MathWorks Fellowships

MathWorks Fellowships empower MIT engineering graduate students to explore bold ideas and push the boundaries of discovery. Building on MathWorks’ legacy of advancing computational tools and innovation, fellows develop transformative solutions across fields—from sustainable energy and advanced computing to biomedical breakthroughs. It’s support that fuels curiosity, accelerates progress, and drives engineering forward.

About MathWorks Fellowships

MathWorks Fellowships empower graduate students to pursue boundary-pushing research that advances discovery, innovation, and human progress. Rooted in MathWorks’ legacy of transforming how engineers and scientists solve problems, these fellowships give students the freedom, tools, and mentorship to turn bold ideas into lasting impact.

Over 500 MathWorks Fellows in the School of Engineering—and hundreds more in the School of Science—have driven breakthroughs in fields from AI and energy to climate and biomedicine.

MathWorks Fellows receive:

• Unrestricted funding: Fellows have the flexibility to pursue ambitious research without the constraints of a specific grant.
• Powerful tools: MATLAB and Simulink enable fellows to model systems, analyze data, and accelerate innovation across disciplines.
• Freedom to take risks: Fellows are encouraged to explore uncharted ideas and redefine what’s possible in engineering and science.
• Mentorship and collaboration: Access to MathWorks engineers and experts provides real-world insights and an expanded professional network.

Eligibility & Application

Eligibility

Graduate students currently enrolled in the MIT School of Engineering are eligible to apply. Please note: First-year graduate students and students in professional master’s programs are not eligible. Preference is given to students actively using MATLAB and/or Simulink in their research.

Application Process

Interested students should contact their department’s graduate administrator at the beginning of the spring semester to initiate the application process.

Application Materials

Students interested in applying to receive a MathWorks Fellowship should prepare the following application materials:

• Curriculum Vitae showcasing academic achievements and research experience.
• Research Statement (maximum two pages) describing how MathWorks tools contribute to and advance the applicant’s research.
• Letter of Recommendation from the applicant’s research advisor.

• Ashutosh Kumar
• Louis DeRidder
• Miranda Schwacke

Ashutosh Kumar

2023-2024 MathWorks Fellow

My Story

“MathWorks gave me a chance to explore my interests and helped me navigate from being a steel engineer to a cancer scientist.”

• Department
  Department of Materials Science and Engineering
• Research Area

  Studying the link between bacteria and ovarian cancer

Louis DeRidder

2023-2024 MathWorks Fellow

My Story

“MathWorks and Simulink are key to what we do. They enable us to model the drug pharmacokinetics — how the body distributes and metabolizes the drug.”

• Department

  Harvard-MIT Health Science and Technology Program
  

• Research Area

  Developing a device to make chemotherapy dosing more accurate for individual patients

Miranda Schwacke

2024-2025 MathWorks Fellow

My Story

“If you look at AI in particular — to train these really large models — that consumes a lot of energy. And if you compare that to the amount of energy that we consume as humans when we’re learning things, the brain consumes a lot less energy. That’s what led to this idea to find more brain-inspired, energy-efficient ways of doing AI.”

• Department

  Department of Materials Science and Engineering

• Research Area

  Developing a device to make chemotherapy dosing more accurate for individual patients