35 exceptional MIT students named Burchard Scholars for 2017
Students selected as Burchard scholars are some of MIT's liveliest undergraduates. They are unafraid to wrestle with new ideas.
December 12, 2016 — The School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences is pleased to name 35 exceptional MIT undergraduates as Burchard Scholars for 2017. The award honors sophomores and juniors who demonstrate academic excellence in the humanities, arts, and social sciences, as well as in science and engineering.
Burchard Scholars can come from any school or department of the Institute, and this year’s honorees major and minor in a range of disciplines, including physics, history, economics, mathematics, philosophy, and biology. "What binds the group together," says Margery Resnick, professor of literature and director of the Burchard program, "is a powerful curiosity about ideas."
“The Burchard scholars are some of MIT’s liveliest undergraduates,” she says. “Selection is extremely competitive, and the students chosen are unafraid to wrestle with new ideas.”
Ideas and conversation at dinner seminars
Named in honor of the School's first dean, John Ely Burchard, the Burchard Scholars Program brings undergraduates together with distinguished members of the faculty for a series of eight dinner seminars that reflect the range of research in the School. Past gatherings have featured talks on: the politics of aid to Haitian trauma survivors; what philosophy tells us about how to make big decisions; U.S. grand strategy in foreign policy; the art of discovery; and a political history of gravity.
“The Burchard dinners are, for faculty and students alike, an oasis in our busy lives,” Resnick notes. “I look forward to every dinner as the powerful ideas generated by our faculty are reflected upon, challenged, and enjoyed by this wonderful group.”
Expanding horizons, in community
The Burchard gatherings are famous not only for presenting leading edge research, but for building a warm, supportive community, and giving students experience in the art of intellectual give-and-take — a skill students value for success in every field.
“Engaging and engaged are defining characteristics of MIT's Burchard Scholars,” Resnick says, noting that many past winners have gone on to receive other distinguished honors, including Rhodes, Marshall, and Truman scholarships and fellowships.
Melissa Nobles, Kenan Sahin Dean of the School, will congratulate the new class of Burchard Scholars at a reception to be held in their honor in February 2017.
The 2017 Burchard Scholars are:
Meia Alsup '19
Materials Science and Engineering
Natasha Batten '19
Chemical Engineering
Jaclyn Baughman '19
Physics
Margaret Bertoni '19
Mechanical Engineering
Phoebe Cai '18
Mathematics; Economics
Samantha Cawthon '19
Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Ann Chen '18
Mechanical Engineering
minor, History
Herng Yi Cheng '18
Mathematics
Matthew Coupin '18
Materials Science and Engineering
Caralyn Cutlip '18
Mechanical Engineering
minor, German
Anshula Gandhi '19
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Ying Gao '18
Mathematics; Economics
Benjamin Harpt '18
Physics
Christopher Hillenbrand '19
Chemistry
Nicholas Hoffman '18
Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Yuliya Klochan '18
Philosophy; Political Science
Tinna-Solveig Kosoko-Thoroddsen '19
Chemical Engineering
minor, Chinese
Jennifer Lee '18
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Feng Ping "Angela" Leong '18
Mechanical Engineering
Jessy Lin '19
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Stacie Lin '19
Biology
Ian MacFarlane '18
Physics
Oghenefejiro Oruerio '18
Mechanical Engineering
Audrey Pillsbury '19
Chemical Engineering
Mary Jane Porzenheim '19
Biology
Ankita Reddy '19
Biology
Uma Roy '19
Mathematics
Megan Schussman '18
Brian and Cognitive Sciences; Linguistics and Philosophy
Jacqueline Shen '18
Biology
minor, Applied International Studies
Nafisa Syed '19
Biology
Emily Tang '19
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Amanda Wu '18
Brian and Cognitive Sciences
Sefa Yakpo '18
Sloan School of Management
minor, French
Rachel Yang '18
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Jingyi Zhao '18
Mathematics
Warm congratulations to all!
Suggested Links
About the Burchard Scholars Program
Burchard Scholar Program | Seminar Topics and Special Events
Story prepared by MIT SHASS Communications
Editorial and Design Director: Emily Hiestand
Writers: Kathryn O'Neill, Emily Hiestand
Communications Assistant: Daniel Pritchard