Lara Ozkan: A 2025 Marshall Scholar and Future Leader in Women’s Health
Achieving Greatness at MIT
Lara Ozkan, a senior at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has been selected as a 2025 Marshall Scholar. This prestigious award will enable her to pursue graduate studies in the United Kingdom, specifically an MPhil in biological science at Cambridge University’s Sanger Institute and a master’s by research degree in artificial intelligence and machine learning at Imperial College London.
A Passion for Advancing Women’s Health
Ozkan’s commitment to advancing women’s health through innovation in technology and the application of computational tools to research is evident in her academic and professional pursuits. With a dual major in computer science and molecular biology, she plans to leverage her graduate studies to make a positive impact in this field.
A Diverse Range of Research Experiences
Before joining MIT, Ozkan conducted computational biology research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. At MIT, she has been an undergraduate researcher with the MIT Media Lab’s Conformable Decoders group, working on breast cancer wearable ultrasound technologies. She has also contributed to Professor Manolis Kellis’ computational biology research group in the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.
Award-Winning Research
Ozkan’s achievements in computational biology research earned her the MIT Susan Hockfield Prize in Life Sciences. Her research on the ethical implications of genomics projects and development of AI ethics curricula for MIT computer science courses has been recognized and respected.
A Leader in Many Ways
Beyond her research roles, Ozkan has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills. She is the president and executive director of MIT Capital Partners, an organization that connects the entrepreneurship community with venture capital firms. Additionally, she serves as the president of the MIT Sloan Business Club, an undergraduate research peer ambassador, and a member of the MIT EECS Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. As part of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing Undergraduate Advisory Group, she advises on policies and programming to improve the student experience in interdisciplinary computing.
Volunteering and Mentoring
Ozkan’s passion for giving back to her community is evident in her volunteering and mentoring endeavors. She teaches middle-school girls computer science through MIT CodeIt and mentors children whose parents are impacted by cancer as a counselor with Camp Kesem.
Conclusion
Lara Ozkan’s remarkable achievements and dedication to advancing women’s health through technology have earned her a 2025 Marshall Scholarship. As she embarks on her graduate studies in the United Kingdom, we can expect great things from this talented and ambitious individual. Her commitment to making a positive impact in her field is an inspiration to us all.
