youngest phd student in the world

Physical Address

#1 Shell Camp Owerri, Nigeria

10 Youngest Ph.D. Holders In History (Age, Location)

• April 3, 2022

Youngest Ph.D. Holders In History: Every academic guru’s goal in life is to be one of history’s top-ranked Ph.D. holders among those under the age of thirty.

Most graduates who are thinking about pursuing a postgraduate degree are undecided. This can be the consequence of additional years of education, in-depth research, and the time required to become an expert in their subject.

When it comes to choosing the correct field of study, though, it may be a challenging but rewarding process.

To help you stay motivated, we’ve produced a list of some of the most impressive Ph.D. recipients in history, all under the age of 30.

Table of Contents

Who is a Ph.D Holder?

Ph.D. is the abbreviation of Doctor of Philosophy. To teach at the university level in most countries or to have an advanced position within one’s field of study, one must hold an advanced academic or professional degree such as this.

‘Philosophy’ is derived from the Greek term Philosophia, which means ‘”love of wisdom” in English. One who has obtained a thorough grounding in the fundamentals of contemporary society was considered to be a person with a college degree.

The Doctor of Philosophy degree still demands a love of intelligence, but it is now reserved for those who have pursued knowledge in a much more specialized discipline.

Who are the Top 10 Youngest Ph.D. Holders In History?

• Balamurali Ambati at Age 17
• Kim Ung-Yong at Age 15
• Karl Witte at Age 13
• Akshay Venkatesh at age 20
• Erik Demaine at Age 20
• Charles Homer Haskins at Age 19
• Juliet Beni at Age 19
• Sho Yano at Age 18
• Norbert Wiener at Age 17
• Ruth Lawrence at Age 17

Balamurali Ambati – Earned Ph.D. at Age 17:

Balamurali Ambati is an Indian-born, US-based ophthalmologist. According to his parents, he was already able to do calculus at the age of four, a feat that most teenagers find challenging. At the age of 11, he co-authored a research paper on the topic of AIDS.

At the age of 13, he graduated from New York University and then went on to Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

In 1995, he graduated at the age of 17 and became the youngest doctor in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records.

Balamural went on to complete much of the medical training he needed later in life. Until now, he has been the youngest practicing doctor in the world at the age of 24.

A number of people can benefit from his knowledge and skills today because of it. He is involved in research projects and performs sophisticated surgeries and medical treatments around the world and abroad.

With all these, he became one of the top 10 youngest Ph.D. Holders in history and in the world.

Kim Ung-Yong – Earned Ph.D. at Age 15:

Kim Ung Yong is a South Korean child prodigy who once held the Guinness Book of World Records title for the highest IQ ever achieved, with a tally of 210 points.

The Korean alphabet and 1,000 Chinese characters were reported to have been second nature to him at that age. He authored a best-selling book at the age of 3 and was already adept at solving calculus-based issues.

He was accepted into Grant High School, Los Angeles, when he was just 5 years old after impressing the school’s administration.

Aside from that, he was featured on Fuji TV in Japan and demonstrated his expertise in solving differential equations.

For his master’s degree and NASA job, he was just 8 years old. He attended the University of Colorado in Boulder to study nuclear physics. One of the youngest Ph.D. holders in history, he was just 15.

This success didn’t always bring happiness to young Ung-Young, however. Therefore, he cautions that academic excellence does not equate to success and achievement.

As  youngest person to get a Ph.D. in South Korea, he’s currently a professor at Chungbuk National University, where he can assist others realize their full potential.

Karl Witte – Earned Ph.D. at Age 13:

Karl Witte, the youngest-ever Ph.D. recipient, was born in 1800 and died in 1883, making him the record holder. He was a kid model for his father’s book, “The Training of the Child.”

It was at the age of 9 when Witte was able to communicate in several different languages.

Karl was a Ph.D. student at the University of Giessen in Germany when he was just 13 years old. Because of this, he holds the record for the world’s youngest Ph.D. holder, one that has yet to be broken.

For his studies in Italy in 1818, it is believed that he went there and became a lawyer. A love for reading led him to become an expert on Dante, an Italian poet.

Karl Witte is one of the youngest Ph.D. holders in history.

• Can you get a PhD without a master’s degree?
• Top 10+ Hardest & Easiest PhDs to get in 2022

Ruth Lawrence – Earned Ph.D. at Age 17:

Mathematical genius Ruth Lawrence, a native of England, earned an O’level and an A in pure mathematics at the tender age of 9. She is one of the youngest Ph.D. holders in the world.

In 1985, at the age of 13, she became the youngest British individual to get a first-class degree and graduate from Oxford University in modern times. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics the following year.

She earned her PhD in mathematics from Oxford University when she was 17, and went on to become a junior fellow at Harvard University when she was 19. She later rose to the rank of associate professor at the University of Michigan.

While in Israel, Ruth accepted a position as an associate professor of mathematics at the Einstein Institute for Mathematical Research at the Hebrew University.

Algebraic Topology and Knot theory are two areas in which she has made significant contributions.

Akshay Venkatesh – Earned Ph.D. at age 20:

Akshay Venkatesh, an Australian of Indian origin, was born magnificent. At the age of 11, he competed in the 24th International Physics Olympiad in Williamsburg, Virginia, and won a bronze medal.

A year after his Physics Olympiad success, he moved to mathematics and won two more medals. He finished his secondary studies at 13.

Akshay then enrolled in the University of Western Australia, where he graduated three years later, at the age of 16, with First Class Honours in Pure Mathematics.

This year’s finest graduate from the Faculties of Science, Engineering, Dentistry, and Medicine, J.A. Woods Memorial Prize.

His thirst for knowledge led him to Princeton University, where he received his Ph.D. in 2002, at the age of 20. This makes him one of the world’s youngest Ph.D.

After obtaining his Ph.D. at MIT in 2002, he became a Clay Research Fellow. He is currently a professor at Stanford University. He is a respected mathematician who has contributed to various fields of mathematics.

Charles Homer Haskins – Earned Ph.D. at Age 19:

Charles Homer Haskins is the Johns Hopkins University’s youngest-ever PhD recipient. As a child, he was a prodigy, speaking Latin and Greek with ease.

While attending Johns Hopkins University, he received his degree at the age of just 16. A few years after that, at just 19 years of age, he graduated from the same university with a PhD in physics.

At Johns Hopkins University, he was hired as a professor in 1890 before moving to Wisconsin University to teach. A graduate studies program that he created at Harvard is still being used today.

The Renaissance of the Twelfth Century, which he wrote in 1927, is widely regarded as the first medieval history book written in the United States.

Haskins may not have been enough of a professor without a smattering of politics thrown in. As a member of President Woodrow Wilson’s World War I-era committee on territorial issues, he was instrumental in helping to find solutions.

Haskins was also a member of the United States delegation to the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, which was held in the city. With his solution to the German issue in mind, he presented it to the conference and it was adopted.

Juliet Beni – Earned Ph.D. at Age 19:

Juliet Beni was a senior in high school when she was just 15 years old. She earned her doctorate in psychology from the University of California, Riverside in 2012. She also graduated as the University of California’s youngest ever Ph.D. holder.

A doctor is her longtime ambition, thus she’s enrolled in the University of California, Irvine, in the Haider program in Biomedical Science to pursue that objective.

She plans to attend the University of California, Los Angeles, to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. Juliet Beni is one of the youngest Ph.D. holders in world/history.

Sho Yano – Earned Ph.D. at Age 18:

In terms of IQ, Sho Timothy Yano was considered something of a genius at the age of eight. His ability to read and write at the age of two, play the piano at the age of 4, and compose music at the age of five were all attributed to him.

When he was 8, he took the SAT , which was considered a stress test, and scored 1500 out of 1600. Upon completing his ninth grade year at the American School of Correspondence, he enrolled at Loyola University Chicago, where he received his bachelor’s degree at the age of twelve.

At the age of 18, Yano became the youngest Ph.D. holder in Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology from the University of Chicago.

Norbert Wiener – Earned Ph.D. at Age 17:

Norbert Wiener, a Columbian-born German great artist, was another. Math was Norbert’s father’s primary subject of instruction when he was a child.

Ayer High School and Tufts College were both his high schools of choice when he was 11 years old (now called Tufts University). After graduating from high school at the age of 14 in 1909, he received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics.

Norbert didn’t go on to get his master’s or doctorate right away in his chosen field of study. Before returning to mathematics, he studied biology and philosophy. In 1912, at the age of 17, he received his Ph.D. from Havard University, making him the university’s youngest ever Ph.D. holder.

A lifelong learner and adventurer, he spent time working as a journalist and contributing to the development of anti-aircraft artillery during WWII.

Finally, he was the father of cybernetics and made groundbreaking work that helped shape the field we know today.

How old are most PhD students?

Applicants to PhD programs in OECD countries average 29 years old, with 60% of those applying being between the ages of 26 and 37. Around 25% of doctoral students in OECD countries are from outside the country.

Is 27 too old for PhD?

There is no upper age limit for PhD students. However, most people begin at an early age.

Be aware that as competition for PhDs rises, so does the average age of those seeking them. With a little bit of practice and dedication, you should be good to go.

Who is the youngest graduate in the world?

On the list of the world’s ten youngest professors, Michael Kearney ranks #1.

In 1994, at the age of ten, Michael Kearney graduated from the University of South Alabama with a degree in anthropology.

Laurent, who graduated from high school at the age of eight after just one year and a half of study, became the youngest person ever to do so.

Up until this point, despite being diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD), he managed to outperform every expectation, and amazed the world with his exceptional talents and intellect.

At the age of ten, he graduated from college, setting a record for the youngest college grad in the world that has not yet been broken.

Read more: How long does it take to get a Doctorate Degree?

Frequently Asked Questions about the Youngest Ph.D. Holders In History:

Can you finish Ph.D. in 3 years?

A PhD can be completed in three years, yes. These things can definitely happen, but only if you’ve got the support and persistence of a large group plus a lot of luck.

A typical PhD student will spend anything from four to eight years completing their degree.

What can you do with a PhD in history?

• Grant writer.
• Public affairs specialist.
• Research fellow.

At what age did Charles Homer Haskins earn his PhD?

He earned it at the age of 19, at Johns Hopkins University.

Conclusion:

Most graduates who consider pursuing a post-graduate degree often second-guess themselves. This can be due to extra years of schooling, research, and time spent becoming a specialist in their specialty.

Choosing the correct field of study can be a difficult, yet ultimately rewarding process.

Awesome one, I hope this article answered your question.

Share this Information.

Editor’s Recommendations:

• How old do you have to be to go to College?
• Sophomore Year? What does it mean?
• Homeschool Prom (Must Read Rules)
• KBIT Test (Meaning, Breakdown, KBIT-1 and KBIT-2, Benefits)

Paschal Uchechukwu

Paschal Uchechukwu Christain is a professional and passionate SEO writer on Education, including homeschool, college tips, high school, and travel tips.

He has been writing articles for over 5 years. He is the Chief Content Officer at School & Travel.

Paschal Uchechukwu Christain holds a degree in Computer Science from a reputable institution. Also, he is passionate about helping people get access to online money-making opportunities.

Related Posts

5 Tips for Preparing for Your Child’s High School Graduation

• April 10, 2024

7 Conditioning Tips for Running Your First Marathon

• April 8, 2024

The Ultimate Guide For Adult Students Juggling Work and Studies

• April 1, 2024

•   Weather

Search location by ZIP code

19-year-old uc davis grad one of youngest people in the world to earn ph.d..

• Copy Link Copy {copyShortcut} to copy Link copied!

GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS

The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.

A UC Davis graduate made history as one of the youngest people in the world to earn his Ph.D.

At 19 years old, Tanishq Mathew Abraham graduated with his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering.

Born and raised in Sacramento, Abraham attended community college classes at just 7 years old and graduated high school at 10.

He entered his Ph.D. program at 14, where he focused on artificial intelligence development.

“It’s very exciting. It’s been a long journey for me, so it's very rewarding to be here at this point, but I'm also really happy to hear how I have inspired so many people around the world who have heard about my journey,” Abraham said.

He also founded a medical AI research center dedicated to advancing medical AI technology.

"I'm very excited. AI is a growing field right now, and especially applications of AI to medicine is really exciting right now," he said.

Nineteen-Year-Old Prodigy Becomes One Of The Youngest PhDs in the World

Nineteen-year-old prodigy, Tanishq Mathew Abraham , has achieved an extraordinary feat by becoming one of the youngest individuals in the world to earn a PhD. The University of California at Davis is set to confer this prestigious honor upon him next week, marking a remarkable milestone in his already exciting journey.

Tanishq’s educational trajectory has been nothing short of awe-inspiring — he embarked on college courses at the tender age of seven while still in high school; At just ten years old, he completed high school and went on to graduate with an undergraduate degree from UC Davis at the remarkable age of fourteen.

