Rice University doctoral graduate Sathvik Ajay Iyengar has been named a 2026 Schmidt Science Fellow, joining a highly selective international cohort of early-career scientists chosen for their potential to advance interdisciplinary research and tackle complex global challenges.
Schmidt Science Fellows is a STEM postdoctoral fellowship awarded annually since 2018 by Schmidt Sciences, in partnership with the Rhodes Trust. Former Google chairman and chief executive officer Eric Schmidt and his wife Wendy Schmidt fund the fellowship award.
Through a combination of supplemental postdoctoral fellowship support of $110,000 per year for two to three years, Science Leadership Training and Mentorship and a Lifelong Fellowship, the program distinguishes itself from conventional funding schemes. It enables fellows to achieve more collectively than they could as individuals.
Iyengar, who recently completed his Ph.D. in materials science and nanoengineering at Rice, is among a small group of researchers worldwide selected for the fellowship each year. The program supports exceptional scientists as they pivot from their doctoral discipline to pursue innovative postdoctoral research in a different field, encouraging collaboration across traditional academic boundaries.
Originally from Bengaluru, India, Iyengar conducted doctoral research at Rice on the synthesis of advanced quantum nanomaterials. During his graduate work, he helped develop a novel hybrid material combining graphene and atomically thin glass, demonstrating a new pathway to create semiconductors through entirely different material combinations.
“The biggest discoveries often happen at the interfaces between disciplines,” Iyengar said. “I’ve been fortunate to work in an environment at Rice that encourages that kind of thinking and collaboration.”
Iyengar credited the close-knit research environment at Rice for helping shape his interdisciplinary approach to science.
“Rice has been incredibly supportive from the beginning,” he said. “From my advisor Pulickel Ajayan to the broader community across the university, people encouraged me to explore ideas at the intersection of fields and to pursue opportunities that could expand my research beyond traditional boundaries.”
"Sathvik’s work has blended creative fervor with in-depth materials physics, and he is perfectly positioned to pivot to new areas beyond materials science during his Schmidt Fellowship tenure," said Pulickel Ajayan, the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor of Engineering.
The fellowship also provides leadership training and opportunities for collaboration with a worldwide community of fellows committed to advancing innovative approaches to scientific discovery.
Iyengar is the fourth Schmidt Science Fellow from Rice University, joining a growing network of alums contributing to interdisciplinary scientific research worldwide.
In addition to his selection as a Schmidt Science Fellow, Iyengar has been recognized through multiple competitive international and national fellowships during his time at Rice. He was a trainee in Rice’s NSF Research Traineeship Program in Bioelectronics, which supports interdisciplinary graduate research, and was named an inaugural Quad Fellow in 2023, a multinational program bringing together scientists from the United States, India, Japan and Australia to collaborate on global challenges. He also received a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship (2024–present), enabling him to conduct international research in Japan and further expand cross-cultural scientific collaboration. Together, these experiences reflect Iyengar’s commitment to interdisciplinary research, global engagement and advancing science across borders.
Beyond the lab, Iyengar embraced the broader intellectual community at Rice. He mentored undergraduate and graduate students, promoted graduate education through the graduate ambassador program, participated in fellowship coaching programs through the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and explored interests outside his research, including studying Japanese and performing Carnatic violin. He said the supportive culture at Rice helped shape both his scientific outlook and his long-term career goals.
“I don’t think I’ve ever come across a supportive environment like Rice before,” Iyengar said. “It’s not just one or two advisors invested in your success — the whole community is.”
Rice University nominates a select group of Ph.D. students across STEM disciplines each year for the Schmidt Science Fellows program. Students interested in being considered for the 2026 competition must apply through the university’s internal process by March 26, 2026. Questions about the nomination process may be directed to Dr. Randi McInerney at gradfellowships@rice.edu.
Read the official announcement here.