December 15, 2023
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Future Nobel Laureates Scholarship Program goals
To enhance the development of participants’ professional, personal, and intercultural competencies.
To inspire the next generation of global leaders to seek out knowledge to question current norms and systems.
To work interculturally to pursue ideas that identify and confront equity and justice concerns in their communities and around the world.
To provide a means to deepen and expand participants’ understanding of themselves in the world.
Each year, EF Study Abroad and The Forum on Education Abroad bring 10 young scholars from around the world together for the Future Nobel Laureates Scholarship Program. This rigorous program culminates in a visit to Sweden during Nobel Week, where participants showcase their transformative ideas and encounter past laureates who embody the power of such groundbreaking work.
This curated program from EF Study Abroad places gifted young scholars on the path to becoming Nobel laureates.
Each year, 10 scholarship winners are chosen from a global pool of applicants, with participants embarking on a program that develops their professional, personal, and intercultural competencies while working on a final project with the potential to change the world.
Through regular instruction with professors, mentors, and guest lecturers, the program deepens and expands students’ understanding of themselves in the world. Working interculturally, participants also pursue ideas that confront equity and justice issues in their communities and around the world.
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This hard work culminates in an inspirational visit to Sweden where the students get to attend the Nobel Week Dialogue, an event that brings together the world’s leading scientists, policymakers, and thinkers to explore scientific topics through a global lens.
In Sweden, participating scholars also meet with their academic advisors and mentors, and program partners like the Nobel Prize Museum and Changer's Hub. Creative storytelling workshops at the Berghs School of Communication cap off the visit.
A workshop at Changer’s Hub proved to be one of the most energizing stops for the 2023 cohort. As one of Sweden’s leading youth organizations, Changer's Hub supports diverse young entrepreneurs through mentorship and training. Leaders from the organization instructed the students on how they could position their diverse backgrounds as strengths and how it could help them enact positive change in their communities.
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A visit to Changer's Hub inspired students on their visit to Sweden.
A visit to the Nobel Prize Museum, EF's educational partner, gave participants insight into Alfred Nobel’s vision to reward discoveries that benefit humankind through the Nobel Prize. During workshops at the museum, participants were inspired by the discoveries of past Nobel laureates who made groundbreaking contributions to their respective fields. As a further highlight, participants' ideas were featured in the Nobel Prize Museum’s exhibition.
“I have always envisioned myself as an agent of change. The thought of engaging in the 2023 Nobel Week Dialogue and that our work will be displayed in the Nobel Prize Museum feels like a step closer to my dreams. I sense that this program will have a butterfly effect on my character and therefore my life."
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Students attending the Nobel Prize award ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden.
The 2023 participants also had the unique opportunity to attend the Nobel Prize award ceremony as special guests of the Nobel Prize Museum. Held annually on December 10th at Stockholm Concert House, the ceremony is attended by laureates, dignitaries, esteemed guests, and Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf.
The Future Nobel Laureates Scholarship Program was developed in partnership with The Forum on Education Abroad and designed to align with their industry-leading Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad. The course was co-designed by Dr. David Wick who serves as the primary faculty of the program, with support from The Forum and EF Study Abroad. The program’s academic rigor allows students to earn university credit from Colorado State University upon completion.
Vanderbilt University '26, USA
Hometown: Fairfax, Virginia
Project topic: Healthcare equity
Sharmila's project aims to advance healthcare equity by making medical innovations and treatments accessible to all, ensuring societal growth through meeting basic medical needs.
University College Dublin '25, Ireland
Hometown: Chişinău, Moldova
Project topic: Gender equity in education
Mihaela is dedicated to promoting gender equality in education, focusing on empowering women through quality education and addressing barriers like limited resources and biased curricula.
Technical University of Munich '25, Germany
Hometown: Bogotá, Columbia
Project topic: Biofuels and carbon capture
Maria's project involves transforming greenhouse gases into bioethanol through the study of metabolic pathways, collaboration with experts, and creating a diverse global team for impact.
Duke University School of Medicine ’27, USA
Hometown: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Project topic: Alzheimer's research
Advocating a multi-faceted approach, Ann Marie's project combines education, research, and innovation efforts to improve outcomes for Alzheimer's patients globally.
Universidad De Colima '23, Mexico
Hometown: Colima City, Mexico
Project topic: Mental health
Prioritizing mental health care, Maria's project emphasizes innovation, technology, and multi-faceted strategies to reaching underserved populations worldwide.
Simon Fraser University '24, Canada
Hometown: Vancouver, Canada
Project topic: Equity
Carlinda addresses underrepresentation beyond gender, tackling diversity gaps in leadership across sectors to promote inclusivity in decision-making roles.
Babson College ’24, USA
Hometown: Janakpur, Nepal
Project topic: Social venture funding
Bidhi's platform, Lift Circle, democratizes social venture funding, connecting users with impactful ideas worldwide and fostering a global entrepreneurial ecosystem.
St. Olaf College '25, USA
Hometown: Bamenda, Cameroon
Project topic: Health economics of gene editing
Dick explores curative gene therapies, aiming to make these therapies accessible in high-disease burden economies, drawing inspiration from the history of aviation advancements.
Earlham College '23, USA
Hometown: Bogotá, Colombia
Project topic: Decolonizing healthcare
Nicolas advocates for culturally competent care, focusing on decolonizing healthcare by recognizing the impact of colonization and integrating traditional healing practices.
Princess Sumaya University for Technology '26, Jordan
Hometown: Amman, Jordan
Project topic: Education accessibility through electronic waste
Selen's project proposes repurposing old devices for education to address electronic waste, relieving the environment and providing equitable quality education to marginalized communities.
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