“`html

Caltech graduate students Alice Jeffery and Christopher Yeh have been chosen as part of the 2025 group of Quad Fellows. Jeffery and Yeh are among 37 individuals picked in 2025, marking the third year of the program initiated by the governments of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States.

Emphasizing collaboration among its member nations, the Quad initiative aims to create connections and foster knowledge sharing among the upcoming generation of scientists and technologists. This program is open to graduate students at any stage of their academic journey from any of the four Quad nations as well as Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Fellows are awarded a stipend to assist with educational costs and the opportunity to engage in networking with leaders in STEM, public policy, and civil society.

In its third year of aiding graduate students in STEM disciplines, the Quad Fellowship has broadened to incorporate those enrolled in Japanese universities alongside American ones: 12 students from Japan have joined this year’s cohort of 25, which includes Jeffrey and Yeh, who study at U.S. institutions.

Jeffery, originally from Australia, will commence her graduate studies in applied physics at Caltech this autumn. She plans to focus on experimental quantum computing and quantum communications in the research group of Manuel Endres, a professor of physics. During the application process, she was prompted to articulate how her research could contribute positively to the world.

“From a quantum computing standpoint, I believe that governments and policy-makers are quite aware of the national security aspects,” she remarks. “However, their general awareness of the potential applications of quantum technologies for societal benefit is limited. I hope that the fellowship will enable me to bring additional scientific insight into the quantum computing discussions with policy-makers.”

For Yeh, a fifth-year graduate student in computing and mathematical sciences nearing the completion of his PhD, the fellowship signifies recognition of the contributions he has made over his years at Caltech, particularly outside the laboratory, including his role as a resident assistant at Marks House and as chair of the Graduate Student Council’s Sustainability Committee. In this latter capacity, Yeh established a composting system for the Catalina Community Apartments and initiated a program that allows individuals to borrow electric bikes from the Caltech Library. “That is currently one of the most popular items checked out from the library,” he notes.

Yeh’s scholarly pursuits in computer science center around algorithms for uncertainty quantification and decision-making. “I am highly driven by practical applications for energy systems and sustainability challenges, such as designing AI algorithms to enhance our forecasts for energy demand and generation, particularly in renewable energy,” he states. “Furthermore, based on those forecasts, I am intrigued by how we can improve efficiency and optimize the energy grid for aspects like battery storage and EV charging.”

For Yeh, the Quad is an accolade that symbolizes both his past and his aspirations. He hopes that its backing will enable him to conduct more research similar to a recent project in which he developed algorithms to more accurately map global poverty, thereby directing international aid to those in greatest need. “It’s a validation, honestly, of the efforts I’ve put forth. And one thing that the Quad underscores is recognizing the significance of science within the global discourse. I feel exceptionally fortunate to have been part of that.”

“`