His goal: To transform medicine using AI

Born and raised in an Indian American immigrant family, Tanishq has set his sights on revolutionizing the field of medicine through artificial intelligence. Recognizing the ongoing AI revolution, he aspires to be at the forefront of advancements in this domain. Speaking to the Sacramento Bee , he shared his passion for contributing to the transformative impact of AI in medicine.

You can now call Tanishq Mathew Abraham (19) a doctor. (Image: Tanishq.ai )

Those who know Tanishq have unwavering confidence in his ability to achieve greatness. Jean-Pierre Delplanque, the vice provost and dean of graduate studies at UC Davis , expressed his admiration for Tanishq’s exceptional accomplishments at such a young age. Delplanque firmly believes that Tanishq will continue to make significant contributions to society, leaving an indelible mark on the world.

During his upcoming commencement, Tanishq will have the honor of ringing the bell at UC Davis, a cherished tradition reserved for successful PhD candidates who have fulfilled all requirements.

Adding to the celebration, his sister, a second-year graduate music student at Indiana University, will serenade the audience with the national anthem, while his 90-year-old Indian American grandmother, who earned her PhD in the 1960s as a veterinarian, will be present to witness this momentous occasion.

Tanishq founded the Medical AI Research Center earlier this year. (Image: MedARC )

Founder of the Medical AI Research Center

Not content with his astounding achievements thus far, Tanishq founded the Medical AI Research Center earlier this year in collaboration with experts from Stanford and Princeton.

The center has already published a groundbreaking paper on MindEye, a technology that generates images from brain activity.

Tanishq’s story serves as an inspiration to all, showcasing the boundless potential of human intellect and determination. As he embarks on the next chapter of his journey, his impact on the world is eagerly anticipated, and his unwavering dedication to pushing the boundaries of knowledge and innovation is a testament to his remarkable character.

Filed in Medical . Read more about AI (Artificial Intelligence) .

Discover more from Ubergizmo

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

Youngest doctorate

The youngest person to be awarded a PhD is the German child prodigy Johann Heinrich Friedrich Karl Witte (born 10 July 1800; better known simply as Karl Witte), who received his doctorate from the University of Giessen, Germany, on 10 April 1814 at the age of 13 years 283 days. Karl Witte’s doctorate was issued during a period when the educational standards of the modern PhD were still taking shape, and it is not clear whether his was awarded for original research (as is standard practice today) or for the breadth of his scholarly knowledge (as was the case in the 18th century and before). In his father’s 1819 book The Education of Karl Witte , Karl Witte is described as being primarily interested in mathematics at the time, but the book does not mention any specific field.

Karl Witte’s early education was directed by his overbearing father, Karl Heinrich Gottfried Witte, who wrote a strange and rambling book of more than 1,000 pages detailing his intensive home schooling philosophy in 1819. The book was poorly received and sank without a trace, but there is no denying his methods yielded impressive results. Karl Witte completed another doctorate, this time in law, before he was 17, and was a professor of jurisprudence at the University of Berlin by the age of 23. He went on to have an illustrious career as a law professor and also as a literary scholar, writing several influential books on the work of Dante Alighieri.

Top 10 Youngest People to Earn Their Doctorates

Hello again readers of Online-PhD-Programs.org! The school year approaches rapidly for most so we thought we would produce another list that is a tad on the lighter side of things. While it’s still hot outside, we are all thinking of syllabuses, the coming fall and the turning of the leaves, and research, lots of research. The following 10 people we have listed here are 10 of the youngest PhD’s in history. They range from ages 20-13 and some were speaking various languages, reading, and doing math while we were outside playing tag. Their specialties range from medicine to mathematics to literature. Of course, we include our typical information on the universities they attended. However, the ranking is based on their ages when they attained their PhD and not on university rankings.

[Ready to get started on your PhD? Check out our ranking of the best online doctoral programs !]

10. Akshay Venkatesh – Age 20

Venkatesh is an Australian born mathematician who graduated from secondary school at the age of 13. At the age of 11, he won a bronze medal in the International Physics Olympiad in Virginia. After gaining this achievement, he decided to switch his focus to math and won two more Olympiad metals in the field of Mathematics. He immediately matriculated at the University of Western Australia as the youngest student ever to enter the university. He is the youngest student every to gain first class honors in pure mathematics in 1997.

In 1998, Venkatesh began his PhD at Princeton University. His supervisor was Peter Sarnak and he completed the degree in 2002 at the age of 20. Venkatesh’s research interests are in counting, equidistribution problems in automorphic forms and number theory. Following his PhD, Venkatesh held a post-doctoral position at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Venkatesh went to one of the top universities in the United States for his PhD. Princeton University is ranked #1 among national universities by U.S. News and World Reports and #11 internationally by QS Top Universities. Undergraduate tuition and fees is $43,450 per year. Although an undergraduate degree at Princeton is pricey, it was one of the first institutions in the U.S. to offer a “no loan” policy to needy students, offering grants to them instead. The department of mathematics is ranked #1 in the nation, tied with Massachusetts Institution of Technology, by U.S. News and World Report. Further, U.S. News ranks Princeton’s work in number Theory at #2, which is one of Venkatesh’s specialties. The student body is made up of 66% undergraduates and 34% graduate students with 65% of the post graduates and 35% of the undergrads being international students.

At the ripe age of 20 in 2002, Venkatesh already had a storied academic career. Since 2008, Venkatesh has been a professor of mathematics at Stanford University.

9. Erik Demaine – Age 20

Demaine was a child prodigy who spent much of his younger years travelling around North America and being homeschooled by his artist father Martin L. Demaine and his mother Judy Anderson. He is Canadian born and hails from Halifax, Nova Scotia. When he turned 14, he completed his undergraduate degree at Dalhousie University in Canada. By the time he was 20 years old, he had finished his PhD at the University of Waterloo in 2001. He was awarded the NSERC Doctoral Prize for his dissertation along with the Canadian General’s Gold medal from his university. His specialties are in the areas of Theory and Algorithms. His dissertation was a seminal work in the area of computational origami entitled Folding and Unfolding .

While the University of Waterloo is ranked #152 worldwide by QS Top University Rankings, its Computer Science department is ranked at #26 worldwide. Waterloo is a central hub of technology in Canada and is an apt place for a young Canadian genius to study Computers and Mathematics in the country. The university offers 190 doctoral and master’s degrees including in the fields of languages, mechanical engineering, pharmacy, mathematics, economics, civil engineering, and nanotechnology. Undergraduates make up 86% of the student population while 14% of the student population is graduate students. 28% of the graduate student population are international students.

In 2001, Demaine became the Massachusetts Institute and Technology’s youngest professor ever at the age of 20. Not only had he worked on computational origami, but he has also decoded an ancient Incan language and has worked on protein folding which interacts with the field of biology.

8. Charles Homer Haskins – Age 19

Haskins was an advisor to President Woodrow Wilson and was a historian of the middle ages. As a child, he became fluent in Latin and Greek. At the age of 16, Haskins graduated from Johns Hopkins University. He then studied in Paris and Berlin before returning to earn his PhD at Johns Hopkins University and finished at the age of 19 in 1890.

Johns Hopkins University has been ranked by Online PhD Programs at #1 for their online Doctor of Education degree. U.S. News and World Report ranks Johns Hopkins at #1 for being the best school in the field of education. U.S. News ranks Johns Hopkins at #10 overall among national universities while QS Top Universities ranks Johns Hopkins at #16 worldwide. The majority of students, 63%, are postgraduates making Johns Hopkins a hub of research and innovation. Of those 63% of postgraduates, 82% of them are international students making the student population among graduate students quite diverse. Haskins, of course, arrived at the university not long after it was founded in 1876, and, since then, the university has transformed itself into a powerhouse in the sciences and medicine.

In the same year he graduated with his PhD, Haskins taught at University of Wisconsin and in 1902 was appointed professor of history in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard. During his tenure at Harvard, he established what would become the standard for training graduate students in the field at Harvard. He was the first medieval historian in the U.S and his work concentrated on Norman institutions and the transmission of Greco-Arabic learning to the western world. He was only one of three advisors that President Wilson brought to the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 where the Treaty of Versailles was created.

7. Juliet Beni – Age 19

At age 19, Beni completed her PhD in Psychology from University of California, Riverside. She is the daughter of UC Riverside engineering professors Susan Hackwood and Gerardo Beni. When Beni was 15 years old, she graduated with her Bachelors in Psychology. As a child, she and her sister went to Montessori preschool and then were homeschooled by both parents. Community college courses provided for Beni’s move into a four-year degree plan. During her time as a PhD student at UC Riverside, Beni was an instructor in Psychology for large health Psychology classes.

University of California, Riverside is part of the large network of world renowned states schools in the California University system. Founded in 1954, UC Riverside is ranked by U.S. News and World Report at #121 among national universities and #58 among top public schools. QS Top Universities ranks UC Riverside at #265 among universities worldwide. Like many of the universities in the University of California system, Riverside serves primarily undergraduates with the population of undergraduate students making up 88% of the school. Further, the student body at UCR is the most diverse body of students in the University of California system. Time magazine has ranked UC Riverside as one of the top universities to have success with low income students in the nation.

While Beni has completed her Phd in Psychology, She is currently a student in University of California, Irvine’s Haider program in Biomedical Science and hopes eventually to pursue her Medical Doctorate at UCLA. Her lifelong goal is to be a medical doctor. She is the youngest student to ever graduate with a PhD in the history of University of California, Irvine.

6. Sho Yano – Age 18

Yano is the son of Katsura Yano from Japan and Kyung Yano from South Korea. He was born in Portland, Oregon and is currently a physician. He was a child prodigy and was apparently reading at the age of two, playing classical music at the age of three, and composing music at the age of five. At the age of eight, he scored 1500 on the SAT, which, at the time, had a total score of 1600.

Yano entered college at the age of 9. He attended Loyola University, Chicago and graduated summa cum laude in three years. When he was 12 years old, he entered University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine. In this program, students earn both a doctorate and a medical degree simultaneously. He did his residency in the area of pediatric neurology. His PhD is in molecular genetics and cell biology, which was completed after his first year of medical school in the program. By the time he was 18, he was in his second year of medical school and was interacting with patients as a PhD on his way to becoming an MD.

University of Chicago sits in good company with Columbia University and Stanford University since all three are tied at #4 in the U.S. New and World Report Rankings for best school in the nation. QS Top Universities ranks University of Chicago at an impressive #10 in the world. The university is clearly built for research with a majority, 59%, of its student population doing post-graduate work. U.S. News ranks University of Chicago’s medical research at #11 in the nation, tied with New York University and University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, #14 in Biological Sciences, and #12 in Chemistry.

Yano is currently continuing his pediatric neurology residency at the University of Chicago.

5. Norbert Wiener – Age 17

Wiener was a child prodigy that excelled in the area of Mathematics. He was homeschooled by his father Leo Wiener for most of his of pre-college education. At the age of 11, he graduated from Ayer High School and entered Tufts College. In 1909, Wiener graduated with his degree in Mathematics from Tufts.

In 1909, Wiener went to Harvard University to begin graduate work in the field of Zoology. Apparently, his experience at Harvard in the Zoology department did not go well so he transferred to the department of Philosophy. However, in 1910, he won a scholarship to Cornell University and transferred, studying both philosophy and mathematics at the graduate level. He ended up having a difficult time at Cornell and he returned to Harvard to continue his studies in Philosophy. While at Harvard, he went abroad and studied in Göttingen and Cambridge in the field of Mathematics. In 1912, at the age of 17, Wiener earned his doctorate in mathematics at Harvard University writing on mathematical logic.

After the completion of his doctorate, he worked as a professor at Harvard in Philosophy, worked for General Electric Company, wrote for Encyclopedia Americana in Albany, and eventually worked for the war effort on ballistics at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. After WWI was over, he became a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Harvard University, where Wiener obtained his doctorate, is ranked by U.S. News and World Report at #2 in the nation. Of course, Harvard is a global powerhouse in academics. QS Top Universities ranks Harvard University at #2 globally. Harvard is also the oldest institution of higher learning in the U.S. and was founded 140 years before the Declaration of Independence was signed. By the time Wiener showed up at Harvard, the institution was almost 300 years old. 68% of the student body are postgraduate students making the institution research centered.

4. Ruth Lawrence – Age 17

Lawrence grew up in Brighton, England and was a child prodigy, excelling in the field of Mathematics. When Lawrence turned 5, her father quit working as a computer consultant and homeschooled her. At the age of 9, Lawrence gained an O-level in mathematics (O-levels were a general certificate of education in a subject in the British system) which set the record at the time. She also gained an A-level in mathematics (A-levels were advanced general certificates of education in a subject in the British system) at the age of 9.

