Rhodes Scholarship Winners

2004-2005

Laurel Yong-Hwa Lee '05
Brain and Cognitive Sciences

Laurel came to the U.S. at age 16 from South Korea. Now a double-major in brain and cognitive sciences and biology, Laurel conducts research at MIT's Center for Cancer Research and the National Institutes of Health's Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke. A turning point in her medical career aspirations occurred two years ago when she worked in a shelter for abandoned women and children in Honduras. She became convinced that thorough research training is crucial to the eradication of indigenous infectious disease. Laurel rows for MIT's varsity lightweight crew team, was selected a Burchard Scholar for her outstanding work in intensive musical analyses of 18th-20th century operatic and orchestral works. Laurel has played violin for 15 years and won a national competition at age 12. Laurel looks forward "to continuing my rowing and to attending opera performances at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden" and plans "to continue with my work on performance reviews and criticisms."

Elizabeth Masiello G
Engineering Systems Division

Elizabeth (Betsy) Masiello, originally from Solebury, PA, is enrolled in her second year of graduate studies in the Technology and Public Policy master's program of the Engineering Systems Division. Betsy received her undergraduate degree from Wellesley College where she majored in Computer Science and minored in Economics. While at Wellesley she played field hockey, garnering All-American honors in each of four years. Betsy has worked at the National Security Agency, generated a security plan for the Department of Justice, wrote a gene parsing program for the Whitehead Institute and is affiliated with RSA Security. She is a member of Technology and Policy Student Society (TPSS), where she has been recognized for initiative and leadership for women's events. Betsy has participated in the Boston Marathon, the Boston Half-Marathon and the Tufts 10K for Women.

Javed K. Samuel G
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Javed, originally from Vieux-Fort, St. Lucia, is a first-year graduate student in the M.Eng program of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He earned his bachelor's degrees in computer science and engineering and in management/operations research, with minors in mathematics and economics. Javed will study for an M.Sc degree in mathematical modeling and scientific computing at Oxford. His academic interests include computational geometry, cryptography, scientific computing and quantitative finance. Javed's undergraduate research included peer-to-peer file sharing, interactive bulletin boards for use in developing countries, and analyzing a combinatorial game. He is active in the MIT Caribbean Club and the MIT Protestant Student Community, and has been involved in tutoring both at MIT and in St. Lucia.