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Indian-American researchers among finalists for 2024 Blavatnik National Awards

Each finalist will receive $15,000 in unrestricted funds to support their research. 

Yogesh Surendranath, Anima Anandkumar and Sohini Ramachandran / Image- MIT Chemistry/ LinkedIn (Anima Anandkumar)/ Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists

Three Indian-American scientists are among the finalists for the 2024 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists, which honor exceptional contributions across various scientific fields. 

Established in 2007 by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and independently administered by The New York Academy of Sciences, the awards celebrate exceptional young researchers addressing global challenges. Each finalist will receive $15,000 in unrestricted funds to support their research. 

Anima Anandkumar, Bren Professor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences at the California Institute of Technology, has been selected as a finalist in the Physical Sciences & Engineering category. She is recognized for her pioneering work in artificial intelligence, particularly for developing neural operators, an AI method capable of modeling multi-scale processes.



“I am thrilled to receive the award and have our foundational work in AI+Science be recognized. I am thankful to my collaborators, my colleagues, and the Caltech administration for their support,” Anandkumar, whose innovations have significantly impacted areas such as AI-based weather forecasting and understanding COVID-19 told the Caltech News. 

In the Chemical Sciences category, MIT professor Yogesh Surendranath was recognized for his work on electrified surfaces and the development of new chemical reactions aimed at decarbonizing fuel and chemical synthesis. Born in Bangalore, India, Surendranath moved to the U.S. when he was three years old. His research advances sustainable chemical processes.

Sohini Ramachandran, a professor at Brown University, is a finalist in the Life Sciences category for her research on human genetic variation and its implications for personalized medicine. “The human genome is an incredible text, revealing both our shared humanity and the interplay between genes and environments in shaping human traits,” Ramachandran said in a statement, expressing her gratitude for the recognition.

The Blavatnik National Awards, which began recognizing exceptional young scientists in the New York tri-state area and expanded nationally in 2014, have awarded over $17 million to more than 470 scientists since inception. Finalists and winners will be celebrated at a gala ceremony on October 1, 2024, at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

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