UCLA Physical Sciences Celebrates Inaugural Class Of Bhaumik Prize Postdoctoral Fellows

A new fellowship program named after an Indian-American physicist was inaugurated at the University of California Los Angeles, which announced the first four early-career scientists selected to begin their research at UCLA, October 20, 2026.

The Bhaumik Prize Postdoctoral Fellows was made possible by the generosity of physicist and philanthropist Mani L. Bhaumik, according to a news release from UCLA’s Physical Science department.

From Left, Sandeep Joy, Sydney Erickson, Emily Byrd, and Yong Rui Poh with Dr. Mani Bhaumik. PHOTO: @chemistry.ucla.edu

The four early-career researchers whose work spans physics, astronomy, chemistry and biochemistry include Sandeep Joy, Physics and Astronomy; Sydney Erickson, Physics & Astronomy; Yong Rui Poh, Chemistry & Biochemistry; Emily Byrd, Chemistry & Biochemistry.

The Fellowship was established through a $3 million commitment from Bhaumik. It provides up to three years of research support, mentorship and professional development opportunities for researchers in UCLA’s departments of Physics and Astronomy and Chemistry and Biochemistry. The fellowship program is expected to support approximately 16 researchers during its initial six-year period.

“Mani Bhaumik has been an extraordinary champion of scientific discovery at UCLA, and this fellowship is another powerful expression of his vision,” Miguel García-Garibay, dean of the UCLA Division of Physical Sciences, is quoted saying in the news release. “By bringing exceptional young scientists to UCLA and giving them the freedom to pursue their most ambitious ideas, we are investing in discoveries whose impact may extend far beyond what we can imagine today. We are deeply grateful to Mani for his generosity, his friendship and his unwavering belief in the next generation of researchers.”

Bhaumik’s career began at UCLA as a postdoctoral researcher. His philanthropy has helped establish the Mani L. Bhaumik Institute for Theoretical Physics, a center for fundamental research and intellectual collaboration, as well as the Mani L. Bhaumik Centennial Collaboratory in Chemistry and Biochemistry. Mani is also a long-standing supporter of “Exploring Your Universe”, UCLA’s annual science fair for K-12 students, the news release noted.

“Thanks in large part to his support, and the dedicated graduate students who organize it, that event has grown into the largest science fair in LA county, bringing over ten thousand people a year to UCLA.