In 1981, Lawrence passed the University of Oxford entrance exam in mathematics, placing first among 530 students taking the exam, and she joined St. Hugh’s College in 1983 at the age of 12. She completed her degree in two years and graduated at the age of 13. She became the youngest person in Britain to gain a first class education and the youngest graduate of Oxford in modern times. After her first undergraduate degree, she purposed a second one in physics and finished in 1986. She completed her DPhil in mathematics at Oxford in 1989. Lawrence was 17 years old. Her thesis was entitled Homology Representations of Braid Groups .

The University of Oxford is another world renowned university represented in our list. At Online PhD Programs, we have ranked Oxford at #1 in our Top 10 International Distance Doctoral Programs. QS Top Universities ranks University of Oxford at #6 globally with the university being the #1 university in the world in the Arts and Humanities. It is the oldest university in the English speaking world. The university is made up of 39 self-governing colleges in a federal type system. There is no clear date of the foundation of the university but it appears that teaching was taking place at Oxford around 1096 and the organization of the university developed rapidly from 1167.

Lawrence has taught s both Harvard University and University of Michigan. She is currently teaching at the Einstein Institute of Mathematics at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

3. Balamurali Ambati – Age 17

As we move closer to our number 1 in the list, the feats of intellect begin to get more impressive and Ambati doesn’t disappoint. When Ambati was 4 years old, he was already doing calculus. Later, he attended Baltimore City College and graduated with his undergraduate degree at the age of 11. Also, when he was 11, he co-authored a research monograph on AIDS. His undergraduate work at New York University prepared him for his future profession. He completed a degree in Biology at the age of 13 in 1991. He went on to do work in medical training at SUNY – Buffalo and then received his Medical Doctorate from Mt. Sinai School of Medicine at the age of 17. He is the youngest medical doctor ever and is entered in the Guinness Book of World Records as such.

Ambati then went on to do residencies and internships at North Shore University Hospital, Beth Israel Medical Center, and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. He then proceeded in a fellowship in cornea and refractive surgery at Duke University Eye Center in 2002. He then received a PhD from the Medical College of Georgia. In 2008, he joined the faculty at the Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

Since Ambait received his first doctorate from Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, we will look more closely at that institution rather than others here. U.S. News and World Report ranks Mt. Sinai at #21 among Medical Schools in the nation for research. Further, U.S. News ranks Mt. Sinai at #25 for best Medical Schools with a concentration in Primary Care. In terms of specialty programs, U.S. News ranks Mt. Sinai at #3 in Geriatrics. In terms of globally, U.S. News ranks Mt. Sinai at #159. QS Top Universities ranks Mt. Sinai’s Life Sciences and Medicine division at #163 globally.

2. Kim Ung-Yong – Age 15

Born in March of 1962, Ung-Yong was a child prodigy and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records has having the highest IQ at 210. He was speaking at the age of 6 months and he understood algebra at the age of 8 months. By the time he was 2 years old, he was fluent in Japanese, Korean, German, and English. By the time he was three, he had mastered a number of other languages. In 1967, he appeared on Fuju TV in Japan and solved differential equations on live TV. Also during the show, he wrote poetry in English, Mandarin, Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Japanese, and Korean.

Ung-Yong was a guest student at Hanyang University in the subject of physics from the age of 3 to the age of 6. When he was 7, NASA invited him to come to the U.S. from South Korea. He eventually ended up at Colorado State University as a PhD student and finished his doctorate at the age of 15. In 1974, NASA hired him as a researcher and he did this for about four years. However, he felt he had spread himself too thin and decided to return to Korea in 1978 where he pursued a career in civil engineering. He eventually received his second doctorate in civil engineering in Korea.

In terms of Colorado State University, where Ung-Yong received his first doctorate, our very own site has ranked a few of the online PhD programs there in our Top 10 Online Doctoral Programs in Leadership 2016 at #1 and our Top 9 Online Doctoral Programs in Engineering 2016 at #7. U.S. News and World Report ranks Colorado State University at #127 nationally and #236 globally.

Ung-Yong served as adjunct faculty at Chungbuk National University and, in 2014, became an associate professor in Shinhan University.

1. Karl Witte – Age 13

Witte was born in July of 1800 and was the son of a pastor named Karl Heinrich Goffried Witte. His father encouraged a rigorous learning environment and program. By the time Witte was nine years old he could speak German, French, Italian, Latin, and Greek. When he was still very young, he attended the University of Giessen in German and graduated with his doctorate at the age of 13. He still holds the Guinness Book of World Records’ record for youngest doctorate and this distinction still stands.

Witte’s father wrote a book about his program of education called The Education of Karl Witte: Or, The Training of a Child . This book was highly criticized in German and fell out of favor. It was almost nonexistent in the country. However, the book became a huge hit in China and became a bestseller at the beginning of the 21 st century. Millions of Chinese had hoped that their child would turn out to be just like Witte: A child prodigy.

The University of Giessen today is officially known as Justus-Liebig-University Giessen. The German system of higher education is very different from that of the one in the U.S. They do not have a tripartite system of BA/BS, MA, then PhD. Rather, German students go through a phase of advanced and junior studies for four semesters and then take an intermediate exam. Upon passing this exam, the student can then proceed to advanced and senior studies (6-8 semesters). This gives the student access to their first degree exams> The next level of study after that is the doctoral level.

Much of the rest of Witte’s life is clouded in mystery. It is said that he traveled through Italy in 1818 and had sought to become a lawyer at one point. However, he became known for and published on the works of Dante. His love of literature drew him to the epic poet and he spent his career as a Dante scholar.

Embrace the convenience of online learning and shape your own path to success.

Explore schools offering programs and courses tailored to your interests, and start your learning journey today.

Indian American teen becomes one of world’s youngest to earn PhD

Missouri high school student wins $50,000 science prize for monkeypox bio-computational models

Filipino student faces scrutiny after claiming he was admitted to 30 universities in US, UK

Is this 11-year-old boy smarter than Stephen Hawking?

• Happening Now
• San Francisco
• Los Angeles
• Orange County
• About NextShark
• AAPI Resources

Subscribe to NextShark's Newsletter

THE 10 YOUNGEST PhD HOLDERS

How old were you/ will you be when you get your Doctoral degree? For most people, it is well into their twenties, thirties and forties going forward. But for some people, as you will see in this list, getting a Doctoral degree was not an uphill task, and they already had their first one by the time they clocked 20. Here are the youngest Doctoral degree holders:

Erik Demaine

An intriguing story is Erik’s who got his Doctoral degree at 20. Erik spent most of his childhood years touring and home-schooling under the watch of his artistic father and mother. The Canadian got his undergraduate degree at the age of 14 and finished his doctoral studies at the age of 20 with a speciality is in theory and algorithms.

Juliet Beni

Juliet completed her doctoral studies in psychology at the age of 19 from the University of California. Before then, Juliet had pursued a bachelors in the same field. She did not stop studying after getting her Doctoral degree, and she later enrolled at the university as she hopes to become a medical doctor one day.

Akshay Venkatesh

At 20, he already had his Doctoral degree, but we are getting ahead of ourselves. Let us start at the beginning when he was a young boy schooling in Australia with outstanding proficiency in Math. So good was he in school that when his counterparts were gearing to start high school, he finished by the age of 13. He joined the University as the youngest student in the history of the school and others in the country and made history by bagging the first-class honour. He started his Doctoral degree in 1998 and completed it two years later. He teaches mathematics at Stanford University.

Yano, who was born in Portland, could play classical music and read at the age of two. By the time Yano was five, he was already coming up with musical creations, and when he sat for his SAT at the age of 8, he scored 1500 out of a possible 1600. Yano was able to attend college at the age of 9, and he joined the university at a later stage. In three years, Yano was graduating as summa cum laude, and he continued his education as the Pritzker School of Medicine in Chicago. Here, he was able to earn his medical degree and doctorate at the same time, and he proceeded to work as a resident. Yano did so well that at 18, he already had his Doctoral degree and was on his way to becoming an MD.

Norbert Wiener

Norbert was a smart child who excelled in Mathematics, and his father stayed home to school him. He was able to graduate from high school at the age of 11 and joined College, where he graduated with a degree in mathematics. Norbert proceeded to Harvard University where he got his doctorate at the age of 17.

Charles Homer Haskins

Haskin was quite an impeccable man who went on to advice President Woodrow Wilson in the middle ages. As a young boy, he developed an interest in Greek and Latin, in which he became proficient before graduating from the John Hopkins University at the age of 16. He travelled to Paris and Berlin for his studies before returning to John Hopkins for his doctoral studies which he completed at the age of 19.

Balamurali Ambati

Ambati could do calculus at the age of 4, and he finished his undergrad by the time he was 11. He had completed his degree in biology by the time he was 13, and at the age of 17, he already had his medical doctorate.

Kim Ung Yong

Kim was a child prodigy who set the world record by having an IQ of 210. He could speak at six months and could do algebra by the time he was eight months. At two years, he could speak four languages and was a guest student at the Hanyang University at 3. He completed his doctorate at the Colorado State University aged 15.

Ruth Lawrence

Ruth grew up in Brighton and was a child prodigy who was excellent in mathematics. Her father quit his work as a computer consultant to home-school her when she was five. By the time Ruth was 9, she had an A-level qualification in mathematics. She proceeded to the University of Oxford and finished her degree in two years before undertaking a doctorate in mathematics which she completed at the age of 17.

Karl was the son of a pastor who encouraged him to read such that he could speak five languages at the age of 9. He got his doctorate at the age of 13 from the University of Giessen. These were quite impressive minds, don’t you agree?

• Academic careers for PhDs
• Alternative careers for PhDs
• Famous people with PhDs
• Life beyond the PhD
• Maria Konnikova
• Youngest people with PhDs

Generously supported by:

Youngest with PhDs

Beyond the PhD | Terms&Conditions

12 brilliant kids who started college by the time they were 12

By the time most kids graduate high school, each one of these child prodigies had earned a college degree . Some were launching into university-level studies while their peers were still playing tag in elementary school.

These are the stories of 12 brilliant children who launched their academic careers at an early age. 

Michael Kearney, now 34, became the youngest college grad in history when he earned an anthropology degree at 10. He taught college classes before he could drive.

Source: New York Times , Boston.com

Jeremy Shuler began studying engineering at Cornell University in 2016, at age 12. He could read English and Korean before he was 2 years old.

Sho Yano earned his bachelor's degree at Loyola University at age 12 — and it only took him three years. Then, at 21, he earned his MD from the University of Chicago.

Source: Chicago Tribune

Alia Sabur enrolled at Stony Brook University in New York at age 10. By 19, she had a job as university professor in South Korea.

Source: BBC

At age 11, Tanishq Abraham had earned 3 associate's degrees. Now, at 14, he's a senior studying bio-engineering major at UC Davis.

Source: NBC News , ABC10

Ronan Farrow (son of actress Mia) was accepted to Bard College at Simon’s Rock at age 11, then went on to Yale Law School at 16.

He made headlines in 2017 for reporting a bombshell story that included sexual assault allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.

Source: Bard College at Simon's Rock

At 10, Moshe Kai Cavalin was taking math classes at East Los Angeles College. By 15, he'd earned a bachelor's in math from UCLA.

Source: AP , UCLA , moshekai.com

Sujari Britt is a cellist prodigy who wrapped up her second year at the Manhattan School of Music when she was 14. She's even played for Obama at the White House.

Source: Ottowa Citizen

Erik Demaine started at Canada's Dalhousie University when he was 12, despite having no previous formal education whatsoever. He became an MIT professor in 2001.

 Source: New Scientist

Gregory Smith began studying French, calculus, and physics at Randolph-Macon College when he was 10. He went on to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times for his work in children's rights organizations.

Source: Washington Post , Huffington Post

Colin Carlson became a full-time UConn student (with majors in environmental studies, ecology, and evolutionary biology) at 12. He's now a PhD candidate at UC Berkeley.

Source: New York Times , LinkedIn

Mikaela Fudolig was the valedictorian of her class at the University of the Philippines — and she was only 16. Fudolig now has a master's and a PhD in physics and was even accepted to law school.

Source: LinkedIn , Philippines Inquirer

Sign up  here  to get INSIDER's favorite stories straight to your inbox.

• Main content

• Industry & Trade
• Regional Markets
• Money Deals
• Tech & Biz

• Fintechs should develop products that address the exact needs of their customers

• New report exposes alarming rise in remote desktop protocol fraud by cybercriminals

• Kenya’s remittance inflows grow boosting forex reserves
• Africa’s agritech potential crucial for economic growth
• EAC set for fastest economic growth as Sub-Saharan Africa recovers in 2024
• DRC Joins Organisation of Southern Cooperation to Boost Bilateral Ties With Member States
• The takedown of Chinese-backed cybercrime ring in Zambia
• New threat in 2024: Red Sea shipping disruptions by Houthi rebels ripple through global trade

Africa's Investment Gateway

Meet one of Tanzania’s Youngest PhD Holders & Winner of UNESCO Women’s Awards

Every year, the L’Oréal Foundation along with UNESCO short lists 20 out of more than 300 African women researchers for the academic excellence of their work. The women enter the Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talent Awards For Women in Science.

