PhD Students Awarded for Academic Achievements
We would like to acknowledge and congratulate several of our PhD Students who have been recognized recently for their achievements as they work towards earning their graduate degrees:
Ben Church has been recognized as a finalist of the 2025 Jane Steet Graduate Research Fellowship, receiving a $5000 award. You can learn more about this fellowship here, and see Ben’s profile in the award announcement.
Hongjian Yang and Rupert Li have received honorable mentions for the 2026 Jane Street Graduate Research Fellowship. View the award announcement here.
Rupert Li has also been announced as a Knight-Hennessy scholar, joining the 2026 cohort. Knight-Hennessy Scholars receive, among other benefits, up to three years of financial support and access to the Denning House convening space. You can view Rupert’s profile here, and learn more about this scholarly opportunity on their website.
Spencer Dembner has been awarded the Dissertation Completion Fellowship. This fellowship recognizes outstanding doctoral candidates who commit to graduate by the end of fellowship period. It also provides financial support and a structured, cohort-based program to support fellows’ progress towards their graduation and career goals.
Jiyun Park has received the Lieberman Fellowship, which provides financial support to outstanding graduate students who will become the next generation of academic leaders. Students who are honored as Lieberman Fellows have already demonstrated outstanding accomplishments, as well as the potential for leadership roles within the academic community and promising careers in university teaching and research.
Cole Franklin was announced as a recipient of the Graduate Research Scholarship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). This scholarship provides $40,000 annually for up to 3 years to recognize and support the next generation of outstanding innovators, knowledge workers, creative thinkers and researchers.
Congratulations!