Three CS&E students receive College of Science & Engineering and 3M Fellowships

Three incoming Department of Computer Science & Engineering (CS&E) Ph.D. students earned fellowships from the College of Science and Engineering (CSE) and the 3M Fellowship program. Mohamed Hemdan, Xinran Wang, and Sara Ghanbari were selected for fellowships starting in the 2023-24 academic year. 

The CSE fellowship provides a stipend of $27,600 for the academic year, tuition up to 14 credits each semester, and health insurance for 12‐months. The total value of each award is estimated to be $53,000 per academic year. Fellowships are awarded for 1-3 academic years.

Robert E. Greiling, Jr., earned his B.S. in physics from the University of Minnesota in 1963, and created a fund in appreciation of his education and the opportunities it provided. The fund is intended to provide support for full-time graduate students in CSE who are studying computer science, particularly those with an interest in artificial intelligence and robotics, and who are lawfully in the United States on temporary student visas or who are residents of states other than Minnesota. 

The 3M Science and Technology Graduate Fellowship (3M Fellowship) provides a multi-year fellowship to exceptional, incoming Ph.D. students in science and engineering and in the biomedical sciences.

Mohamed Hemdan (he/him)
Award: 3-year CSE Fellowship and Greiling Fellowship
Research area of focus: Spatial data systems
Degree(s): B.S. Computer Engineering, The American University in Cairo (2023)

“I am honored to have been selected for this prestigious fellowship at the University of Minnesota. During my Ph.D. studies, I look forward to broadening my knowledge and engaging in extensive research in my field. I am also enthusiastic about collaborating with fellow researchers, pushing the boundaries of knowledge together, and publishing at top-tier conferences. After graduation, I want to explore research opportunities within the industry, as it will allow me to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and practical applications. Ultimately, my goal is to establish myself as a respected researcher and a thought leader in my field.”

Xinran Wang (she/her)
Award: 1-year 3M Fellowship
Research area of focus: Machine learning, artificial intelligence
Degree(s): B.S. Economics and Finance, Tsinghua University (2012); M.A. Economics, Tsinghua University (2016); M.S. Statistics, University of Minnesota (2021)

“I am looking forward to engaging in cutting-edge scientific and technological research and pursuing an academic career.”

Sara Ghanbari
Award: 1-year 3M Fellowship
Research area of focus: Robotics, artificial intelligence
Degree(s): B.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Tehran (2023)