The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans acknowledges the promise and contributions of immigrants and their offspring with up to $90,000 towards their graduate education. This year, three scholars associated with Caltech have been honored with this distinction: Patryk Kozlowski, who completed his studies at Caltech in 2024; Daniel Tang, a postgraduate scholar in bioengineering; and Clara Seo, a postgraduate scholar in chemistry.

Kozlowski, who was raised in Orange County, California, is the child of Polish immigrants. Motivated by his introductory chemistry course at Caltech, Kozlowski collaborated in the laboratory of Ryan Hadt, assistant professor of chemistry, and contributed as a co-author to a publication in The Journal of Chemical Physics. He subsequently delved into quantum chemistry with Garnet Chan, Bren Professor of Chemistry and director of the Rudolph A. Marcus Center for Theoretical Chemistry. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Kozlowski worked remotely in Chan’s lab, developing simulations of catalysis, which hold the promise of generating chemicals sustainably.

During his junior year, Kozlowski endured a stroke and was diagnosed with leukemia. He took a medical hiatus for two years before returning to finish his BS degree at Caltech. Currently, Kozlowski is pursuing a PhD at Harvard, where he employs computational methods to explore materials that may be beneficial across various technologies, including enhanced solar panels.

Tang’s parents immigrated from China, initially to Canada and later to the United States. Tang was raised in Portland, Oregon, and developed an interest in medical research while still in high school. He completed his undergraduate studies in bioengineering at Stanford and then joined the UCLA–Caltech Medical Scientist Training Program. Under this dual MD/PhD initiative, Tang is conducting research under Mikhail Shapiro, the Max Delbruck Professor of Chemical Engineering and Medical Engineering and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, who himself received a Soros Fellowship for New Americans in 2004. Tang’s research focuses on noninvasive ultrasound techniques for drug delivery and aims to specialize in neuropsychiatry. He also participates actively as a mentor within the MD/PhD program and co-hosts Double Docs, a podcast dedicated to the MD/PhD experience.

Seo grew up in South Korea, relocating with her parents first to Singapore, followed by Germany, and ultimately to upstate New York. She attended Amherst College, where she majored in chemistry and statistics, conducting research focused on the synthesis of biodegradable polymers. Now a graduate student in chemistry at Caltech, Seo collaborates with William H. Hurt Scholar Karthish Manthiram, a professor of chemical engineering and chemistry, to advance bioelectrochemical energy systems. Her research specifically examines the influence of bacteria on renewable electricity and how biochemical transformations can be leveraged for sustainable energy and chemical production.

This year, thirty graduate scholars were awarded Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, selected from an applicant pool exceeding 2,600. Notable alumni of the program include former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and Caltech alumna Fei-Fei Li (PhD ’05), professor at Stanford and a trailblazer in artificial intelligence, among many distinguished others. The Soros Fellowship program was established in 1998 by Paul and Daisy Soros, Hungarian immigrants and philanthropists. As stated in the press release announcing the class of 2025, fellows are chosen “based on their accomplishments, potential to make significant contributions to their disciplines and communities, and commitment to the ideals of America represented in the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.”