Congratulations to Natalie Fardian-Melamed and Zhihao Cui, two Columbians recognized with a Blavatnik Regional Award for Young Scientists.
Fardian-Melamed is now an associate research scientist, continuing her postdoctoral work with mechanical engineer Jim Schuck. She is a 2026 Laureate in Physical Sciences & Engineering and is recognized for discovering and engineering ultra-sensitive, light-based nanosensors that remotely detect a broad range of mechanical forces, laying the groundwork for breakthroughs in biomedicine, robotics, and next-generation quantum technologies.
Cui was named a finalist in chemical science. Now an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of California, Irvine, he completed a postdoc at Columbia with theorists David Reichman and Andrew Millis. He was recognized for developing computational theories that model how electrons interact with vibrations and light, advancing the prediction and design of superconductors and quantum materials with unusual properties.
