The Nakatani Foundation is pleased to announce the selection of the 12 participants in the 2018 Nakatani RIES Fellowship for U.S. students.  Nakatani RIES U.S. Fellows were selected from a highly competitive application pool of 176 applicants overall, a selection ration of just 6.8%.  These students represent a range of science & engineering fields of study and eleven different U.S. universities or colleges including: Case Western Reserve University (1), the College of William and Mary (1), Cornell University (1), Georgia Institute of Technology (1), the Pennsylvania State University (1), Rice University (1), Southern Illinois University, Carbondale (1), Stevens Institute of Technology (1), the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1), the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and Yale University (1).

The 2018 Nakatani RIES U.S. Fellows will travel to Japan in mid-May to participate in a three-week language and culture orientation program in Tokyo followed by a nine-week science & engineering research experience in one of our host labs in Japan. They will return to Rice University at the end of the summer where they will present a research poster on their summer project at the Smalley-Curl Institute Summer Research Colloquium. While in Japan, our U.S. Fellows will also have opportunities to network with our 2018 Japanese Fellows at various points throughout the summer as well.

Congratulations everyone! We wish you the best as you embark on your summer in Japan!

	Kaitlin Gili Home Institution: Stevens Institute of Technology Status: Sophomore, Expected Graduation Date: May 2020 Field of Study: Physics with a Minor in Computer Science Host Lab in Japan: Keio University – Dept. of Applied Physics & Physico-Informatics, Itoh Laboratory Host Professor: Prof. Kohei Itoh
	Joseph (Josh) Laurienzo Home Institution: Case Western Reserve University Status: Freshman, Expected Graduation Date: May 2021 Field of Study: Physics and Math with a Minor in Japanese Host Lab in Japan: The University of Tokyo – Dept. of Applied Physics and Quantum-Phase Electronics Center, Iwasa Laboratory Host Professor:  Prof. Yoshihiro Iwasa
	Kenneth Lin Home Institution: University of Massachusetts, Amherst Status: Sophomore, Expected Graduation Date: May 2020 Field of Study: Physics and Astronomy with a Minor in Mathematics Host Lab in Japan: Kyoto University – Solid State Spectroscopy Group, Tanaka Laboratory Host Professor:  Prof. Koichiro Tanaka and Prof. Takashi Arikawa
	Gavin McGuire Home Institution: Georgia Institute of Technology Status: Sophomore, Expected Graduation Date: May 2020 Field of Study: Materials Science and Engineering with a Concentration in Structural/Functional Materials Concentration and a Minor in Japanese Language and Culture Host Lab in Japan: Kyoto University – Dept. of Energy & Hydrocarbon Chemistry, Kageyama Laboratory Host Professor:  Prof. Hiroshi Kageyama
	Ellen Park Home Institution: Cornell University Status: Sophomore, Expected Graduation Date: May 2020 Field of Study: Chemical Engineering Host Lab in Japan: Nagoya University – Dept. of Chemistry, Shinohara Laboratory Host Professor:  Prof. Hisanori Shinohara and Prof. Yusuke Nakanishi
	Janmesh Patel Home Institution: University of Wisconsin, Madison Status: Sophomore, Expected Graduation Date: May 2020 Field of Study: Biomedical Engineering with a Minor in Technical Japanese Host Lab in Japan: Kyoto University – Institute for Integrated Cell-Materials Sciences (iCeMS), Kamei Laboratory Host Professor:  Prof. Kenichiro Kamei
	Sahil Patel Home Institution: Rice University Status: Sophomore, Expected Graduation Date: May 2020 Field of Study: Material Science and Nanoengineering with a Minor in Biochemistry Host Lab in Japan: Kyoto University – Institute of Advanced Energy, Matsuda Laboratory Host Professor:  Prof. Kazunari Matsuda and Prof. Yuhei Miyauchi
	Benjamin Piazza Home Institution: Pennsylvania State University Status: Sophomore, Expected Graduation Date: May 2020 Field of Study: Physics with a Minor in Japanese Host Lab in Japan: Chiba University – Division of Nanomaterial Science, Aoki Laboratory Host Professor:  Prof. Nobuyuki Aoki
	Hana Warner Home Institution: College of William and Mary Status: Sophomore, Expected Graduation Date: May 2020 Field of Study: Physics and Mathematics (applied) Host Lab in Japan: Osaka University – Inst. of Scientific & Industrial Research, Advanced Electronic Devices, Sekitani Laboratory Host Professor:  Prof. Tsuyoshi Sekitani
	Samuel Warren Home Institution: Yale University Status: Sophomore, Expected Graduation Date: May 2020 Field of Study: Majoring in Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics Host Lab in Japan: Kyushu University – Measurement and Instrument Lab, Kiss Laboratory Host Professor:  Prof. Takanobu Kiss
	Lincoln Weber Home Institution: Southern Illinois University, Carbondale Status: Sophomore, Expected Graduation Date: May 2020 Field of Study: Physics and Mechanical Engineering with Minors in Mathematics and Spanish Host Lab in Japan: Osaka University – Inst. of Laser Engineering, THz Photonics, Tonouchi Laboratory Host Professor:  Prof. Masayoshi Tonouchi and Prof. Iwao Kawayama
	Grace Wickerson Home Institution: Rice University Status: Sophomore, Expected Graduation Date: May 2020 Field of Study: Materials Science and Nanoengineering with Minors in Environmental Studies and Global Health Technologies Host Lab in Japan: The University of Tokyo – Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Maruyama-Chiashi Laboratory Host Professor:  Prof. Shigeo Maruyama