A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student is among the 28 individuals chosen nationwide for the prestigious Gates Cambridge scholarship — a competitive, fully funded scholarship for graduate study at the University of Cambridge.
Daniel Malawsky
Daniel Malawsky, a senior studying biostatistics, will pursue a doctoral degree in genomic sciences.
Malawsky sees the importance of genetics for the future of applied medicine and has a passion for refugee health; he holds dual citizenship with Israel and speaks Hebrew fluently.
Malawsky was chosen as a Gates Cambridge Scholar based on his outstanding intellectual ability, leadership and commitment to improving the lives of others. Given his well-roundedness, UNC physics and astronomy Assistant Professor Adrienne Erickcek describes Malawsky as “the complete package: a successful student, an accomplished researcher, a talented artist and a compassionate humanitarian.”
While taking a wide array of advanced courses at UNC-Chapel Hill, Malawsky has maintained a 3.97 GPA. He was awarded a Morehead-Cain Scholarship, which is the University’s premier scholarship based on academic excellence, leadership and moral force of character. He will graduate Phi Beta Kappa in May 2020, majoring in biostatistics and mathematics with a minor in chemistry.
While at Carolina, Malawsky joined UNC School of Medicine Associate Professor Timothy Gershon’s neurology lab. He is a co-author on an article published in the journal Nature Communications. More recently, he completed two summer research projects abroad — one at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and another at the University of Oxford.
Malawsky’s contributions to Carolina extend far beyond the classroom and laboratory. He also designed and taught a seminar on the misuse of science in the public sphere and founded a critical theory reading group on campus to discuss works related to Judith Butler’s book “Parting Ways.” Additionally, he is an accomplished cellist and plays in multiple chamber ensembles on campus and elsewhere.
Malawsky’s commitment to serving underprivileged populations is evident in his proposed program of study. He will complete a doctoral degree in biological sciences at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, where he proposes to research the medical genetics of understudied populations. He plans to apply mathematical techniques to genetic datasets to identify rare and undertreated genetic diseases.
