engineering and specialising in computer and information engineering. During my degree, I became interested in artificial intelligence and machine learning, especially the biological basis for learning. In neuroscience, there are computational analogues in machine learning algorithms to what is observed in biology, such as the reward prediction error theory and reinforcement learning. During my PhD at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in the neurobiology division, I seek to understand the behaviour of dopamine neurons and the neural circuits that regulate these activities, using the Drosophila larva as a model system. With this research, we can gain insight, through new developments in connectomics, the circuit basis for learning, which can inform us about biologically-inspired methods in machine learning. I hope to use these insights from biological experiments to understand the neurobiological basis for learning, as well as inspire new algorithms in machine learning and artificial intelligence. This can in turn help us postulate new theories for how learning occurs biologically.

Previous Education

University of Cambridge Engineering Tripos 2022

I am pursuing a PhD in Politics and International Studies at Cambridge University, researching European nuclear & human rights frameworks. I am a policy analyst with a background in technology, development, and security policy for leading think tanks, government, and international organizations. I hold a Masters in International Policy from Stanford University and Bachelors in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. My experiences include collaborating with the United Nations Innovation Cell to monitor open-source information from the War in Ukraine, consulting with the United Nations Development Programme in South Africa to increase technology access for marginalized youth, supporting the U.S. Department of State on nuclear nonproliferation initiatives, and researching at Stanford University on human rights institutions in Southeast Asia. I am also an avid researcher and author, publishing with organizations like the Stimson Center, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, and Smithsonian Institution. I have represented my research at international conferences including at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Austria, Nehru Memorial Museum in India, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the U.S. Beyond my diverse policy interests, I co-founded a nonprofit that provided free career development and mental health mentorship virtually in over 35 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. I am especially passionate about promoting youth literacy and education, and have tutored immigrant youth in core subjects, organized textbook donations for low-income schools, and became certified in TEFL to teach English as a foreign language. In my personal time, I enjoy exploring the world around me and can be found reflecting in nature or listening to music. I also enjoy learning new languages, creating art, and spending time with my dog, Rishi. To connect with me, visit www.linkedin.com/in/justjanani or www.justjanani.com

Previous Education

Stanford University International Policy/Security 2022
Diplomatic Academy of Vienna Exchange Program from Stanford 2021
University of California, Berkeley Political Science 2019

I was concerned about the lack of adequate healthcare in my hometown. For this reason, I established the first student-run NGO in my province to provide medical support to vulnerable indigenous families. This accomplishment helped me to be selected as the representative of Vietnam at the Pearson UWC in Canada with 200 students from more than 100 countries. Despite the relentless efforts, I encountered many situations where treatments were unavailable due to the limit of science and costs. This realization inspired me to advocate for interdisciplinary approaches in global health initiatives, which integrate research and entrepreneurship. For this reason, I participated in many research projects in Middlebury College, MSKCC and Rockefeller University. Besides, I collaborated with the World Telehealth Initiative and local government officials to establish Kenya's inaugural telemedicine program, aimed at increasing access to healthcare. At Cambridge, I seek to understand the prevalence and potential mechanisms of extrachromosomal DNA genesis in glioblastoma. This study holds promise in establishing the first precision therapy for glioblastoma, and presents potential therapeutic options for other cancers that share the same etiology.

Previous Education

Middlebury College Neuroscience 2023

At the University of Cambridge, I will study how adolescents receive, share, and understand health information - in real life and online. Health communication is laden with misinformation, and, as a part of this research, I want to examine strategies, actors, and vulnerabilities within adolescent health misinformation; search for effective interventions against it; and develop health communication tactics that healthcare professionals, caregivers, schools, and technologists can employ to better reach teenagers. Currently, I am a Research Fellow at Harvard University’s Technology and Social Change project where I focus on public health, medical, and scientific misinformation. Prior to this research fellowship, I graduated from Harvard Kennedy School’s Master in Public Policy program, I lived in Malaysia through the Fulbright program, and I worked in the Minneapolis Public Schools. I am thrilled about the opportunity to study sociology at the University of Cambridge. I am eager to meet new friends and colleagues, excited to try new running routes, climbing gyms, and pottery studios, grateful for the support of the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, and dedicated to working towards progressive social change.

