In 2024, Harvard Ph.D. graduate Soon Wei Daniel Lim was chosen as one of the 32 Schmidt Science Fellows. Lim completed his thesis in applied physics under the guidance of Professor Federico Capasso at Harvard, where he focused on “Sculpting the dark: Singularity engineering with metasurfaces.”
As a Schmidt Science Fellow, Lim will be shifting from physics to biological sciences and relocating to Stanford University. His research will involve developing innovative ultrasound and photoacoustic medical imaging devices using acoustic frequency combs, a new type of miniaturized acoustic sources. The goal is to differentiate between different tissue types and pathologies more accurately, which could pave the way for more precise diagnoses of a wide range of diseases, particularly in remote or economically disadvantaged areas.
The Schmidt Science Fellows program was established in 2018 to support researchers in expanding their work across various fields of study and fostering a community of interdisciplinary thinkers committed to addressing global challenges. The initiative is part of the Schmidt Sciences organization, founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt, that aims to promote exploration, discovery, and the development of solutions to worldwide issues.
Since its inception, the Schmidt Science Fellows program has endorsed 177 fellows from seven different cohorts who were nominated by 62 institutes worldwide. The program collaborates with the Rhodes Trust to deliver its objectives and support the fellows in their research pursuits.