We are delighted to announce the finalists for the William T. Grant Scholars Program class of 2031. Eleven early-career researchers were selected from a pool of 153 applicants after a rigorous review by our staff and Selection Committee.
The Scholars Program began in 1982 and has a rich history of supporting the development of early-career researchers in the social, behavioral, and health sciences. Applicants for the Scholars Program propose five-year research and mentoring plans designed to expand their skills and knowledge.
Applicants are nominated by their institutions, and only one applicant can be named from any one major division (e.g., College of Arts and Sciences, medical school, etc.). Nominating institutions must formally agree to support the applicant’s research goals with sufficient resources during the grant period, so the nomination reflects the institution’s serious commitment to the applicant and their career.
The 11 finalists will be interviewed in February 2026, and the winning candidates will be approved by the Board of Trustees in March. All Scholars receive $425,000 over five years and participate in annual retreats.
“We are impressed by the exciting range of work proposed by this year’s finalist cohort. Hailing from fields including sociology, education, operations research, and statistics, each of these finalists demonstrate strong promise to contribute to our knowledge of ways to improve youth lives. The Foundation is proud to continue supporting the development of early-career researchers,” said Senior Program Officer Melissa Wooten, who manages the program.
William T. Grant Scholars Finalists
Nikhil Garg, PhD
School of Operations Research and Information Engineering, Cornell University
James Chu, PhD
Department of Sociology, Columbia University
Kay Simon, PhD
Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota
Lauren Magee, PhD
Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University
Claire Bowen, PhD
Department of Family and Financial Well-Being, Urban Institute
Thania Galvan, PhD
Department of Psychology, University of Georgia
Nestor Tulagan, Jr., PhD
Warner School of Education and Human Development, University of Rochester
Jewoong Moon, PhD
Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Technology Studies, University of Alabama
Theresa Rocha Beardall, JD, PhD
Department of Sociology, University of Washington
Ha Ngan (Milkie) Vu, PhD
Department of Preventative Medicine, Northwestern University
Tolani Britton, EdD
School of Education, University of California, Berkeley
