Four ICME Students Among Stanford's 2026 Knight-Hennessy Cohort
Naseeb Andar
MS in Computational and Mathematical Engineering
Kabul, Kabul, Afghanistan
Naseebullah Andar, from Kabul, Afghanistan, will pursue a master’s degree in computational and mathematical engineering at Stanford University after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania with majors in mathematics, economics, and biochemistry, and a minor in statistics and data science. At Penn, he has conducted research with Francis X. Diebold and Jere R. Behrman on forecast ensembles, and with Rahul Kohli and Kiran Musunuru on diversifying base editors and precision prime editors. He has also engaged in leadership and policy through Perry World House, FMO (the Dutch Development Bank), the Atlantic Council, the International Student Advisory Board, and TEDxPenn, and served as a teaching assistant in the mathematics department. Naseeb is a Dean’s Scholar, Lawrence R. Klein Prize recipient, Phi Beta Kappa junior inductee, Simon Kuznets Fellow, Kleinman Fellow, Penn World Scholar, and University Scholar. He hopes to pursue questions linking mathematics, economics, and biochemistry, while contributing to broader policy discussions shaped by developments in those fields.
Lila Fowler
PhD in Computational and Mathematical Engineering
San Diego, California, United States
Lila Fowler, from San Diego, California, will pursue a PhD in computational and mathematical engineering at Stanford School of Engineering after receiving bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and physics from the University of San Diego. Lila’s academic interest lies in balancing accuracy and efficiency in the mathematical modeling of complex systems. Her aim is to create low-cost ways to tackle big-picture problems, accelerating the pace of scientific discovery and the realization of its benefits to society. Outside the lab, Lila is a committed mentor and active in STEM education and outreach in her community. Her undergraduate research was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy. Lila is a 2024 Goldwater Scholar.
Nick Hayes
PhD in Computational and Mathematical Engineering
Collierville, Tennessee, United States
Nicholas (Nick) Hayes, from Collierville, Tennessee, is pursuing a PhD in computational and mathematical engineering at Stanford School of Engineering. Nick attended the University of Oxford, where he earned dual master’s degrees in mathematics and linguistics. He previously earned dual bachelor’s degrees in applied mathematics and foreign languages and literature (German) from the University of Alabama. Nick aims to push the frontier of mathematical modeling and machine learning for social good, with particular interests in climate and AI safety. He has published first-authored research in both mathematics and linguistics, with experience at 10a Labs, MITRE, the Center for Advanced Defense Studies, NOAA, and the U.S. Department of State. He is a Rhodes Scholar, Hollings Scholar, and Boren Scholar.
Mandy Lu
PhD in Computational and Mathematical Engineering
Cohort Canton, Michigan, United States
These profiles are drawn from the news article: Knight-Hennessy Scholars announces 2026 cohort of 87 new scholars, the most global cohort to date.
Announced in 2016 and launched in 2018, Knight-Hennessy Scholars is named for Phil Knight, MBA ’62, philanthropist and co-founder of Nike Inc., and John Hennessy, chairman of Alphabet Inc. and president emeritus of Stanford (2000-2016). Knight-Hennessy Scholars is the largest, university-wide, fully endowed graduate fellowship in the world. Learn more at kh.stanford.edu.
