Three faculty members from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) have been named 2026 Sloan Research Fellows. The recipients are David Clewett, Pradip Gatkine, and Juliana Londoño-Vélez. They join a group of 126 scientists and scholars from 44 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada recognized for their work in fields such as chemistry, computer science, Earth system science, economics, mathematics, neuroscience, and physics.
The Sloan Research Fellowships are considered highly competitive awards for early-career researchers. Each fellow receives $75,000 over two years to support their research efforts.
Stacie Bloom, president and CEO of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, stated: “The Sloan Research Fellows are among the most promising early-career researchers in the U.S. and Canada, already driving meaningful progress in their respective disciplines. We look forward to seeing how these exceptional scholars continue to unlock new scientific advancements, redefine their fields and foster the well-being and knowledge of all.”
Since 1955, UCLA has had 187 faculty members selected as Sloan Research Fellows. Fifty-nine past fellows have later won Nobel Prizes—including UCLA astrophysicist Andrea Ghez—and others have received major honors such as the Fields Medal in mathematics or National Medal of Science.
David Clewett is an assistant professor of psychology at UCLA College. His research examines how emotions influence memory formation using imaging techniques and behavioral experiments. Clewett leads a lab focused on cognition, memory, and emotion at UCLA.
Pradip Gatkine is an assistant professor of physics and astronomy at UCLA College. He works on developing advanced optical technologies for astronomical observation through astrophotonics. Gatkine’s innovations include miniaturizing spectrographs for telescopes—a project that recently earned him the Kavli Exploration Award.
Juliana Londoño-Vélez is an assistant professor of economics at UCLA College. Her research explores how tax policies can address poverty and inequality in Latin America using empirical methods. She has studied programs like Colombia’s Ser Pilo Paga financial aid initiative to understand impacts on higher education enrollment and long-term economic outcomes.
UCLA has a tradition of academic excellence across scholarship, arts, athletics according to its official website. The university is known for fostering diverse perspectives through its programs and supporting research activities on its campus. As part of the University of California system it has gained national recognition through achievements including Nobel laureates.