Coming from 16 countries, these 15 PhD students and 5 post-doctorates embody, through their backgrounds and research subjects, all the diversity and potential of tomorrow’s African science.

This year, Tanzania is on the short list with the youngest Laureate yet, meet 30 year old PhD holder, Neema Mbuma, winner of the 2020 Sub-Saharan Africa Young Talent Awards For Women in Science.

Please gives us a brief background of yourself. Where you were born, early schooling, family, hobbies.

Hello, my name is Neema Mduma, a lecturer at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) in Arusha, Tanzania. I hold a PhD in Information and Communication Sciences and Engineering.

I was born and grew up in Morogoro. My father is a pastor and my mother is a teacher. I started my primary education from 1996 to 2002 at Bungo Primary School in Morogoro. After completion of primary education, I was selected to join Kilakala Secondary School in Morogoro (special school for talented students) where I studied both Ordinary Level (2003 – 2006) and Advanced Level (2007 – 2009).

In 2009, I joined Tumaini University in Iringa where I studied BSc. in Information Technology. Later on, I joined NM-AIST for Masters and PhD in ICSE. My hobbies are travelling, cooking and baking, watching documentaries, playing puzzle games, reading and writing books, articles, and blogposts.

You are one of the L’Oréal Foundation 20 laureates, what does this award mean to you?

I feel honored to be among the 20 laureates of L’Oréal Foundation. This prestigious award means my contribution of using science and technology to improve education for students in secondary schools has been recognized. This award will also help to motivate and inspire other women in science to work hard towards achieving their goals on addressing challenges in their societies.

What inspired you to pursue the sciences and why Information and Communication Sciences and Engineering

From an early age I wanted to be an Engineer, this was due to the fact that I was good in Math thus my parents and teachers told me Engineering will suit me well. Later on, I realized the world is moving to digital economy where science and technology particularly computer science will be the main driver. For this reason, I switched to Computer Sciences.

By working in this field, I can use technology like Machine Learning (ML) to solve challenges in the society be it in Health, Education, Agriculture and so on.

You have chosen to develop an online learning platform, tell us a little about your Machine Learning idea

My research focuses on addressing student dropout in secondary schools in Tanzania using ML model. Using data on students’ academic progress, attendance and so on, I was able to develop the ML model and deploy a web-based application called “ BakiShule ” (Stay in school).

The platform will allow education stakeholders (teachers, parents etc.) to easily predict and identify students who are at risk of dropping out of school for early intervention.

What inspired this particular idea

ML enables a computer to learn from input data and give out predictions. This technology was incorporated due to its superiority in correctly predicting outcomes when properly trained. Since data on student academic progress are available, it was possible to train a model that will accurately predict student academic trend and early signs of dropping out.

https://theexchange.africa/countries/tanzania/aga-khan-education-services-how-financing-education-in-east-africa-pays/

How does the Machine Learning apply to the medical/health field

In health sector, machine learning can be used to predict illness based on the symptoms, make quicker and more accurate diagnoses using image recognition from x-rays, MRI and so on. In short, I can say “AI is the future of healthcare” and its application will help to improve health of million people globally.

There is major debate about digitizing the medical process for fear of building reliance to pills and even misdiagnosis of symptoms i.e. A person with a headache could just need water and fresh air, yet a digital platform may suggest medication. How does your digital medical platform overcome this hurdle?

Currently, my digital platform (BakiShule) is focusing in education sector and not health. Generally, I can say machine learning models that are developed to address issues in medical fields are well trained to suggest accurate and best treatments based on the described symptoms.

You are the youngest laurate with a PhD, back at home in Tanzania, the high school dropout is very high, especially for girls, how will your innovation help them complete their education

My PhD research focused on addressing student dropout problem in secondary schools in Tanzania. This problem affects girls more than boys, due to factors such as early marriage, pregnancy etc. So, BakiShule will assist education stakeholders to easily predict and early identify students (particularly girls) who are showing signs of dropping out of school and intervene.

What support, if any, would you like to receive from the government and the private sector alike

For accurate prediction, ML models require tons of data. Therefore, the government and private sector should collect these data and make them publicly available for scientists like me to apply them in solving challenges in the society.

There are many unemployed graduates in Tanzania which has created a general feel that graduation does not equal financial security and as a result, motivation for attending and completing higher education is very low, please comment

Unemployment is among the challenges in most countries Tanzania included. To address this, skills that promotes self-employment example entrepreneurship should be taught from the grassroot level i.e. primary school to university level. Also, the government and private sector should facilitate self-employment by giving loans to graduates who wants to venture in business. Currently, we have seen an increased number of graduates who are doing well in entrepreneurship, and this should serve as a motivation to others.

Please share a word of advice to Tanzanian girls on completing their education, and more so on pursuing the sciences

My advice to girls who wish to pursue science is that they should work hard and believe in themselves. It is possible to be a girl and a scientist, and I, myself have set a good example.

https://theexchange.africa/countries/lawyers-trained-to-negotiate-africas-complex-investment-deals/

Stay ahead of the game with our weekly African business Newsletter Recieve Expert analysis, commentary and Insights into the enviroment which can help you make informed decisions.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

STAY INFORMED

Unlock Business Wisdom - Join The Exchange Africa's Newsletter for Expert African Business Insights!

Giza Mdoe is an experienced journalist with 10 plus years. He's been a Creative Director on various brand awareness campaigns and a former Copy Editor for some of Tanzania's leading newspapers. He's a graduate with a BA in Journalism from the University of San Jose. Contact me at [email protected]

Keep Reading

Direct flights to Zanzibar spur the Island’s economic renaissance

Ngorongoro Crater: a driving force in Tanzania’s tourism recovery

Ecowas adopting Rwanda’s recipe on school meals as economic catalyst

Tanzania’s battle with English in journey to global labour market

Investing in Tanzania: Australia’s Role in Mining Development

President Ruto: Walking Our Talk on Climate Action

Comments are closed.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Ad Blocker Enabled!

Sign in or register, welcome back.

Login to your account below.

Life as the world’s youngest doctor

In other news april 2015.

by Lauren Lipuma EyeWorld Staff Writer

Ophthalmologist pushes the limits of personal achievement

2015 marks a special anniversary for Bala Ambati, MD, PhD, professor and director of cornea research, Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City. Next month, it will be 20 years since he graduated from medical school and became a practicing physician. This may not be a particularly noteworthy milestone for most physicians, but for Dr. Ambati, it is more significant—he is only 37.

Graduating from high school at age 11, college at 13, and medical school at 17, in 1995 Dr. Ambati became the record holder for the world’s youngest doctor. It is a distinction he still holds to this day, 20 years later.

Naturally, being the world’s youngest doctor has brought him a steady stream of media attention. He’s been called a whiz kid, a boy prodigy, a medical academic superman, and a real-life Doogie Howser. Newspaper articles have claimed that he was doing calculus at age 4.

In personality, Dr. Ambati barely resembles the typical idea of a child prodigy. Calm and humble, he says he feels blessed for all of the opportunities he has been given, and graduating from medical school at 17 is not his greatest achievement.

“My biggest accomplishment is taking the patch off the day after surgery every week and seeing people smile,” he said in an interview with EyeWorld . “That’s what makes me happiest, and that’s the best part of my week.”

School at lightning speed 

Dr. Ambati immigrated to the U.S. from Vellore, India, when he was 3 years old, with his father, an engineering professor, his mother, a Tamil linguist and mathematician, and his older brother, Jaya.

The Ambati brothers began grade school at the normal age but raced through at an unprecedented pace. Jaya completed high school in 2 years and graduated from Johns Hopkins University at age 17, then went on to pursue a medical degree, specializing in ophthalmology.

Young Bala sped through grade school even faster than his brother. Skipping several grades, he completed elementary school in 2 years, middle school in 2 years, and high school in 2 years, graduating at age 11. The support of his family was instrumental in this process, Dr. Ambati said, but his parents did not pressure him to do more than he could.

“My pace in school was set by what I felt challenged and comfortable with,” he said. “If I had gone through the normal pathway, I think I would have been very bored and maybe gotten into trouble. I felt I was going at the right pace when it came to math and science and English and history, and doing the advanced subjects that I felt challenged by.”

The Ambati brothers’ interest in medicine became apparent in 1989, when they collaboratively wrote AIDS: The True Story: A Comprehensive Guide , a book aimed at educating high school and college students about the growing epidemic. When the book was published, Bala was just 11 and Jaya was 18.

“We had seen a lot of discrimination against AIDS patients, people’s houses being burned down and run out of town, things like that,” Dr. Ambati said. “We wanted to do something that would educate the younger generation … and dispel many of the myths and misconceptions around the disease.”

The book was a testament to the boys’ maturity—the brothers eloquently delved into the public health, sexuality, and social stigma issues associated with HIV with ease.

The brothers’ remarkable journey through school was not without obstacles, however. Dr. Ambati recalled that his parents had to fight vigorously with school administrators to allow him to skip grades, negotiating with school principals, superintendents, and even the mayor. “Administrators in public schools all too often embody inertia,” he said. “[They were] the main source of resistance, and it was resistance to doing something different, doing something out of the ordinary.”

Despite those challenges in grade school, college was more straightforward, Dr. Ambati said. He was accepted to several universities and chose to attend New York University. Having already taken several college courses—some before he was 10—he graduated in just 2 years at age 13, then continued on to medical school. During the application process, he again faced resistance—and even hostility—from school interviewers because of his age.

“I think there are understandable concerns about whether someone is mature enough for medical school, but each person matures differently with time,” he said. “So I think it’s best to look at each person as an individual and judge them on their own merits, rather than look at them by a particular number.”

Despite the opposition, Dr. Ambati does not begrudge any of the interviewers’ or the schools’ skepticism. “I applied to 9 medical schools and only got into 1, but hey, you only need 1, right?” he said. “Everything happened the way it was meant to. I got into 1 medical school, and it worked out well, and if I had to do things over again, I’d pretty much do them the same way.”

Medicine and beyond 

Even with a record-setting pace in grade school and college, no one can fast-forward medical school. Dr. Ambati spent 4 years at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, graduating in May 1995, just 2 months shy of his 18th birthday.

The last big hurdle he faced was obtaining his medical license—it took an act of the New York State Legislature to allow him to practice medicine at age 18.

If Dr. Ambati has faced any obstacles since then, they have not held him back. He continues to shatter records as an active physician, scientist, entrepreneur, author, and volunteer surgeon.

After completing 3-year residencies in internal medicine and ophthalmology and a fellowship in cornea, Dr. Ambati joined the faculty of the Medical College of Georgia in 2002, where he simultaneously practiced clinical ophthalmology, conducted research, and earned his PhD in cell biology.

In 2006, Dr. Ambati again teamed up with his brother—now a retina specialist at the University of Kentucky—to study corneal angiogenesis. The brothers’ research showed that soluble VEGF receptor-1 is what keeps the cornea clear, a discovery hailed as the Signaling Breakthrough of the Year by the journal Science .

In 2008, Dr. Ambati joined Moran Eye Center as a professor in 3 disciplines—ophthalmology and visual sciences, neurobiology and anatomy, and bioengineering. Since joining the Moran faculty, he has completed an MBA and started a small biotechnology company with his brother called iVeena, intended to transform eyecare with novel drugs (the lead product is for post-cataract inflammation) and devices (including for glaucoma and long-term drug delivery for macular degeneration). He is also an active volunteer, donating his time to Orbis Flying Eye Hospital and other organizations, traveling around the world to practice and teach ophthalmic surgery.

Looking forward to the next 20 years, Dr. Ambati shows no signs of slowing down. “There’s still so much to do just in ophthalmology alone,” he said. “I love seeing patients and operating and doing research, and I would love to see some of our discoveries in the lab become products that transform practice and improve the way we treat patients. I want to keep doing what I’m doing and keep firing on all cylinders.”

Editors’ note

Dr. Ambati has no financial interests related to his comments. 

Contact information

Ambati:   [email protected]

You Might Also Like

Stephen Slade, MD, to deliver Charles D. Kelman, MD, Innovator’s Lecture

Using CTRs in practice

The role of corneal imaging for IOL planning

Sign up for eyeworld weekly.

Get the latest ophthalmology news delivered to your inbox every Friday.

