New Class of Junior Fellows Joins the Simons Society of Fellows

From top left: Jennifer Merritt, Robert Fernandez, Fedor Popov, Joan Pulupa, Carla Golden, Ashley Chui, Aravind Devarakonda, Sebastian Wolff, Abigail Bodner, Benem-Orom Davids, Tim Large and Emanuele Galiffi.

The Simons Foundation is pleased to announce that 12 outstanding early-career scientists have joined the Simons Society of Fellows as the program’s latest class of Junior Fellows. All based in the New York City area, the Fellows come from a diverse range of fields, including biochemistry, climate science, quantum physics and theoretical computer science.

Formed in 2014, the Simons Society of Fellows encourages intellectual interactions across disciplines and research centers around New York City. Fellows attend dinners, annual retreats, conferences and workshops. The society comprises both Junior and Senior Fellows, with Junior Fellows receiving support from the Simons Foundation for up to three years of independent research with no teaching obligations.

Abigail Bodner (New York University)
Climate dynamics, geophysical fluid dynamics and turbulence
Ashley Chui (New York University)
Molecular pharmacology
Benem-Orom Davids (Columbia University)
Biochemistry and molecular biophysics
Aravind Devarakonda (Columbia University)
Experimental condensed matter physics
Robert Fernandez (Columbia University)
Molecular and developmental neuroscience
Emanuele Galiffi (City University of New York)
Plasmonics and Metamaterials
Carla Golden (New York University)
Neuroscience
Tim Large (Columbia University)
Symplectic topology and Floer homotopy theory
Jennifer Merritt (Columbia University)
Behavioral neuroscience, ecology and evolution
Fedor Popov (New York University)
Quantum field theory, large N models and applications
Joan Pulupa (Columbia University)
Neuronal cell biology
Sebastian Wolff (New York University)
Theoretical computer science