Hertz Foundation

05/27/2026

Why does the universe look the same in every direction? 🌌 👀

Hertz Fellow Daine Danielson and his coauthors — Bruno Alexandre, Stephon Alexander, and David Spergel — have a new take on this longstanding problem.

In a paper just posted to arXiv, the team proposes that the universe's smoothness ("isotropy") may be built into the laws of quantum gravity themselves. Their math shows that an early universe with lopsided or stretched-out shapes is extremely unlikely — while a smooth, evenly expanding cosmos is the natural result. Notably, this only works if space curves back on itself like the surface of a sphere.

Congratulations to Daine and his coauthors! 👏

05/25/2026

On Memorial Day, we honor the brave individuals who gave their lives in service to our country and reflect on the freedoms their sacrifice has made possible. 🇺🇸

At the Hertz Foundation, we are privileged to support Fellows who push the frontiers of science and technology and embody a deep commitment to serving the nation through innovation, research, and, in many cases, military service.

Today, join us to remember those we’ve lost, honor those who have served, and salute those who continue to protect and defend our future, both in uniform and in the lab.

05/21/2026

Ever wondered what actually happens when you hit “search” on Google?🔍

Your query doesn’t go to one computer. It travels to thousands of them, all at once. It’s one of the most complex systems humans have ever built, and most of us never think twice about it — but Tyler does.

Today, his research focuses on the math behind massive distributed systems and the digital world we rely on every day.

05/19/2026

Congratulations to Hertz Fellow Mung Chiang on his appointment as the 18th president of Northwestern University.

Throughout his career, he has built a reputation as a world-class researcher, educator, innovator, and university leader focused on advancing discovery, supporting students and faculty, championing free expression, and preparing universities for the future.

Northwestern has chosen exceptionally well. The Hertz community wishes you every success, Mung — go ’Cats! 😺

05/12/2026

From astrophysics and robotics to neuroscience, AI, materials science, and plant sciences, the newest class of Hertz Fellows is tackling some of the world's biggest scientific and technological challenges.

Selected from a highly competitive national pool, each fellow receives up to five years of support to pursue their PhD at leading research institutions.

We're proud to support the next generation of scientific leadership.

05/11/2026

Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences,
thank you for helping celebrate our newest Hertz Fellows! 🎉

Visit the links in the comments to explore their work. 📚

The Fannie and John Hertz Foundation today announced its 2026 cohort of fellows, including five current and incoming Harvard Griffin GSAS students. The award is one of the most prestigious and competitive honors in the applied sciences, engineering, and mathematics.

05/11/2026

🔁 Thank you, The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, for joining us in celebrating our 2026 Hertz Fellows! 👏

From founding Columbia's first student-led satellite team to studying the Milky Way and its neighbors at the Center for Astrophysics l Harvard & Smithsonian, 2026 Hertz Fellow Matthew Werneken is designing the next generation of observatories to unlock the mysteries of how galaxies form and evolve.

This week, the Hertz Foundation announced 19 recipients of the 2026 Hertz Fellowship in the applied sciences, engineering, and mathematics. Cooke Graduate Scholar Matthew Werneken, studying Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, is among the distinguished....

05/06/2026

Congratulations again to our newest Hertz Fellows, Tyler Hou and Zachary Siegel! 👏🎉

Meet all of our 2026 Hertz Fellows here: https://bit.ly/2026HertzFellows

Congratulations to Tyler Hou and Zachary S. Siegel '25 on being named 2026 Hertz Fellows!

The Hertz Foundation fellowship is one of the nation’s most competitive doctoral fellowships in science and technology. Previous fellows have gone on to win Nobel Prizes, Turing Awards and the Fields Medal.

Hou will be joining Princeton University as a graduate student in Fall 2026. Currently, he is studying is mathematics and computer science at the University of California, Berkeley.

Siegel graduated summa cm laude from Princeton with a B.S.E. in computer science and a minor in philosophy. He is now a doctoral student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

https://www.hertzfoundation.org/hertz-fellowship/2026-hertz-fellows/

05/06/2026

Today, we’re thrilled to introduce the 2026 Hertz Fellows — a remarkable group of 19 talented individuals pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in science and engineering. 🎉

From developing therapies that could transform how we treat disease to advancing the science behind clean energy and climate resilience to pushing the boundaries of what AI can do, this year’s class brings bold ideas and fresh perspectives to some of the most pressing challenges of our time.

Picked from nearly 1,500 applicants across +300 universities, join us in celebrating their achievements as they join a distinguished network of more than 1,300 Hertz Fellows who have shaped the scientific landscape for over six decades.

Introducing our newest Hertz Fellows 🚀

🌟 Hannah Barsouk, Biochemistry

🌟 Andrew Chu, Materials Science & Engineering

🌟 Elizabeth Chung, Systems Biology & Neuroimmunology

🌟 Charles Colvin, Plant Sciences

🌟 Adam Distler, Astronomy + Astrophysics

🌟 Sam Foxman, Aeronautics & Astronautics

🌟 Tyler Hou, Computer Science + Mathematics

🌟 Elizabeth Kozlov, Astrophysics + Physics Princeton

🌟 Dan Lesman, Synthetic Biology

🌟 Miller MacDonald, Physics and Astronomy

🌟 Annika Marschner, Mechanical Engineering

🌟 Alvin Q. Meng, Chemistry

🌟 Jackson Powell, Bioengineering

🌟 Nikhil Seshadri, Chemistry

🌟 Zachary S. Siegel, Artificial Intelligence

🌟 Matthew Wanta, Operations Research

🌟 Matthew W., Astronomy + Astrophysics

🌟 Eric Zhu, Quantum Physics

🌟 Zain Zaidi, Theoretical + Computational Chemistry

05/05/2026

You made history. 🔬 Our first-ever Hertz Fund Giving Week was a success — a testament to the enduring strength of the Hertz community and the future we are building together. 🤝

Because of you, Hertz Fund Giving Week achieved:

🚀 $133K raised through this extraordinary community
🚀 Cameron Geddes' $40K dollar for dollar match challenge was fully unlocked

Every gift received last week counted toward the Make History Campaign, our first-ever campaign to award more fellowships, deepen lifelong support for Fellows, and expand the partnerships that multiply their impact.

This is what you built. Thank you.