• THE WEEK TV
• ENTERTAINMENT
• WEB STORIES
• JOBS & CAREER
• Home Home -->
• News News -->
• World World -->

Who is Lauren Simons, an 11-year-old, the second youngest graduate in the world

Simons received his high school diploma when he was eight

Lauren Simons, an 11-year-old boy earned a bachelor's degree in physics from the University of Antwerp, becoming the second-youngest graduate in the world. The title of the world’s youngest graduate is held by Michael Kearny, who graduated at age 10 in 1994. 

Simons, who completed the three-year course in one year, graduates summa cum laude (given to the student with the highest distinction). He graduated in Physics with 85 per cent. Simons now wants to pursue a Master's course in Physics at Flemish University.  

Laurent Simons, who is from Ostend on the Flemish coast, received his high school diploma when he was eight. He completed his high school graduation in just a year and a half.

“Simons has been studying for his bachelor’s degree in physics since March 2020, and he now graduated with 85 per cent, which is the highest distinction,” said an Antwerp University spokesperson told Brussels Times.

“This year, he also took some courses from the master’s programme. After the summer, he will officially start his master’s degree,” the spokesperson said. Simons will also be working on getting a PhD at the same time.

• ‘MPhil not a recognised degree’: UGC warns students against taking admissions
• Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois tells Real Madrid of decision to skip Euro 2024: Report
• UGC notifies regulations for foreign universities to set up campuses in India

The child prodigy said he wanted to know everything about classical mechanics and quantum physics right away. Simons has said that his goal is to make humans immortal. “I want to be able to replace as many body parts as possible with mechanical parts. I have mapped out a path to get there.”

Simons, who has previously studied at UGent had also attained credits from Eindhoven University, but, dropped out in 2019 due to disagreements with the university. Simons parents wanted him to be the first university graduate under 10, for which Simons would have to graduate before his birthday on December 26. But the university said that Simons needed to complete many more exams before he could graduate. His parents refused the University’s proposed timeline for Simons to graduate by mid-2020. 

📣 The Week is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TheWeekmagazine) and stay updated with the latest headlines

‘Release Kejriwal, Hemant Soren immediately; stop attempts to weaken Oppn’, demands Priyanka Gandhi at INDIA rally

Premier League: Diaz, Salah goals help Liverpool overcome Brighton challenge

Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer 'The Goat Life' crosses Rs 50 crore-mark globally

RBI's interest rate decision, macro data, global factors to dictate market trends this week

Neuroscientists uncover mechanism for memory consolidation

Editor's pick.

Exclusive: 'People are casting their votes only in Modi's name', says Rajnath Singh

What beauty means to top influencer Diipa Büller-Khosla

Meet the doctors who have turned their passions into alternative professions

Equity surge

*Articles appearing as INFOCUS/THE WEEK FOCUS are marketing initiatives

• Entertainment

10 Youngest People to Graduate College Ever

Child prodigies are always in the news for their accomplishments, especially when graduating from college while they’re still children. The youngest kids on this list graduated from college several years before they hit their teens. The others earned their degrees in their early teen years. All of them went on to earn numerous degrees. The child prodigies on this list that are now adults have successful careers as doctors, professors, and lawyers. The others who are still children have plans to continue their education and pursue work that addresses the world’s greatest issues.

10. Kathleen Holtz (c.1989 – Present)

Age at Graduation: 15 years old Graduation Year: c. 2004 School: California State University, Los Angeles Degree: Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy

In 2007, when Kathleen Holtz was 18 years old, she made headlines after she passed California’s bar exam to become the youngest lawyer in the country. Holtz started college when she was just 10 years old and earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from California State University. She then entered UCLA School of Law when she was 15 and graduated three years later.

While awaiting her bar exam results, Holtz was already working as a first-year associate at TroyGould in Los Angeles. The firm had recruited her when she was only 17 years old.

Did You Know?

Kathleen Holtz tried to hide her age while attending law school and she got away with it for awhile because she looked as old as some of her peers. However, her classmates learned how young she was and unfortunately, turned on her and became hostile.

9. Erik Demaine (February 28, 1981 – Present)

Age at Graduation: 14 years old Graduation Year: 1995 School: Dalhousie University Degree: Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy

Demaine continued his education and completed his PhD at the University of Waterloo by the time he was 20 years old. After earning his PhD, Demaine joined the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), becoming the youngest professor in the school’s history. Demaine continues to teach at MIT and has earned several awards and honors for his continued research.

When he was 22 in 2003, Erik Demaine was awarded a $500,000 MacArthur Fellowship, commonly known as the “genius” grant. Demaine is one of the youngest recipients of the grant ever.

8. Carson Huey-You (July 2002 – Present)

Age at Graduation: 14 years old Graduation Year: 2017 School: Texas Christian University Degree: Bachelor’s Degree in Physics

On May 13, 2017, Carson Huey-You became the youngest person to graduate from college in the state of Texas. Huey-You earned a bachelor’s degree in physics with a double minor in Mandarin Chinese and mathematics at the age of 14, from Texas Christian University. Two years later, Huey-You earned his master’s degree in physics from TCU. Huey-You is currently in graduate school seeking a Doctor of Philosophy focused on quantum physics.

Huey-You’s, younger brother Cannan is also a child prodigy. Cannan is currently studying at Texas Christian University as a young teenager; he is pursuing a degree in astrophysics and engineering and would like to become an astronaut.

Both Carson and Cannan Huey-You have been featured on television. In 2019, Cannan starred in MythBusters Jr., while Carson appeared as an advisor in two episodes.

7. Eugenie Carys de Silva (June 16, 1998 – Present)

Age at Graduation: 14 years old Graduation Year: 2013 School: American Military University Degree: Bachelor’s Degree in Intelligence Analysis

Eugenie Carys de Silva , who is from Manchester, England, graduated from high school when she was 11 years old. After graduating high school, Carys de Silva began studying at American Military University. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Intelligence Analysis at the age of 14, and she is the youngest person to do so.

While Carys de Silva was working on her degree from American Military University, she began her graduate studies at the Harvard University Division of Continuing Education when she was just 13. Continuing her simultaneous education, Carys de Silva began her Ph.D. in Politics at the University of Leicester, England when she was 15. She became the UK’S Youngest Person to Read for a Ph.D. Academic Degree.

Eugenie Carys de Silva founded the International Association of Child Prodigies to provide children an environment to pursue their educational goals.

6. Alia Sabur (February 22, 1989 – Present)

Age at Graduation: 14 years old Graduation Year: 2003 School: Stony Brook University Degree: Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Mathematics

Child prodigy, Alia Sabur graduated from Stony Brook University when she was just 14 years old. Sabur graduated summa cum laude with a degree in applied mathematics. She continued her education at Drexel University, where she earned a a master’s in materials science and engineering by the time she was 17.

On 19 February 2008, at 18 years of age (3 days before her 19th birthday), Sabur was appointed to the position of International Professor as Research Liaison with Stony Brook University by the Dept. of Advanced Technology Fusion at Konkuk University in Seoul, South Korea. Guinness Book of World Records named Sabur as the world’s youngest professor for this achievement.

As a kid, Alia Sabur took up Taekwondo to protect herself against bullies (being a little girl in high school and college made her an easy target) and she ended up earning a black belt.

5. Gregory Robert Smith (June 9, 1989 – Present)

Age at Graduation: 13 years old Graduation Year: 2003 School: Randolph-Macon College Degree: Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics

Like many of the other young college graduates on this list, Gregory Robert Smith had shown signs of his intelligence at a very young age. Smith completed most of elementary school in one year and moved on to high school by the time he was seven. When he was 10, Smith enrolled in college where he studied advanced level physics, French and calculus. Smith graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics at the age of 13.

Three years after earning his bachelor’s degree, Smith received a Master of Science degree in mathematics from the University of Virginia. He was 16 years old at the time. In his early 20s, Smith became a postdoctoral researcher at Mount Sinai where he studies stochastic gene expression. During his last interview from 2016, Smith said he hopes to develop better cancer treatments.

In addition to his extensive studies, Gregory Robert Smith became an activist, advocating for children’s rights and safety. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times for his charity work.

4. Sho Yano (1990 – Present)

Age at Graduation: 12 years old Graduation Year: 2003 School: Loyola University Chicago Degree: Bachelor’s Degree

Sho Yano earned his first degree when he was just 12 years old. After graduating summa cum laude from Loyola University Chicago, Yano entered the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine to continue his studies and work toward becoming a doctor. In 2009, when Yano was 18, he received a Ph.D. in molecular genetics and cell biology. Yano continued through medical school at the University of Chicago and graduated with his M.D. in 2012 when he was 21. Upon graduation, Yano became the second youngest M.D. in history, after Dr. Bala Ambati, who in 1995 completed his studies at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York at the age of 17.

During one of his last interviews from when he graduated with his M.D., Yano said that he wanted to become a doctor of pediatric neurology. He became interested in pediatric neurology while doing a rotation at LaRabida Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

Sho Yano’s younger sister, Sayuri, is also a child prodigy. Sayuri graduated from Roosevelt University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in biology degree and went on to major in violin performance at the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University.

3. Moshe Kai Cavalin (February 14, 1998 – Present)

Age at Graduation: 11 years old Graduation Year: 2009 School: East Los Angeles Community College Degree: Associate’s Degree in Mathematics

Moshe Kai Cavalin , who will be turning 24 on Valentine’s Day this year, is another child prodigy who earned his first degree before he was teenager. In 2009, Cavalin graduated from East Los Angeles Community College with an associate’s degree in mathematics when he was just 11 years old. Cavalin continued his education at UCLA, where he received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics at the age of 15.

In 2015, Cavalin revealed that he was working at NASA. He was only 17 years old at the time. Cavaline was working to develop surveillance technology for airplanes and drones. Despite all of the accolades and accomplishments at such a young age, Cavalin insists that he isn’t a genius and he doesn’t like when people call him one.

Outside of his schooling, Moshe Kai Cavalin is a martial arts champion and an author. By the time he was 17, Cavalin published two books.

2. Laurent Simons (December 26, 2009 – Present)

Age at Graduation: 11 years old Graduation Year: 2021 School: University of Antwerp Degree: Bachelor’s Degree in Phsyics

When he was only nine years old, Laurent Simons made international headlines because he was on his way to unseating Michael Kearney as the youngest college graduate. His parents said that he was supposed to finish his degree before his 10 th birthday. However, Eindhoven University said that this wouldn’t be possible because of the number of tests Simons needed to take. Upset by the news, Simons dropped out of Eindhoven. He then attended the University of Antwerp and earned a bachelor’s in physics in 2021 at the age of 11.

Upon graduating, Simons revealed that his next plan is to achieve immortality. Simons wants “to be able to replace as many body parts as possible with mechanical parts.” He plans to continue his studies to achieve this goal.

Laurent Simons graduated with an 85 percent, a higher distinction than all other students in his graduating class.

1. Michael Kearney (January 18, 1984 – Present)

Age at Graduation: 10 years and 4 months Graduation Year: 1994 School: The University of South Alabama Degree: Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology

Michael Kearney earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology in 1994 at the age of 10 years and four months, making him the youngest person to graduate college ever. Kearney had always been a child prodigy. He graduated from high school when he was just six years old. After graduating college at 10, Kearney was thrust into the spotlight. He appeared on The Tonight Show , did countless interviews, and earned a Guinness World Record for his feat.

After earning his bachelor’s degree, Kearney went on to earn a master’s degree in chemistry at Middle Tennessee State University when he was 14. Four years later, he earned master’s degree in computer science at Vanderbilt University. Kearney is currently 38 years old and hasn’t been in the public eye in over a decade.

Michael Kearney was a finalist on the trivia -and-puzzle game show Gold Rush in 2006 and he won the grand prize of $1 million.

OTHER POSTS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

8 of the Youngest College Professors in History 12 Oldest Universities in California 8 Youngest Kids to Go to College in History 9 Most Expensive Schools in the World 10 Largest College Campuses in the United States

Related Post

10 Oldest Time Capsules

Jhené Aiko’s 7 Siblings Ranked Oldest to Youngest

11 Oldest Soccer Players in the World (Updated 2021)

Paul Thomas Anderson’s 8 Siblings Ranked Oldest to Youngest

8 Oldest People with Down Syndrome

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Recently Added

Oldest Mutual Fund House in India

5 Oldest Technology Still In Use

Oldest Casino in Goa

5 Oldest Casino in USA 

• Tuesday, April 16, 2024

© 2023 - Businessday NG. All Rights Reserved.

The World’s Youngest Billionaires 2024

For the first time in 15 years, there are no self-made billionaires under the age of 30., by monica hunter-hart , contributor.

(This story is part of Forbes’ 2024 World’s Billionaires package , released on Tuesday.)

I t’s a rare feat to become a billionaire, especially at a young age. The average billionaire is 66, and the oldest person in the ranks is 102. Still, a select few have gotten super-rich super young.

