Weng Jingke Awarded Sloan Research Fellowship

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation announced the selection of 126 outstanding young scholars as recipients of the 2016 Sloan Research Fellowships on February 23. Weng Jingke, who obtained his bachelor degree in biotechnology in 2003 at Zhejiang University, scooped this remarkable honor.

Weng Jingke was admitted to ZJU in 1999 and did his major in biotechnology. “My undergraduate career produces a far-reaching impact on every aspect of my life. I am greatly indebted to Prof. Du Jiceng for his generous tutoring as my supervisor. I gained a preliminary understanding of life sciences under his tutelage. Prof. Du has always been a role model in my scientific career,” said Weng Jingke, “While pursuing my further studies in the United States, I am fortunate enough to meet many ZJU alumni. What impresses me most is their meticulous and assiduous attitude in doing research.”

Weng Jingke is currently a member of the Whitehead Institute and an assistant professor at MIT. He has broad interests in understanding the origin and evolution of plant specialized metabolism at enzyme, pathway, and systems levels, as well as how plants exploit discrete small molecules to interact with their surrounding biotic and abiotic environments. He has received a series of honors and awards, including Tansley Medal (2013), ASPB Early Career Award (2014) and Searle Scholar Award (2015).

Awarded annually since 1955, the Fellowships honor early-career scientists and scholars whose achievements and potential identify them as rising stars, the next generation of scientific leaders in chemistry, computer science, economics, mathematics, computational and evolutionary molecular biology, neuroscience, ocean sciences, and physics. Since the inception of the program in 1955, 43 fellows have received a Nobel Prize in their respective field, 16 have won the Fields Medal in mathematics, 68 have received the National Medal of Science, and 15 have won the John Bates Clark Medal in economics.