First Morehead-Cain Global Fellows come to Carolina

The inaugural 12 Morehead-Cain Global Fellows have begun their one-year program at UNC–Chapel Hill. Representing Azerbaijan, Brazil, India, Nigeria and Turkey, the global fellows have academic interests in sustainable energy, quantum computing, neuroethics, international diplomacy and the arts. The fully funded fellowship allows them to study at Carolina for one year before returning to their home university to complete their studies and positively shape their home campus.

The Morehead-Cain Global Fellows program was launched in 2024 to bring together extraordinary leaders from across the globe to study at Carolina for a transformational year. The global fellows are poised to lead with purpose, integrity and impact, said Chris Bradford, Morehead-Cain president.

“Our world needs visionary and ethical leaders who are connected across nations and cultures if we are to address the complex global challenges of this century,” Bradford said. “These remarkable individuals were selected not only for their intellectual accomplishments but for their deep commitment to creating lasting positive change, and we are honored to welcome them to Morehead-Cain and Carolina.”

Meet the global fellows, listed alphabetically by country.

Azerbaijan: Rufat Alizade is a management student at Boğaziçi University in Turkey and the founder of Renaissance Academy, an education company helping students prepare for competitive exams. He organizes events with the Azerbaijan Students Union and was the national champion in Azerbaijan’s top academic quiz competition. Alizade also built an electric race car for Teknofest, Turkey’s largest technology festival. He hopes to establish a global tourism company and later create a scholarship fund to support talented students from diverse backgrounds.

Brazil: Amadeu Bezerra De Morais Neto is a student of language and literature at the Federal University of Ceará. He is a published poet, playwright and co-founder of a youth-led program offering communication and English classes to underserved schools. He supports accessibility initiatives through museum-based projects and has contributed to one of Brazil’s leading newspapers. With a passion for education, art and diplomacy, Neto aspires to become a language educator and, ultimately, a diplomat representing Brazil.

India: Mohammad Hamza is a physics and complex systems student at Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. He previously led the Finance Club’s student engagement and industry partnerships. He was awarded a full scholarship to the Wolfram Summer School, where he studied how opinions spread within networks, and he has also worked on experimental plasma physics at Pohang University of Science and Technology in South Korea. His interests span experimental and computational physics, with a focus on modelling complex systems such as societies alongside core physics domains.

India: Atharv Joshi is a development studies major at IITM, where he recently concluded his one-year term as speaker of the Student Legislative Council. During his tenure, he led several initiatives focused on enhancing student welfare and strengthening institutional student governance. Joshi’s academic interests include climate change, public policy and global development. He is also a member of IITM’s drama and debate clubs. Committed to public service, Joshi aspires to contribute meaningfully to policymaking and government reform in India.

India: Dheeraj J. is an electronics and communication engineering student at Cochin University of Science and Technology. J. developed a medicine intake app for elderly care and leads projects in artificial intelligence, Compute Unified Architecture, the Internet of Things, blockchain systems and the development of a Mars Rover for the University Rover Club. He also created a system to prevent evidence tampering and developed thermal image sensing autonomous drones. A state champion in extemporaneous speaking and a National Math Olympiad gold medalist, J. mentors peers and aims to use advanced computing to create practical solutions that improve daily life.

India: Disha Parasu is a computer science student at the Vellore Institute of Technology–Chennai specializing in AI and machine learning. She is a core member of Quantumplators, where she explores quantum algorithms and cryptography applications. A Womanium Scholar and participant in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Interdisciplinary Quantum Hackathon, Parasu is passionate about integrating quantum computing with AI to enhance cybersecurity. She also helped launch a neighborhood library to bridge generational gaps through the sharing of books and aims to drive innovation in quantum research and digital safety.

Nigeria: Fadilullahi Ayodeji Adeniyi, a chemical engineering student at the University of Lagos, is passionate about clean energy, data science and sustainable development. He earned the best West African Senior School Certificate Examination result in his district in 2020. Adeniyi and his team’s pipeline leak detection app won the 2024 Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers hackathon, and he also won first place in a national engineering quiz. As a Bridge Fellow in 2024 and dedicated chemistry tutor for public school students, he wants to be an engineer and educator, working to accelerate Nigeria’s transition to renewable energy.

Nigeria: Rotdalmwa Joan Dimka is a biochemistry student at the University of Jos with a passion for proteomics, storytelling and educational reform. As a course representative and public relations executive for the Biochemistry Study Community, she helped lead a waste management project to the finals of a state hackathon. A former intern at the Centre for Youth Participation, Dialogue and Advocacy Africa, she also founded the Student Republic, a student-run editorial supporting first-year university students while promoting intellectual discourse and social consciousness. Dimka hopes to pursue research on urinary tract infections, build a career in spoken word and enter public office to drive systemic change in Nigeria.

Nigeria: Ezinne Thelma Mpieri is a medical student at the University of Ibadan, dedicated to women’s health, academic mentorship and community empowerment. She serves as Academic Secretary for the Catholic Medical Students’ Association and volunteers in medical outreaches and digital safety campaigns through the Millennium Fellowship. A winner of the Interhall Quiz Competition and recipient of a Student Leader Award, Mpieri combines academic excellence with a passion for service. She aspires to become a gynecologist and researcher working to expand access to reproductive health care.

Nigeria: Eniola Hawawu Salawu is an accounting student at the University of Lagos and co-head of the Securities and Trading Division as well as co-campus director for the Millennium Fellowship. She founded Ecocarbon to promote corporate sustainability and launched the One Sound Initiative to advance inclusion through sign language education. Salawu aims to lead a venture capital firm that invests in bold, sustainable solutions to foster a more inclusive global economy.

Turkey: Ekin Ece Bayrak is a computer engineering student at İzmir Institute of Technology, passionate about AI, data science and mentoring. She co-founded the Lykeion Philosophy Society to promote critical thinking and helps students prepare for Turkey’s university exams. Outside the classroom, Bayrak cares for stray animals and practices organic farming. She hopes to build inclusive, science-driven organizations that bridge technology, education and social impact.

Turkey: Güneş Tuğcu is double-majoring in Western languages and literature and psychology at Boğaziçi University. Tuğcu co-founded Umutlu Çatı, a mentorship program for students affected by the 2023 earthquakes, is a staff reporter for campus journalism, and teaches English to underserved communities. Passionate about neuroethics, she plans to pursue neuroscience and law, aspiring to contribute to the emerging field of neurolaw as an intellectual property lawyer.