Rooted in tradition.
Cultivating the next generation of STEM leaders.
The Princeton STEM Initiative was founded on a simple but deeply held belief: exceptional intellectual curiosity deserves equally serious guidance.
We place particular value on students’ intellectual vision, especially their capacity to ask ambitious questions and pursue ideas with depth, as well as their ability to collaborate thoughtfully with others.
Today, the Princeton STEM Initiative operates as a collaborative academic effort supported by a network of mathematicians, educators, and scholars, including an advisory board composed of professors and researchers from Princeton, MIT, Harvard, and other leading universities. Through this collective work, we aim to help cultivate the next generation of intellectually serious thinkers and STEM talent, and to foster a community where high-potential students can challenge one another, deepen their thinking, and grow with purpose.
2026 Academic Advisory Board
Supported by the best in the field.
Dr. Jodi S. Kraus
Dr. Jodi Kraus is a Research Fellow in Princeton University’s Department of Molecular Biology. A Helen Hay Whitney Foundation Fellow, her research focuses on protein dynamics and cellular mechanisms. She is also committed to teaching and mentoring future scientists.
Princeton
Dr. Jodi S. Kraus
Dr. Jodi Kraus is a Research Fellow in Princeton University’s Department of Molecular Biology. A Helen Hay Whitney Foundation Fellow, her research focuses on protein dynamics and cellular mechanisms. She is also committed to teaching and mentoring future scientists.
Princeton
Dr. Giuseppe Ferro
Dr. Giuseppe Ferro is a Research Fellow at Princeton University’s High Meadows Environmental Institute. His interdisciplinary work spans climate science, earth systems, and decision-making under uncertainty, integrating economics and physics to study global climate transitions.
Princeton
Dr. Giuseppe Ferro
Dr. Giuseppe Ferro is a Research Fellow at Princeton University’s High Meadows Environmental Institute. His interdisciplinary work spans climate science, earth systems, and decision-making under uncertainty, integrating economics and physics to study global climate transitions.
Princeton
Dr. Kate Lagerstrom
Dr. Kate Lagerstrom is a biologist at Princeton University studying how human-driven environmental change affects microbial communities and immune systems. Her work combines experimental and observational approaches to understand wildlife microbiomes and ecosystem health.
Princeton
Dr. Kate Lagerstrom
Dr. Kate Lagerstrom is a biologist at Princeton University studying how human-driven environmental change affects microbial communities and immune systems. Her work combines experimental and observational approaches to understand wildlife microbiomes and ecosystem health.
Princeton
Dr. Tian Zhao
Dr. Tian Zhao is a research scientist at Princeton University’s Department of Chemistry, developing cutting-edge 3D multi-resolution systems to track particles in complex environments. His work advances nanoscale imaging and dynamic particle tracking technologies.
Princeton
Dr. Tian Zhao
Dr. Tian Zhao is a research scientist at Princeton University’s Department of Chemistry, developing cutting-edge 3D multi-resolution systems to track particles in complex environments. His work advances nanoscale imaging and dynamic particle tracking technologies.
Princeton
Dr. Birol Ay
Dr. Birol Ay is a Research Fellow at Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital’s Endocrine Unit. His research investigates how G proteins regulate skeletal FGF23 hormone production, an important pathway in kidney disease. He integrates advanced imaging and computational approaches in hormone biology.
Harvard Medical School / Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Birol Ay
Dr. Birol Ay is a Research Fellow at Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital’s Endocrine Unit. His research investigates how G proteins regulate skeletal FGF23 hormone production, an important pathway in kidney disease. He integrates advanced imaging and computational approaches in hormone biology.
Harvard Medical School / Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Hakan Coskun
Dr. Hakan Coskun is a Research Fellow in Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital. His work integrates systems biology and genetic mechanisms underlying congenital heart disease. He combines experimental models with computational methods to uncover cardiac development pathways.
Harvard Medical School / Boston Children's Hospital
Dr. Hakan Coskun
Dr. Hakan Coskun is a Research Fellow in Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital. His work integrates systems biology and genetic mechanisms underlying congenital heart disease. He combines experimental models with computational methods to uncover cardiac development pathways.
Harvard Medical School / Boston Children's Hospital
Dr. Hannah Rana
Dr. Hannah Rana received her PhD from Harvard University and works at the intersection of astrophysics and instrumentation. Her research contributes to advanced imaging and mission development, supporting cutting-edge space exploration technologies.
Harvard
Dr. Hannah Rana
Dr. Hannah Rana received her PhD from Harvard University and works at the intersection of astrophysics and instrumentation. Her research contributes to advanced imaging and mission development, supporting cutting-edge space exploration technologies.
Harvard
Dr. Biswadeep Khan
Dr. Biswadeep Khan is a researcher at Stanford University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He studies neural circuits underlying social behavior using advanced imaging and computational analysis. His work bridges neuroscience and technology innovation.
Stanford
Dr. Biswadeep Khan
Dr. Biswadeep Khan is a researcher at Stanford University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He studies neural circuits underlying social behavior using advanced imaging and computational analysis. His work bridges neuroscience and technology innovation.
Stanford
Dr. Benoit Legat
Dr. Benoit Legat is an Assistant Professor in Mathematical Engineering at UCLouvain, Belgium and a former researcher at MIT. His research focuses on numerical optimization and convex analysis, with applications in engineering and computational mathematics. In this youth, he has represented Belgium in International Mathematical Olympiad.
MIT & KU Leuven / UCLouvain
Dr. Benoit Legat
Dr. Benoit Legat is an Assistant Professor in Mathematical Engineering at UCLouvain, Belgium and a former researcher at MIT. His research focuses on numerical optimization and convex analysis, with applications in engineering and computational mathematics. In this youth, he has represented Belgium in International Mathematical Olympiad.
MIT & KU Leuven / UCLouvain
Dr. Karl Muth
Dr. Karl Muth is an economist and public policy scholar with experience in finance, economics, and regulatory systems. He has advised financial institutions and founded technology ventures, working at the intersection of academia and industry.
Chicago / Northwestern
Dr. Karl Muth
Dr. Karl Muth is an economist and public policy scholar with experience in finance, economics, and regulatory systems. He has advised financial institutions and founded technology ventures, working at the intersection of academia and industry.
Chicago / Northwestern
Dr. Markita del Carpio Landry
Dr. Markita del Carpio Landry is an Assistant Professor at UC Berkeley. Her research advances nanotechnology-based tools for imaging and gene regulation. A recipient of multiple honors including the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, she develops molecular tools for precision biology.
UC Berkeley
Dr. Markita del Carpio Landry
Dr. Markita del Carpio Landry is an Assistant Professor at UC Berkeley. Her research advances nanotechnology-based tools for imaging and gene regulation. A recipient of multiple honors including the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, she develops molecular tools for precision biology.
UC Berkeley
Dr. George Anwar
Dr. George Anwar is a Lecturer at UC Berkeley and co-founder of a biotech and controls engineering consulting firm. He has worked with leading organizations including IBM, Ford, Applied Materials, and NASA. With over 17 years of teaching experience, he specializes in embedded systems, real-time programming, and modern control theory, bringing hands-on, real-world innovation into academia.
UC Berkeley
Dr. George Anwar
Dr. George Anwar is a Lecturer at UC Berkeley and co-founder of a biotech and controls engineering consulting firm. He has worked with leading organizations including IBM, Ford, Applied Materials, and NASA. With over 17 years of teaching experience, he specializes in embedded systems, real-time programming, and modern control theory, bringing hands-on, real-world innovation into academia.
UC Berkeley