This year, the 25 youngest people on the Forbes ’ World’s Billionaires list are all 33 or younger. Together they are worth $110 billion. A few are self-made, having built notable companies like Snap (Evan Spiegel, 33), Gymshark (Ben Francis, 31) and Oculus VR (Palmer Luckey, 31).

Most had a lot of help. For the first time since 2009, every billionaire under 30 inherited his or her fortune—the result of some self-made entrepreneurs aging into their 30s, and a sign that the “great wealth transfer” has begun.

The youngest billionaire in the world is Brazil’s Livia Voigt. Just 19 years old and still in college, she’s worth an estimated $1.1 billion thanks to her minority stake in the electrical equipment producer WEG, which her late grandfather cofounded. She and her older sister, Dora Voigt de Assis, 26, are two of seven fresh faces among the 25 youngest billionaires, and two of 18 heirs among this set.

The wealthiest of the heirs are Ireland’s Mistry brothers, ages 25 and 27, who are worth an estimated $4.9 billion apiece thanks to the Mumbai-based conglomerate Tata Sons, which spans IT and communications, engineering and energy. They received their minority stakes in Tata after the 2022 death of their father, Cyrus Mistry, who died less than three months after their revered grandfather Pallonji Mistry.

They’re far from the only young billionaires to have joined the list in the past three years due to a father’s passing. Italy’s Clemente Del Vecchio, 19, received a hefty stake in the Italian-French maker of Ray-Ban, EssilorLuxottica, after the 2022 death of Leonardo Del Vecchio. His brothers Leonardo Maria, 28, and Luca, 22, also inherited fortunes, as did three older siblings. Then there’s Sophie Luise Fielmann, 29, German heiress to Fielmann AG, an eyeglasses fortune left by her father, Günther Fielmann, who died in January at age 84.

These inheritances illustrate the beginning of a long-anticipated generational wealth transfer among aging populations around the world. In the United States, Baby Boomers and their elders (those born in 1964 or earlier) hold $95.9 trillion of a total $147.1 trillion of household wealth, per the Federal Reserve. Trillions are expected to change hands every year as the affluent elderly pass away and leave their fortunes to descendants. Aging billionaires like Charles Koch, 88, and Phil Knight, 86, are currently preparing to pass their inheritances on to their children.

Another reason so many super-young billionaires are heirs: Many of the archetypal self-made young moguls, such as Snap’s Bobby Murphy (35) and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg (39, United States), have grown up. They aren’t being replaced. This year, there’s just one self-made newcomer among the 25 youngest: Japan’s Shunsaku Sagami, 33, a merger and acquisitions dealmaker whose company M&A Research Institute Holdings uses AI to match clients. Its stock has spiked over 800% since it went public in June 2022, sending him soaring into the billionaire ranks . And making fortunes young is no guarantee that entrepreneurs can hold onto them. Ryan Breslow was the youngest self-made billionaire last year at 28. If he hadn’t blown it , he still would be.

Nearly all of these 25 who made the ranks are richer than last year. The biggest year-over-year gain belongs to Red Bull heir Mark Mateschitz, whose fortune is up by $4.9 billion, followed by Michal Strnad, who inherited and now runs the defense producer Czechoslovak Group and is worth $2.4 billion more than last year. Most of the youngest billionaires—15, or 60%—are from Europe. The rest are from Brazil, South Korea and Hong Kong (all heirs), or Japan and the United States (all self-made).

Here are the 25 youngest members of the World’s Billionaires list, all of whom are 33 and under, ranked from oldest to youngest.

Net worths are as of march 8, 2024, *self-made fortunes are marked with an asterisk ..

Getty Images

Evan Spiegel*

Age: 33 | citizenship: u.s. | source of wealth: snapchat | net worth: $3.1 billion.

Spiegel dropped out of Stanford to start Snapchat with his fraternity brothers Bobby Murphy and Reggie Brown in 2011 and became a billionaire by the age of 25. Now he and Murphy, 35, together own about a quarter of publicly traded Snap Inc., which generated $4.6 billion in revenue last year. He serves as CEO. In 2022, he paid off the student loan debt for the entire graduating class of the Otis College of Art and Design, where he’d taken classes during high school.

John Collison*

Age: 33 | citizenship: ireland | source of wealth: stripe | net worth: $7.2 billion.

Born to scientist parents near Limerick, he and his brother Patrick, age 35, sold their first startup—the eBay management software Auctomatic, which they formed with brothers Harj and Kulveer Taggar—for $5 million in 2007, when John was in secondary school. It was just the beginning for the duo: After John enrolled and then dropped out of Harvard (Patrick went to neighboring MIT), they founded Stripe, a payment software whose investors have included Fidelity and Ireland’s sovereign development fund. In 2016, a funding round that valued the unicorn at $9.2 billion made him the world’s then-youngest self-made billionaire at 26. An employee tender offer in February valued the company at $65 billion.

Shunsaku Sagami*

Age: 33 | citizenship: japan | source of wealth: m&a brokerage | net worth: $1.9 billion.

Moved by the experience of his grandfather, who was forced to close his real estate business because he didn’t have a successor, Sagami, who got his start in advertising, launched M&A Research Institute Holdings in 2018. The company uses AI to advise small- and medium-scale enterprises with aging owners who have no one lined up to take over. He became a billionaire last April, when M&A Research Institute Holdings’ share price skyrocketed thanks to spiking revenues and a surge of M&A activity in Japan.

Jonathan Kwok

Age: 32 | citizenship: hong kong | source of wealth: real estate | net worth: $2.4 billion.

He and his brother Geoffrey, 38, owe their fortunes to the family’s Hong Kong real estate empire. After their father Walter Kwok’s death in 2018 at age 68, they inherited his stakes in Sun Hung Kai Properties—the territory’s largest property developer—and Empire Group Holdings, the developer Walter started after family feuding kicked him out of the SHKP chairmanship. Jonathan now runs Empire Group Holdings with his brother and is the youngest billionaire in Hong Kong.

Mark Mateschitz

Age: 31 | citizenship: austria | source of wealth: red bull | net worth: $39.6 billion.

He inherited 49% of Red Bull when his father Dietrich Mateschitz, who founded the business in 1984, died in 2022. Prior to his father’s death, he’d run the company’s organics division, but resigned because “I do not believe one should be both an employee and a shareholder of the same company,” according to a statement at the time. Red Bull generated $11.6 billion in revenue last year and sold 12.1 billion cans, enough for each person on earth to pep up with 1.5 energy drinks.

Levon Biss/The Fiorbes Collection

Ben Francis*

Age: 31 | citizenship: united kingdom | source of wealth: gymshark | net worth: $1.3 billion.

When he was a 19-year-old college student with a Pizza Hut delivery job, he and his friend Lewis Morgan started a website they called Gymshark , which they used to sell supplements they’d bought in bulk for a small profit. When they transitioned into sewing and screen printing fitness clothing in Francis’ parents’ garage, their sportswear brand was born. Morgan offloaded his stake to private equity firm General Atlantic in a 2020 deal that valued the company at $1.5 billion. Francis still owns 70% of Gymshark and serves as CEO.

Age: 31 | Citizenship: U.S. | Source of Wealth: DoorDash | Net Worth: $1.2 Billion

He and his Stanford freshman dormmate Stanley Tang teamed up with MBA student Tony Xu (now 39) to launch DoorDash after noticing that the only food delivery options in the area were a local Chinese joint and Domino’s. They founded the company in 2013, while still at Stanford, and took it public in 2020. Fang currently runs DoorDash’s “LaunchPad” engineering team.

Michal Strnad

Age: 31 | citizenship: czech republic | source of wealth: weapons | net worth: $4.4 billion.

His father was a small town scrapyard owner who started out renovating ex-Soviet equipment at the end of the Cold War. He transformed the business into the $3.2 billion (2023 revenue) defense producer Czechoslovak Group, which Strnad has since taken over as owner and CEO. In his spare time, Strnad collects art, sports cars and historic vehicles.

Palmer Luckey*

Age: 31 | citizenship: u.s. | source of wealth: virtual reality, defense technology | net worth: $2.3 billion.

The self-taught software engineer made his first fortune when he launched the startup Oculus VR, selling a virtual reality headset he’d made at age 16, then cashed out to Facebook in 2014 in a $2 billion deal. In 2017, he founded the defense technology company Anduril, which has been sending drones to Ukraine . A December 2022 funding round valued Anduril at $8.5 billion.

Stanley Tang*

He and his DoorDash cofounder Andy Fang rejoin the billionaire ranks this year after a tough 2022, when the company’s big net losses sent its stock price tanking. DoorDash began 2023 with sizable layoffs, then managed to increase its revenue 31%, to $8.6 billion, and shrink its net loss by 59%, to $558 million, from 2022. It was enough to boost shareholders’ confidence: DoorDash stock is up 127% year over year. Tang heads the company’s robotics and automation arm, DoorDash Labs.

Getty Images for Karl Lagerfeld

Gustav Magnar Witzøe

Age: 30 | citizenship: norway | source of wealth: fish farming | net worth: $4.2 billion.

He was only 19 when his father gifted him nearly half of the fish farming behemoth SalMar. Eleven years later, his dad continues to operate the company while Gustav focuses on real estate and tech startup investments. SalMar’s share price has soared 800% over the past decade, inflating the younger Witzøe’s wealth along with it. He’s now Norway’s fifth-richest person and its biggest taxpayer, having given the government NOK 292.4 million—the equivalent of about $29.6 million—in 2022. Exporting to over 50 countries, SalMar is the world’s second largest salmon farmer. The company says it produces enough to feed every Norwegian a nightly fish dinner.

Sophie Luise Fielmann

Age: 29 | citizenship: germany | source of wealth: optometry | net worth: $2.7 billion.

When Günther Fielmann, the entrepreneur known for bringing cheap eyeglasses to Germany, died in January at the age of 84, he left much of his fortune to his two children, Sophie and Marc. While Marc, age 34, has helmed Fielmann AG since 2019, Sophie has no role in the eyeglasses company but still owns about a third of its stock.

Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio

Age: 28 | citizenship: italy | source of wealth: eyeglasses | net worth: $4.7 billion.

He is the chief strategy officer of EssilorLuxottica, the largest eyeglasses company in the world and the owner of Ray-Ban, which his father chaired until his death in June 2022. Del Vecchio, his mother and his six half-siblings all inherited a 12.5% stake in the family’s Luxembourg-based holding company Delfin, which owns nearly a third of EssilorLuxottica.

Katharina Andresen

Age: 28 | citizenship: norway | source of wealth: investments | net worth: $1.7 billion.

Her great-great-great grandfather purchased the tobacco producer Tiedemanns Tobaksfabrik in 1849 and built it into a family cigarette empire that lasted until Andresen’s father sold it in 2005. Now the family focuses on its investment firm Ferd, which deals primarily in real estate and private Nordic companies, including the oil service business Interwell and Norway’s largest private medical laboratory. Andresen and her sister each own 42% stakes in Ferd. After gaining experience as a board observer for several years, she became a member of the board in June.

Alexandra Andresen

Age: 27 | citizenship: norway | source of wealth: investments | net worth: $1.6 billion.

Like her sister Katharina, she holds a 42% stake in the investment company Ferd and currently sits on its board. But her biggest passions are equestrian. She owns the Oslo horse-breeding stable Andresen Dressage and herself rode horses competitively (she is a three-time junior Norwegian champion in dressage riding) until spinal stenosis-related back problems forced her to exit the ring.

Firoz Mistry

Age: 27 | citizenship: ireland | source of wealth: diversified | net worth: $4.9 billion.

He and his brother Zahan are the richest of the 30-and-unders, thanks primarily to their 4.6% stakes in Tata Sons, the $150 billion (revenue) Indian conglomerate that owns 29 public companies, including Tata Consultancy and Tata Motors. Tata is considering its own IPO in the coming months. He and Zahan inherited their stakes during a 2022 marked by family tragedy , when their 54-year-old father died in a car accident less than three months after their grandfather, one-time chairman of Tata and its largest individual shareholder, died at the age of 93 . Their uncle Shapoor Mistry holds the rest of the family’s 18.4% stake.

Dora Voigt de Assis

Age: 26 | citizenship: brazil | source of wealth: industrial machinery | net worth: $1.1 billion.

She and her sister Livia are the youngest granddaughters of Werner Ricardo Voigt, the billionaire cofounder of the Brazilian electrical equipment producer WEG, who died in 2016. They each own 3.1% of WEG, slightly less than the 3.9% stakes owned by their older cousins Eduardo and Mariana. WEG exports to over 135 countries and is one of the world’s biggest electric motor manufacturers. Neither Dora nor Livia has a role in its operations.

Zahan Mistry

Age: 25 | citizenship: ireland | source of wealth: diversified | net worth: $4.9 billion.

