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The Fannie and John Hertz Foundation[1]'s relentless 61-year-old annual search for the best young science, maths, and engineering graduates is developing into a closer relationship with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is funding the addition of six Hertz Fellows to help fight the spread of malaria and food-crop diseases.
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The young Hertz Fellows will spend two summers working with top researchers in key programs identified by the Gates Foundation as critical to its mission of improving global health and development outcomes.
Robbee Baker Kosak, president of the Hertz Foundation, said she was delighted with the success of last year's fellows program with the Gates Foundation[3] and that the relationship had expanded.
"The partnership between our two foundations started due to a shared belief in the importance of bringing scientific and technological solutions to the wide range of health and development challenges faced by people around the world," said Kosak.
Some of the Hertz Fellows.
The Hertz Foundation is well known for its rigorous methods of surfacing the best of the best among thousands of young graduates through several levels of application, recommendation, and interviews by panels of top academics:
"Each submission requires four letters of reference and candidates are evaluated on creativity, drive, and innovation. Two personal interviews are required. Applicants that show entrepreneurial traits and own patents are favored in the selection process."
Also: Hertz Foundation: 60 years of finding and funding top scientists[4]
Only 12 to 15 will be chosen from more than 800 that go through the application process, but with the Gates Foundation partnership, this