MIT’s 2026 Rhodes Scholars: Pioneering Leaders in Engineering and Medicine

[ { “paragraph”: “Four exceptional students have been awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship for 2026, enabling them to pursue fully funded postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford in the U.K. next fall. Among these scholars, Vivian Chinoda is recognized as a Rhodes Zimbabwe Scholar, while Alice Hall, Sofia Lara, and Sophia Wang are honored as U.S. Rhodes Scholars.” }, { “paragraph”: “The scholars received invaluable support from Associate Dean Kim Benard and the Distinguished Fellowships team within Career Advising and Professional Development. Additionally, they benefited from mentorship and guidance offered by the Presidential Committee on Distinguished Fellowships.” }, { “paragraph”: “\”The creativity, vision, and dedication of MIT students continually impress us,\” states Professor Taylor Perron, co-chair of the committee alongside Professor Nancy Kanwisher. \”This year’s Rhodes scholars are particularly remarkable in their talents across various fields, and their ability to communicate their aspirations effectively. I eagerly anticipate their contributions to shaping our future, as it is an honor to work with such talented individuals.\”” }, { “paragraph”: “Vivian Chinoda, originally from Harare, Zimbabwe, was named a Rhodes Zimbabwe Scholar on October 10. A recent graduate with a BS in business analytics, Chinoda plans to pursue an MSc in social data science and a master’s degree in public policy at Oxford. Her goal is to drive economic development and equitable access to resources for communities in Zimbabwe through social innovation and evidence-based policy.” }, { “paragraph”: “At MIT, Chinoda’s research focused on the effects of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation on stakeholders and innovation metrics. She contributed to the Digital Humanities Lab and MIT Ukraine by developing a platform to connect and fundraise for exiled Ukrainian scientists. Furthermore, she co-led an initiative with the MIT Office of Sustainability to transition the campus to a fully electric vehicle fleet, supporting the Institute’s Climate Action Plan.” }, { “paragraph”: “Chinoda’s professional background includes internships as a data science and research intern at Adaviv, a controlled-environment agriculture startup, and as a product manager at Red Hat, where she developed AI tools for open-source developers.” }, { “paragraph”: “Outside her academic pursuits, Chinoda has held leadership roles such as first-year outreach chair and vice president of the African Students’ Association, where she co-founded the Impact Fund, successfully raising over $30,000 for social impact initiatives. She participated in the Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing (SERC) program, exploring big-data ethics across sectors like criminal justice and healthcare. Additionally, she finds joy in fashion design, revitalizing the MIT Black Theatre Guild and earning the 2025 Laya and Jerome B. Wiesner Student Art Award.” }, { “paragraph”: “Alice Hall, a senior from Philadelphia studying chemical engineering with a minor in Spanish, will pursue a DPhil in engineering at Oxford. Her research focuses on scaling sustainable heating and cooling technologies to tackle climate challenges.” }, { “paragraph”: “Hall’s research journey commenced in the Lienhard Group, where she developed models for nutrient reclamation through electrodialysis from brackish groundwater. She later worked in the Langer Lab, enhancing lung viability for transplantation by investigating alveolar-capillary barrier functions. During her summer in Madrid, she partnered with the European Space Agency to optimize surface treatments for satellite materials.” }, { “paragraph”: “Currently involved in the Olivetti Group as part of the MIT Climate Project, Hall examines manufacturing scalability for early-stage clean energy solutions. Her internships with Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble have further enriched her industry experience.” }, { “paragraph”: “As president of MIT’s Undergraduate Association, Hall represents her peers and also contributes to various executive boards including the Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Student Advisory Board and MIT’s chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Additionally, she serves on the Presidential Advisory Cabinet and participates in committees like the Corporation Joint Advisory Committee.” }, { “paragraph”: “An active member of the Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership Program, Hall is also engaged with the Black Students’ Union and the National Society of Black Engineers. A member of the varsity basketball team, she received accolades as both NEWMAC and D3hoops.com Region 2 Rookie of the Year in 2023.” }, { “paragraph”: “Sofia Lara is a senior from Los Angeles majoring in biological engineering with a minor in Spanish. At Oxford, she aims to earn a DPhil in clinical medicine by utilizing UK biobank data to establish sex-stratified dosing protocols and safety guidelines for the NHS.” }, { “paragraph”: “Lara envisions transforming the complexity found within medicine into therapeutic advancements where variability unveils hidden possibilities, making precision medicine genuinely precise.” }, { “paragraph”: “At the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Lara is researching the cGAS-STING immune pathway in cancer. Her thesis encompasses a genome-wide association study that highlights STING variation’s impact on disease pathology, seeking to enhance understanding of STING-linked immune disorders.” }, { “paragraph”: “She co-founded the MIT-Harvard Future of Biology Conference, which gathers multidisciplinary researchers to explore vulnerabilities within cancer biology. As president of MIT Baker House, she led community initiatives and orchestrated notable events like the Piano Drop—an enduring tradition that fosters collective resilience among students.” }, { “paragraph”: “Lara is also captain of the MIT Archery Team, music director for MIT Catholic Community, and engages in charitable efforts by creating hand-stitched crocheted octopuses for pediatric patients at Massachusetts General Hospital.” }, { “paragraph”: “Sophia Wang from Woodbridge, Connecticut graduated with a BS in aerospace engineering focusing on highly autonomous systems design. At Oxford, she plans to pursue an MSc in mathematical and theoretical physics followed by an MSc in global governance and diplomacy.” }, { “paragraph”: “During her undergraduate studies, Wang conducted research at both the MIT Space Telecommunications Astronomy Radiation (STAR) Lab and the MIT Media Lab’s Tangible Media Group. She interned at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on projects aimed at exoplanet detection missions and Mars Sample Return initiatives.” }, { “paragraph”: “After graduation, Wang engaged in various projects including contributing to Bhutan’s national technology policy focused on mindful development. In Japan, she is a founding researcher at Henkaku Center working on establishing an international network of academic institutions. As a venture capitalist, she recently collaborated with commercial space stations working towards replacing the International Space Station set for decommissioning in 2030.” }, { “paragraph”: “Wang’s innovative prototyping tools are utilized globally through the Fab Foundation—a network comprising over 2,500 community digital fabrication labs. A passionate cook, she co-founded Mince—a pop-up restaurant offering fine-dining meals for MIT students.” }, { “paragraph”: “Additionally, through MIT Global Teaching Labs, Wang has taught STEM courses in Kazakhstan and Germany while also leading digital fabrication workshops across the U.S. as a cycling educator with MIT Spokes.” } ]