Summary Points
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Scholarship Achievement: Lara Ozkan, an MIT senior, has been awarded the 2025 Marshall Scholarship, enabling her to pursue graduate studies in the UK, specifically at Cambridge University and Imperial College London.
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Academic Focus: Ozkan aims to advance women’s health through innovation, intending to study biological sciences and artificial intelligence, blending her expertise in computer science and molecular biology.
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Research and Leadership: She has a strong background in computational biology, recognized by the MIT Susan Hockfield Prize, and has actively contributed to AI ethics curricula, while also holding leadership positions in MIT Capital Partners and the Sloan Business Club.
- Community Engagement: Beyond academics, Ozkan is dedicated to mentoring and teaching, engaging in initiatives such as MIT CodeIt and Camp Kesem, where she supports middle-school girls in computer science and children affected by cancer.
Lara Ozkan Named 2025 Marshall Scholar
Lara Ozkan, a senior at MIT from Oradell, New Jersey, received the prestigious 2025 Marshall Scholarship. This scholarship, funded by the British government, allows American students to pursue graduate studies in the United Kingdom. Each year, up to 50 students earn this honor.
Ozkan will begin her studies in the U.K. next fall. She plans to pursue an MPhil in biological science at Cambridge University’s Sanger Institute. Following that, she aims for a master’s degree in artificial intelligence and machine learning at Imperial College London. Her goals center on enhancing women’s health through innovative technologies and computational research.
Outstanding Achievements in Research
Before joining MIT, Ozkan conducted research in computational biology at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. At MIT, she worked with the Conformable Decoders group at the MIT Media Lab, focusing on developing wearable ultrasound technologies for breast cancer detection. She also contributes to a computational biology research group led by Professor Manolis Kellis in the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Her dedication to research earned her the MIT Susan Hockfield Prize in Life Sciences.
Leadership and Volunteer Work
In addition to her research, Ozkan holds leadership roles at MIT. She serves as president and executive director of MIT Capital Partners, connecting entrepreneurs with venture capital firms. Furthermore, she leads the MIT Sloan Business Club and participates as an undergraduate research peer ambassador. Through her work on the MIT EECS Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, she advocates for improved student experiences in interdisciplinary computing.
Outside of academic life, Ozkan volunteers with MIT CodeIt, teaching middle-school girls about computer science. As a counselor with Camp Kesem, she mentors children impacted by cancer. Her commitment to service complements her academic pursuits, showcasing her dedication to positively impacting communities.
Looking Ahead
Kim Benard, associate dean of distinguished fellowships, expressed pride in Ozkan’s accomplishments. She noted that Ozkan represents the high standard of excellence at MIT. The MIT community looks forward to seeing the impact of Ozkan’s future work as she embarks on this exciting journey as a Marshall Scholar.
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