Previous Education

Harvard University Public Policy 2020
St Olaf College Spanish; Management Studies 2013

I completed my BA in Biology, Neuroscience, and Children’s Studies at WashU in St. Louis, researching the effects of socioeconomic status on childhood brain development. As a former competitive athlete, I founded the region’s first Special Olympics program and became interested in the biological underpinnings of the neurodevelopmental disorders in the children I coached. As a Medical Science PhD candidate in the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at Cambridge, I seek to understand the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying childhood disorders such as SYT1-related Baker-Gordon syndrome (with Dr. Baker herself). This work will occur in collaboration with Dr. Chris McBain at the NICHD through the NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program. My long-term goal is to become a physician-scientist with a focus on pediatric neuroscience, seeking international dialogue and research collaboration in bettering the lives of children with neurodevelopmental challenges. With support from my fellow Gates Scholars, I hope to create a joint sports rehabilitation and music therapy program for special needs children in the Cambridge area. You will likely find me playing my guitar by the River Cam or trying out for the King’s football (soccer) team!

Previous Education

Washington University Neuroscience, Children's Study 2023

I grew up in Ogun State, Nigeria. My community’s rich heritage in the use of herbal medicines for disease treatment inspired me to study Pharmacy at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, where I learned about novel approaches to natural product-based drug discovery. Subsequently, I received a merit-based scholarship for my Master’s degree program in Pharmacognosy. My research focused on the in vitro cytotoxicity of Nigerian medicinal plants used for cancer treatment. Having lost loved ones to cancer, and being challenged by the high rate of cancer mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa, my passion to tackle the scourge of cancer was further consolidated. At Cambridge, my doctoral research will deploy computer-aided-drug-design tools to discover novel plant-derived anticancer molecules. My goal is to develop affordable and effective targeted therapies for treating BRCA-mutant cancers, which would improve the survival and quality of life of patients. I am honored to be a part of the Gates Cambridge community, and I intend to leverage my experience as a Gates Scholar to help expand global access to life-saving medicines.

Previous Education

University of Ibadan Pharmacognosy 2021
University of Ibadan Pharmacy 2016

I was born and raised in Bistrița, a little medieval town in northern Transylvania. Fortunately, the town did not get stuck to how it was immortalised in the first chapter of Dracula, as I had the chance to learn from a brilliant cohort of science teachers. They encouraged me to go to various olympiads, a common experience in Eastern Europe, where I have made many long-lasting friendships. Students that had already gone abroad to study encouraged us to follow. That is how I got to do my M. Sci in Natural Sciences at Cambridge, specialising in Chemistry. Throughout the summers I have worked on Chiral Covalent Organic Frameworks at the Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, and Tetra-Aniline Spindle-Structured Cages in Prof. Nitschke’s group in Cambridge, to cement my synthetic skills. Currently, I am working on Chiral Conjugated Polymers in Prof. Bronstein's group, to understand what modulates the chiral response in such compounds. Pursuing a PhD in Nanoscience would provide the best framework to enrich my scientific toolkit, by interacting and engaging with academics from physics, engineering, and material science. Global warming is a multifaced problem, and it does require interdisciplinary solutions.

Previous Education

University of Cambridge Natural Sciences 2023

During my undergraduate studies, I became fascinated by first statistics, and then, after an internship at a medical research institute, by the ability of statistics to contribute to fundamental research in biology. I completed a Bachelor of Science and then a Master of Science (Mathematics and Statistics) both at the University of Melbourne. In my MSc thesis, I critically compared statistical methods for selecting genes that distinguish biological cell-types in single-cell transcriptomics data. In my PhD research, I will aim to improve the statistical methodology used in genetic colocalisation analyses, with a particular focus on the ‘coloc’ software. Colocalisation analysis aims to determine whether multiple observed traits share an underlying genetic cause, with the aim of understanding how traits may mediate each other. By incorporating recent advances in our understanding of genetics into coloc’s statistical methodology, I hope to improve its performance for both fundamental genetics research and in drug discovery pipelines.It is a great honour to be joining the Gates Cambridge community, and I look forward to commencing my research at the MRC Biostatistics Unit, with the ultimate goal of improving the lives of others.

Previous Education

University of Melbourne Maths 2021
University of Melbourne Science 2019

Starting my bachelor’s degree in Philosophy at King’s College London, I aspired to use my analytical and creative problem solving skills to contribute to society. The ethics of Artificial Intelligence is an emerging field in philosophy, which sparked my interest as it holds the key to shape technological innovation as beneficial for all. The questions I focus on assess the impact of AI on our epistemic agency, how to assign responsibility to AI frameworks, and especially how an artificial moral agent should ethically behave in a pluralistic society. During my MPhil in Ethics of AI, Data and Algorithms, led by experts from the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, I aim to learn and produce meaningful research for the field of ethics of AI, facilitated through an interdisciplinary approach sourcing technical knowledge about AI combined with philosophy. Moreover, I hope to engage with and mutually inspire the communities of Gates scholars, Cambridge, and beyond.

Previous Education

King's College London (University of London) Philosophy 2023