MIT will be one of eight U.S. universities to participate in a new fellowship program to honor outgoing National Academy of Engineering president and MIT president emeritus Charles M. Vest. Announced today at the Global Grand Challenges Summit in London, England, the Vest Scholars program will unite graduate-level engineers from across the United Kingdom and beyond with leading engineering institutions in the United States to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. Vest scholars will pursue research addressing one or more of the NAE's Grand Challenges for Engineering with all expenses paid for a year of travel and study.

Each participating U.S. university has selected from the NAE's list of 14 grand challenges to create the best opportunities for Vest Scholars. MIT's selections — make solar energy economical, provide access to clean water, restore and improve urban infrastructure, advance health informatics, secure cyberspace and advance personalized learning — all represent special strengths for MIT, says Ian A. Waitz, dean of the School of Engineering.

"We are deeply honored to participate in a program that honors Chuck's work at the National Academy of Engineering," Waitz says. "His work on the Grand Challenges has shaped our profession over the last decade, bringing together engineering educators and practitioners to create global partnerships to match the scale of the challenges. This fellowship program is a fitting testament to Chuck's efforts."

For more information about the Vest scholars program, visit http://vestscholars.org/.
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