IBM has named three Ph.D. students from the School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) and one from the School of Interactive Computing (IC) as 2017 IBM Ph.D. Fellows.

CSE’s Elias Khalil, Jiajia Li, and Yichen Wang, along with Tesca Fitzgerald from IC, are among the 50 students selected by IBM for the prestigious award in the annual highly competitive global competition.

“Congratulations to these students and their faculty advisors,” said College of Computing Dean Zvi Galil.

“The fact that College of Computing students account for 8 percent of the total number of these important fellowships is a true testament to the high level of research being done here that is essential to solving problems that stand in the way of innovation in many domains.

“It also highlights the quality, depth, and breadth of the College’s faculty across a wide variety of disciplines.”

In CSE, Khalil, Li, and Wang’s advisors are Assistant Professor Bistra Dilkina and Associate Professor Richard Vuduc, and Associate Professor Le Song, respectively. IC Professor Ashok Goel and former IC Associate Professor Andrea Thomaz are Fitzgerald’s co-advisors.

IBM created the Ph.D. Fellowship program in the 1950s to recognize and support outstanding graduate students. Fellows are awarded a stipend for one academic year.