PR95031

NEW YORK, March 17, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

-- Applications Open Today for First-Of-Its-Kind Scholarship that Will Fund

Master's and Doctoral Degrees for 100 Exceptional STEM Fellows from the Quad

Nations

-- Fellows Will Receive Access to Unparalleled Benefits Including Tuition

Support, Learning Workshops, Mentorship by STEM Leaders, and Cross-Cultural

Exchange Experiences

Schmidt Futures announced today that applications are open for the Quad

Fellowship. A first-of-its-kind scholarship supporting master's and doctoral

students in STEM, the program is designed to spur scientific and technological

innovation while building global ties among the next generation of scientists

and technologists.

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The Quad Fellowship is a joint initiative of the governments of Australia,

India, Japan, and the United States. It is the flagship educational exchange

program of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. Operated and administered by

Schmidt Futures, the Fellowship will sponsor 100 exceptional American,

Japanese, Australian, and Indian graduate students in science, technology,

engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to study in the United States beginning in

August 2023.

"We're going to see more technological change in the next ten years than we saw

in the last fifty," said U.S. President Joe Biden. "We want the next generation

of scientists and technologists who will build the future to come from our Quad

countries. Together we're launching the new scholarship program to support STEM

students in each of our countries and strengthen the collaboration among our

people. It's called the Quad Fellowship."

The Fellowship will develop a network of science and technology experts

committed to advancing innovation and collaboration in the private, public, and

academic sectors, in their own nations and among Quad countries. Over 18 months

of programming, Quad Fellows will receive academic support and have the

opportunity to learn from leading scientists, technologists, politicians, and

more from the Quad nations. Just as crucial, the program will build a

foundational understanding among Quad Fellows of one another's societies and

cultures through robust community programming and cultural immersion

experiences.

"We were honored to accept the invitation to lead and administer the Quad

Fellowship," said Eric Braverman, CEO of Schmidt Futures. "As a philanthropic

initiative founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt that bets early on exceptional

people making the world better, we believe that identifying and connecting

talent through interdisciplinary STEM programs like this one is crucial to

advancing world-changing innovation and solving our greatest challenges."

"At the heart of the future, we see science and technology, engineering and

math, because they have always been at the forefront of advancing progress and

answering human need," said Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison. "It's a

fellowship that will create new connections and help identify solutions to some

of the most pressing challenges we face across our region and the world."

"The most important driving force in the world today will be that of

technology, the technology that is going to be for the service and for the use

of humanity," said India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Our Quad will play

the role of a force for global good, and our cooperation under Quad will ensure

prosperity and peace in the Indo-Pacific and in the world."

"I have great expectations that participants will become a "bridge" connecting

the four countries, and will be the driving force for growth, helping to

resolve issues arising in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world," said

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

All Quad Fellows will receive access to the following benefits and participate

in the following programs upon selection:

   -- Funding: Quad Fellows will receive a one-time, personal award of  $50,000

      for study in STEM master's and doctoral programs in the United States.

      Fellows can apply separately for additional, needs-based funding up to

      $25,000 to support completion of their academic study subject to

      conditions.

   -- Programming: Quad Fellows will participate in regular virtual and in

      person workshops on a variety of themes, including the intersection of

      STEM and society, ethics and innovation, and emerging technologies.

      Fellows will also benefit from small-group research and support networks.

   -- Mentorship: Quad Fellows will connect with top scientists, technologists,

      and national leaders from Quad countries, providing unparalleled

      opportunities for networking and mentorship.

   -- Cross-Cultural Exchange: Quad Fellows will build lifelong connections

      within an international network of STEM innovators through flagship

      international experiences, including a week-long residency in Australia,

      Japan, or India, a weekend summit in Washington, D.C., and other in

      country immersion offerings.

"Schmidt Futures is thrilled to support emerging talent in STEM," said Quad

Fellowship Executive Director Tony Woods. "A forward-looking global initiative,

the Fellowship will bring together the next generation of exceptionally

talented scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians who want to

use their skills to have a positive impact on society."

An International Advisory Board composed of leaders from academia, government,

business, and civil society will provide guidance on Quad Fellowship selection,

programming, and immersion experiences. Members include Ambassador Richard

Court, former Australian Ambassador to Japan; Ambassador Navtej Sarna, former

Indian Ambassador to the United States; Ambassador Kazuyoshi Umemoto, president

of The Japan Foundation; Secretary Ash Carter, former US Secretary of Defense;

Professor Michelle Simmons, Director of the Centre of Excellence for Quantum

Computation and Communication Technology at the University of New South Wales;

Professor K. Vijay Raghavan, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of

India; Professor Yoichiro Matsumoto, Science and Technology Advisor to Japan's

Minister of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Shirley Malcom, Senior Advisor and Director of

SEA Change at the American Association for the Advancement of Science;

Professor Carla Brodley, Dean of Inclusive Computing at Northeastern

University; Paul Daugherty, Group Chief Executive - Technology and Chief

Technology Officer at Accenture; Amy Stursberg, Executive Director of the

Blackstone Charitable Foundation and CEO of Schwarzman Scholars and the Stephen

A. Schwarzman Foundation; Naveed Hussain, Chief Technology Officer at Boeing;

Ambassador Karan Bhatia, Head of Global Policy and Government Relations at

Google; Michael Fraccaro, Chief People Officer at Mastercard; Christine

Bastian, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Western Digital;

and Cassie Crockett, Vice President of Talent Engine at Schmidt Futures.

Additional members of the International Advisory Board will be announced in the

weeks and months ahead.

The Quad Fellowship is also supported by a group of industry-leading corporate

sponsors with track records of driving innovation and technological

advancement. Founding sponsors include Accenture, Blackstone, Boeing, Google,

Mastercard, and Western Digital.

Videos messages calling for applications from leaders of Quad countries are

below:

-- President Joe Biden (

https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3474449-1&h=4218473020&u=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FTmzjLGBCsKQ&a=President+Joe+Biden

)

-- Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (

https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3474449-1&h=1443722862&u=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FA1pJbddd3-4&a=Prime+Minister+Fumio+Kishida

)

-- Prime Minister Scott Morrison (

https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3474449-1&h=2539519982&u=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FLxc8AuKoE9U&a=Prime+Minister+Scott+Morrison

)

Applications will be accepted through June 1, 2022. For more details on the

Quad Fellowship, visit  https://www.quadfellowship.org/

About Schmidt Futures:

Schmidt Futures (

https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3474449-1&h=927927688&u=https%3A%2F%2Fschmidtfutures.com%2F&a=Schmidt+Futures

) bets early on exceptional people making the world better. Founded by Eric and

Wendy Schmidt, Schmidt Futures is a philanthropic initiative that creates

public value from private philanthropy through risk transfer—showing that

brilliant people in networks can solve hard problems in science and society by

connecting across fields, competing and challenging ideas, bringing multiple

types of capital to bear, and applying science and technology thoughtfully

through tools such as AI.

For media inquiries, contact:

Janine Brady at media@schmidtfutures.com

SOURCE: Schmidt Futures