Like his brother Firoz, his wealth comes from a 4.6% stake in the Tata conglomerate as well as a 25% stake in construction giant Shapoorji Pallonji Group. He and Firoz have been taking on leadership roles in the debt-laden SP Group and helping to reorganize it in the wake of their father’s death. Though he and his brothers are Irish citizens, they live in Mumbai, where both the SP Group and Tata are based.

Remi Dassault

Age: 22 | citizenship: france | source of wealth: inherited | net worth: $2.5 billion.

He inherited his wealth when his father died in a 2021 helicopter accident at age 69. The bulk of his fortune comes from an estimated 2.5% stake in the French software company Dassault Systèmes and an estimated 4.1% stake in Dassault Aviation. His great-grandfather, a Holocaust survivor, laid the foundations for the family fortune when he invented an airplane propeller the French used in the First World War.

Luca Del Vecchio

Age: 22 | citizenship: italy | source of wealth: eyeglasses | net worth: $4.7 billion.

He is another Del Vecchio sibling whose fortune stems from his 12.5% ownership of Delfin, the holding company that has stakes in the eyeglasses giant EssilorLuxottica, as well as the insurer Generali, the banks Mediobanca and UniCredit and the real estate developer Covivio, all based in France or Italy. Unlike his half-brother Leonardo, he has no role in EssilorLuxottica.

Kim Jung-min

Age: 22 | citizenship: south korea | source of wealth: online gaming | net worth: $1.4 billion.

She and her sister Jung-youn each own approximately 9% of the South Korean-Japanese online gaming publisher Nexon, founded by their late father Kim Jung-ju in 1994. They inherited their stakes upon his death at age 54 in 2022. Nexon’s hit role-playing video game MapleStory, released in 2003, helped popularize the free-to-play model whereby users paid only for cosmetic, nonessential accessories for their characters. Neither she nor her sister has a role in the company.

Kevin David Lehmann

Age: 21 | citizenship: germany | source of wealth: drugstores | net worth: $3.3 billion.

Even for this list, his windfall came young: His father gave him his 50% stake in Germany’s leading drugstore brand, dm-drogerie markt, when he was just 14. Neither he nor his father are operationally involved in dm, and they intentionally keep a low profile. The drugstore chain has over 4,000 stores across Europe and recorded revenue of about $17 billion for the 2023 fiscal year.

Kim Jung-youn

Age: 20 | citizenship: south korea | source of wealth: online gaming | net worth: $1.4 billion.

She and her sister hold 9% stakes in game developer Nexon, mostly through the holding company NXC as well as another called Wise Kids. Those assets, plus millions in dividends, make up the bulk of their fortunes. They paid a hefty inheritance tax after their father’s 2022 death in the form of NXC shares that gave the government a 29.3% stake in the company. The sisters now own 36.7%.

Clemente Del Vecchio

Age: 19 | citizenship: italy | source of wealth: eyeglasses | net worth: $4.7 billion.

He is the third Del Vecchio sibling and the fourth heir to an eyeglasses fortune among the 33-and-under set. Like his brothers, he owns 12.5% of the holding company Delfin, which has stakes in a range of companies that include the Ray-Ban producer EssilorLuxottica. The three brothers currently reside in Milan.

Livia Voigt

Age: 19 | citizenship: brazil | source of wealth: industrial machinery | net worth: $1.1 billion.

Nineteen until July, and two months younger than Clemente Del Vecchio, she is the world’s youngest billionaire. Like her sister Dora, she owns 3.1% of WEG and has pulled in millions from dividends. She is currently enrolled in university and is completing coursework in psychology.

MORE FROM FORBES

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

19-Year-Old Brazilian Student Becomes the World’s Youngest Billionaire in 2024 Forbes List

In a remarkable feat, Livia Voigt, a 19-year-old Brazilian student, has clinched the title of the world's youngest billionaire , as revealed by the 2024 Forbes Billionaires List. This year's list showcases the rise of youth in wealth accumulation, with the 25 youngest billionaires all aged 33 or younger, boasting a collective fortune of $110 billion.

19-Year-Old Brazilian student becomes the world's youngest billionaire

Livia Voigt's ascension to billionaire status marks a significant milestone, surpassing Clement Del Vecchio, heir to EssilorLuxottica, by a mere two months. Her wealth stems from her substantial stake in WEG, the largest manufacturer of electrical motors in Latin America. Notably, WEG was co-founded by her grandfather, Werner Ricardo Voigt, alongside late billionaires Eggon Joao da Silva and Geraldo Werninghaus.

WEG's Influence and Livia's Role

WEG, a publicly traded multinational powerhouse, boasts factories spanning over ten countries and reported revenues of approximately $6 billion in 2022. Despite her youth, Livia Voigt holds a pivotal position as one of the largest individual shareholders in the company. However, it's worth noting that she currently focuses on her education, pursuing her studies at a university in Brazil. Livia does not occupy a board seat or hold any executive position at WEG.

Livia Voigt's remarkable achievement is not the only highlight in her family's success story. Her older sister, Dora Voigt de Assis, aged 26, has also made waves by earning a coveted spot on the youngest billionaire list. Dora, who obtained her architecture degree in 2020, adds to the family's entrepreneurial legacy and reinforces the trend of youthful wealth accumulation.

Livia Voigt's net worth and global recognition

With a net worth soaring to $1.1 billion, Livia Voigt's inclusion in the elite circle of billionaires underscores her remarkable entrepreneurial journey at a tender age. Alongside her sister Dora, Livia represents one of the seven new faces in the youngest billionaire list of 2024. Their rapid ascent to fortune mirrors the evolving landscape of wealth accumulation, where youth and innovation play pivotal roles in reshaping the global economy.

As Livia Voigt continues her academic pursuits and her journey in the world of business, her rise to prominence serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs worldwide. With her family's legacy deeply intertwined with WEG's success, Livia's trajectory promises continued growth and influence in the realm of international business.

Earlier the title of Youngest Billionaire was held by Clemente Del Vecchio, who, at the age of 19, was the youngest billionaire to grace the renowned roster. Born into the illustrious Del Vecchio family, Clemente's journey to wealth began with the passing of his father, Italian billionaire Leonardo Del Vecchio, former chairman of EssilorLuxottica, the world's largest eyeglasses firm, at the age of 87 in June last year. Clemente ascended to billionaire status at the tender age of 18, inheriting a significant 12.5% stake in his father's esteemed holding company, Delfin, headquartered in Luxembourg. With a net worth currently estimated at $4 billion by Forbes, Clemente's wealth solidified his position as a prominent figure in the world of finance and entrepreneurship. He harbors aspirations of pursuing higher education and carving out a career in these fields.

10 Actors Who Mastered Insane Skills For Their Roles

College of Science

Ph.D. microbiology student honored as ASM Young Ambassador

College of Science Ph.D. student Kelly Shannon has been selected as Oregon’s young ambassador for the American Society for Microbiology . With only one candidate chosen for each state, he has joined the ranks of distinctly remarkable up-and-coming microbiologists.

The American Society for Microbiology stands as the oldest and largest single life science membership organization with more than 36,000 members worldwide. Its founding in 1899 began decades of work uplifting local scientific communities across the globe. With one hand in public policy advocacy and another in improved inclusion, ASM takes a microscopic field to macroscopic heights for millions.

As ASM young ambassadors, early-career microbiologists become leaders in their communities and facilitate stronger regional microbiology spheres. Through networking, professional development and collaborative efforts, they collectively work to improve science on a broad scale by effecting change in many smaller areas.

“This is a really exciting role where graduate students from each state in the U.S. — and many countries internationally — get to connect other microbiology students and early-career scientists in our respective states or countries with each other and with ASM resources,” Shannon explained.

As the young ambassador of Oregon, he hopes to ease the stress of students deciding what avenue of microbiology research they want to pursue. He plans to host a microbiology career development seminar series open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Oregon State students are welcome to attend in person and those from other institutions will also be able to join on Zoom.

The series will explore microbiology research career options, how to tackle a transition into industry research and how to competitively market yourself and your skills. Thanks to ASM’s wide spread of resources that tie into the content, students will continue to have support when the series is finished.

Shannon’s time at Oregon State, he says, has prepared him for this position more than anything else.

“All of my peers in microbiology, students and faculty, are such intelligent, hard-working people and they have really taught me everything I know about leadership, organization and public speaking to set me up for this role,” he said. “There are too many valuable experiences at OSU to count, but my advisor, lab mates, microbiology professors, department administrators and advisors and fellow microbiology graduate students have helped me the most out of anything.”

Read more stories about: graduate students , microbiology , awards & recognition , microbiology major

Related Stories

Across the college, explore related stories.

Connect with schools and programs specializing in health care at the Health Professions Fair!

Pernot Microbiology Camp seeks support to sustain STEM opportunities

Celebrating excellence in teaching and advising: 2024 College of Science Awards

Celebrating excellence in research: 2024 College of Science Awards

Far Fewer Young Americans Now Want to Study in China. Both Countries Are Trying to Fix That

The imbalance in the U.S.-China relationship extends beyond trade to the world of higher education

David Moser, an American and associate professor at Capital Normal University in Beijing, poses for a photo at the university, Friday, March 22, 2024 in Beijing, China. Only about 700 American students are studying at Chinese universities, while there are nearly 300,000 Chinese students are at U.S. schools. Without these U.S. students, “in the next decade, we won’t be able to exercise savvy, knowledgeable diplomacy in China,” warned Moser, an American linguist who went to China in the 1980s and is now tasked with establishing a new master's program for international students at Beijing Capital Normal University. (AP Photo/Dake Kang)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Garrett, a 27-year-old graduate student, always thought he would study in China, but the country’s restrictive COVID-19 policies made it nearly impossible and now he sees interest among fellow scholars wane even after China reopened.

Common concerns, he said, include restrictions on academic freedom and the risk of being stranded in China.

These days, only about 700 American students are studying at Chinese universities, down from a peak of close to 25,000 a decade ago, while there are nearly 300,000 Chinese students at U.S. schools.

Some young Americans are discouraged from investing their time in China by what they see as diminishing economic opportunities and strained relations between Washington and Beijing.

Whatever the reason for the imbalance, U.S. officials and scholars bemoan the lost opportunities for young people to experience life in China and gain insight into a formidable American adversary.

And officials from both countries agree that more should be done to encourage the student exchanges, at a time when Beijing and Washington can hardly agree on anything else.

Photos You Should See - April 2024

“I do not believe the environment is as hospitable for educational exchange as it was in the past, and I think both sides are going to need to take steps,” said Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.

The U.S. has advised its. citizens to “reconsider travel” to China over concerns of arbitrary detentions and widened use of exit bans to bar Americans from leaving the country. Campbell said this has hindered the rebuilding of the exchanges and easing the advisory is now under “active consideration.”

For its part, Beijing is rebuilding programs for international students that were shuttered during the pandemic, and Chinese President Xi Jinping has invited tens of thousands of U.S. high school students to visit.

The situation was far different after President Barack Obama started the 100,000 Strong initiative in 2009 to drastically increase the number of U.S. students studying in China.

By 2012, there were as many as 24,583 U.S. students in China, according to data by the Chinese education ministry. The Open Doors reports by the Institute of International Education, which only track students enrolled in U.S. schools and studying in China for credit, show the number peaked at 14,887 in the 2011-12 school year. But 10 years later, the number was down to only 211.

In late 2023, the number of American students stood at 700, according to Nicholas Burns, the U.S. ambassador to China, who said this was far too few in a country of such importance to the United States.

“We need young Americans to learn Mandarin. We need young Americans to have an experience of China," Burns said.

Without these U.S. students, “in the next decade, we won’t be able to exercise savvy, knowledgeable diplomacy in China,” warned David Moser, an American linguist who went to China in the 1980s and is now tasked with establishing a new master's program for international students at Beijing Capital Normal University.

Moser recalled the years when American students found China fascinating and thought an education there could lead to an interesting career. But he said the days of bustling trade and money deals are gone, while American students and their parents are watching China and the United States move away from each other. “So people think investment in China as a career is a dumb idea,” Moser said.

After 2012, the number of American students in China dipped but held steady at more than 11,000 for several years, according to Open Doors, until the pandemic hit, when China closed its borders and kept most foreigners out. Programs for overseas students that took years to build were shuttered, and staff were let go, Moser said.

Amy Gadsden, executive director of China Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, also attributed some of the declining interest to foreign businesses closing their offices in China. Beijing's draconian governing style, laid bare by its response to the pandemic, also has given American students a pause, she said.

Garrett, who is on track to graduate this summer from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, said he is ambivalent about working in China, citing the lack of access to information, restrictions on discussions of politically sensitive issues and China’s sweeping anti-spying law. He had lived in Hong Kong as a teenager and interned in mainland China, and said he is still interested in traveling to China, but not anytime soon.

