Congratulations to CEE Assistant Professors Cynthia Gerlein-Safdi and Ziqi Wang on receiving the Society of Hellman Fellows Fund award! This endowed program supports the research of assistant professors who show promise for great distinction in their chosen fields across each of the ten UC campuses. The program is open to junior faculty members two to four years into their careers across various academic disciplines, including the arts, humanities, social sciences, life sciences, and engineering.
The award is expected to contribute substantially to each fellow's professional growth. The most important aspect of the selection is the quality of the research rather than the popularity of the field of study, with the fellowship being a one-time award.
Professor Safdi received $60,000 from the fund for her research proposal, "Enhancing Climate Change Insights through Advanced Understanding of Greenhouse Gas Dynamics in Ecosystems." Professor Wang received $60,000 from the same fund for his research proposal, "From the Direct Physical Impact of Hazards to the Emotional Well-being of Individuals."