Some American students remain committed to studying in China, said Andrew Mertha, director of the China Global Research Center at SAIS. “There are people who are interested in China for China’s sake,” he said. “I don’t think those numbers are affected at all.”

About 40 U.S. students are now studying at the Hopkins-Nanjing center in the eastern Chinese city, and the number is expected to go up in the fall to approach the pre-pandemic level of 50-60 students, said Adam Webb, the center’s American co-director.

Among them is Chris Hankin, 28, who said he believed time in China was irreplaceable because he could interact with ordinary people and travel to places outside the radar of international media. “As the relationship becomes more intense, it's important to have that color, to have that granularity,” said Hankin, a master's student of international relations with a focus on energy and the environment.

Jonathan Zhang, a Chinese American studying at the prestigious Schwarzman Scholars program at Tsinghua University in Beijing, said it was more important than ever to be in China at a time of tense relations. “It’s really hard to talk about China without being in China,” he said. “I think it’s truly a shame that so many people have never stepped foot in China.”

Zhang was met with concerns when he deferred an offer at a consulting firm to go Beijing. “They’re like, ‘oh, be safe,’ or like, ‘what do you mean, you’re going back to China?’” Zhang said. “I feel like the (Chinese) government is trying with an earnest effort, but I feel like a lot of this trust has been broken.”

Gadsden said U.S. universities need to do more to nudge students to consider China. “We need to be more intentional about creating the opportunities and about encouraging students to do this deeper work on China, because it’s going to be interesting for them, and it’s going to be valuable for the U.S.-China relationship and for the world,” she said.

In China, Jia Qingguo, a professor of international relations and a national political adviser, has suggested Beijing clarify its laws involving foreign nationals, introduce a separate system for political reviews of foreign students’ dissertations, and make it easier for foreign graduates to find internships and jobs in Chinese companies.

Meanwhile, China is hosting American high school students under a plan Xi unveiled in November to welcome 50,000 in the next five years.

In January, a group of 24 students from Iowa’s Muscatine High School became the first to travel to China. The all-expenses-paid, nine-day trip took them to the Beijing Zoo, Great Wall, Palace Museum, the Yu Garden and Shanghai Museum.

Sienna Stonking, one of the Muscatine students, now wants to return to China to study.

“If I had the opportunity, I would love to go to college in China,” she told China’s state broadcaster CGTN. “Honestly, I love it there.”

Kang reported from Beijing.

Copyright 2024 The  Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation

Tags: Associated Press , world news , education

America 2024

Health News Bulletin

Stay informed on the latest news on health and COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report.

Sign in to manage your newsletters »

Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy .

You May Also Like

The 10 worst presidents.

U.S. News Staff Feb. 23, 2024

Cartoons on President Donald Trump

Feb. 1, 2017, at 1:24 p.m.

Photos: Obama Behind the Scenes

April 8, 2022

Photos: Who Supports Joe Biden?

March 11, 2020

The Implications of Trump Legal Wins

Lauren Camera April 16, 2024

The Week in Cartoons April 15-19

April 16, 2024, at 3:47 p.m.

Justices Weigh Jan. 6 Obstruction Charge

Johnson Draws New Threats With Aid Bill

Aneeta Mathur-Ashton April 16, 2024

New Home Construction Slumps

Tim Smart April 16, 2024

High Court to Consider Jan. 6 Charges

• People Directory
• Safety at UD

• Campus & Community
• Nation & World
• Culture & Society

2025 Best Graduate Schools

Article by UDaily Staff Photo by Evan Krape April 09, 2024

UD programs remain among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report

In the 2025 edition of Best Graduate Schools , U.S. News and World Report ranked the University of Delaware's graduate programs among the best in the nation.

“As we continue to enhance and expand our excellent graduate programs to meet the needs of our students and society, it is gratifying to see the expertise and hard work of our faculty and staff nationally recognized,” said UD President Dennis Assanis. “We are proud of the positive impact that our graduate students are making on the world, and we look forward to even greater successes ahead empowered by their UD education.”     

UD’s consistently top-ranked physical therapy program remained in the top three nationwide. This is the first year U.S. News and World Report ranked speech-language pathology programs with UD’s inaugural ranking at #32.

“Excellent graduate preparation is central to the University of Delaware's mission as a world-class research institution," said Louis Rossi, dean of UD’s Graduate College and vice provost for graduate and professional education. "Our graduate programs are producing the thinkers, leaders and innovators who are tackling the world's greatest challenges. We are excited about these rankings, which indicate their excellence."

Physical Therapy, 2

Non-profit Management, 16 (up from 23)

Public Management and Leadership, 18 (up from 23)

Public Finance and Budgeting, 21

Speech-Language Pathology, 32

Education Schools, 34

Public Affairs Schools, 34

Computer Science, 70 (up from 77)

Nursing: Master's, 79 (up from 82)

Nursing: Doctor of Nursing Practice, 110

Part-Time MBA, 150

The preceding list only includes subject areas evaluated in this year's edition published to date. U.S. News and World Report has delayed the announcement of two programs that were slated to be included in the rankings: Best Engineering Schools and Programs, and Best Clinical Psychology Programs. The lists will be updated as soon as the data are available.

Other UD graduate programs have been ranked in previous years. The full listing of UD graduate programs ranked by U.S. News and World Report is available on the Institutional Research and Effectiveness Rankings  webpage . Please note the programs and specialties used by U.S. News might vary slightly from the names of degree programs used by UD.

More Campus & Community Stories

Advancing civil discourse on college campuses.

April 16, 2024

Article by Meghan Keating

Supporting entrepreneurs

Article by Karen B. Roberts

Learning from Frederick Douglass

Article by Allison Ebner

See More Stories

Subscribe to UDaily >

Have a udaily story idea.

Contact us at [email protected]

Members of the press

Contact us at 302-831-NEWS or visit the Media Relations website

ADVERTISEMENT

• Campus & Community
• Nation & World
• Culture & Society
• UD Magazine
• In Memoriam
• Media Experts

Office of Communications & Marketing 105 E. Main St. Newark, DE 19716   [email protected] Phone: 302-831-2792

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• March Madness
• AP Top 25 Poll
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Far fewer young Americans now want to study in China. Both countries are trying to fix that

David Moser, an American and associate professor at Capital Normal University in Beijing, poses for a photo at the university, Friday, March 22, 2024 in Beijing, China. Only about 700 American students are studying at Chinese universities, while there are nearly 300,000 Chinese students are at U.S. schools. Without these U.S. students, “in the next decade, we won’t be able to exercise savvy, knowledgeable diplomacy in China,” warned Moser, an American linguist who went to China in the 1980s and is now tasked with establishing a new master’s program for international students at Beijing Capital Normal University. (AP Photo/Dake Kang)

David Moser, an American and associate professor at Capital Normal University in Beijing, poses for a photo at a restaurant in Beijing, China, Friday, March 22, 2024. Only about 700 American students are studying at Chinese universities, while there are nearly 300,000 Chinese students are at U.S. schools. Without these U.S. students, “in the next decade, we won’t be able to exercise savvy, knowledgeable diplomacy in China,” warned Moser, an American linguist who went to China in the 1980s and is now tasked with establishing a new master’s program for international students at Beijing Capital Normal University. (AP Photo/Dake Kang)

• Copy Link copied

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Garrett, a 27-year-old graduate student, always thought he would study in China, but the country’s restrictive COVID-19 policies made it nearly impossible and now he sees interest among fellow scholars wane even after China reopened.

Common concerns, he said, include restrictions on academic freedom and the risk of being stranded in China.

These days, only about 700 American students are studying at Chinese universities, down from a peak of close to 25,000 a decade ago, while there are nearly 300,000 Chinese students at U.S. schools.

Some young Americans are discouraged from investing their time in China by what they see as diminishing economic opportunities and strained relations between Washington and Beijing.

Whatever the reason for the imbalance, U.S. officials and scholars bemoan the lost opportunities for young people to experience life in China and gain insight into a formidable American adversary.

And officials from both countries agree that more should be done to encourage the student exchanges, at a time when Beijing and Washington can hardly agree on anything else.

“I do not believe the environment is as hospitable for educational exchange as it was in the past, and I think both sides are going to need to take steps,” said Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.

The U.S. has advised its. citizens to “reconsider travel” to China over concerns of arbitrary detentions and widened use of exit bans to bar Americans from leaving the country. Campbell said this has hindered the rebuilding of the exchanges and easing the advisory is now under “active consideration.”

For its part, Beijing is rebuilding programs for international students that were shuttered during the pandemic, and Chinese President Xi Jinping has invited tens of thousands of U.S. high school students to visit.

The situation was far different after President Barack Obama started the 100,000 Strong initiative in 2009 to drastically increase the number of U.S. students studying in China.

By 2012, there were as many as 24,583 U.S. students in China, according to data by the Chinese education ministry. The Open Doors reports by the Institute of International Education, which only track students enrolled in U.S. schools and studying in China for credit, show the number peaked at 14,887 in the 2011-12 school year. But 10 years later, the number was down to only 211.

In late 2023, the number of American students stood at 700, according to Nicholas Burns, the U.S. ambassador to China, who said this was far too few in a country of such importance to the United States.

“We need young Americans to learn Mandarin. We need young Americans to have an experience of China,” Burns said.

Without these U.S. students, “in the next decade, we won’t be able to exercise savvy, knowledgeable diplomacy in China,” warned David Moser, an American linguist who went to China in the 1980s and is now tasked with establishing a new master’s program for international students at Beijing Capital Normal University.

Moser recalled the years when American students found China fascinating and thought an education there could lead to an interesting career. But he said the days of bustling trade and money deals are gone, while American students and their parents are watching China and the United States move away from each other. “So people think investment in China as a career is a dumb idea,” Moser said.

After 2012, the number of American students in China dipped but held steady at more than 11,000 for several years, according to Open Doors, until the pandemic hit, when China closed its borders and kept most foreigners out. Programs for overseas students that took years to build were shuttered, and staff were let go, Moser said.

Amy Gadsden, executive director of China Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, also attributed some of the declining interest to foreign businesses closing their offices in China. Beijing’s draconian governing style, laid bare by its response to the pandemic, also has given American students a pause, she said.

Garrett, who is on track to graduate this summer from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, said he is ambivalent about working in China, citing the lack of access to information, restrictions on discussions of politically sensitive issues and China’s sweeping anti-spying law. He had lived in Hong Kong as a teenager and interned in mainland China, and said he is still interested in traveling to China, but not anytime soon.

Some American students remain committed to studying in China, said Andrew Mertha, director of the China Global Research Center at SAIS. “There are people who are interested in China for China’s sake,” he said. “I don’t think those numbers are affected at all.”

About 40 U.S. students are now studying at the Hopkins-Nanjing center in the eastern Chinese city, and the number is expected to go up in the fall to approach the pre-pandemic level of 50-60 students, said Adam Webb, the center’s American co-director.

Among them is Chris Hankin, 28, who said he believed time in China was irreplaceable because he could interact with ordinary people and travel to places outside the radar of international media. “As the relationship becomes more intense, it’s important to have that color, to have that granularity,” said Hankin, a master’s student of international relations with a focus on energy and the environment.

Jonathan Zhang, a Chinese American studying at the prestigious Schwarzman Scholars program at Tsinghua University in Beijing, said it was more important than ever to be in China at a time of tense relations. “It’s really hard to talk about China without being in China,” he said. “I think it’s truly a shame that so many people have never stepped foot in China.”

Zhang was met with concerns when he deferred an offer at a consulting firm to go Beijing. “They’re like, ‘oh, be safe,’ or like, ‘what do you mean, you’re going back to China?’” Zhang said. “I feel like the (Chinese) government is trying with an earnest effort, but I feel like a lot of this trust has been broken.”

Gadsden said U.S. universities need to do more to nudge students to consider China. “We need to be more intentional about creating the opportunities and about encouraging students to do this deeper work on China, because it’s going to be interesting for them, and it’s going to be valuable for the U.S.-China relationship and for the world,” she said.

In China, Jia Qingguo, a professor of international relations and a national political adviser, has suggested Beijing clarify its laws involving foreign nationals, introduce a separate system for political reviews of foreign students’ dissertations, and make it easier for foreign graduates to find internships and jobs in Chinese companies.

Meanwhile, China is hosting American high school students under a plan Xi unveiled in November to welcome 50,000 in the next five years.

In January, a group of 24 students from Iowa’s Muscatine High School became the first to travel to China. The all-expenses-paid, nine-day trip took them to the Beijing Zoo, Great Wall, Palace Museum, the Yu Garden and Shanghai Museum.

Sienna Stonking, one of the Muscatine students, now wants to return to China to study.

“If I had the opportunity, I would love to go to college in China,” she told China’s state broadcaster CGTN. “Honestly, I love it there.”

Kang reported from Beijing.