Our STEM Talent Fellows pursue innovative projects that advance our mission to identify, nurture, and empower talented youth worldwide. Meet our current fellows, and learn more about the fellowship below.
Math, coaching, teaching
Ph.D. in Math, MIT; IMO Gold
Evan is a math Olympiad coach who completed his number theory Ph.D. at MIT. He founded OTIS, the online Olympiad mathematics training program. In operation for 12 years, it serves roughly 800–1,000 students annually, reaching an estimated 10–20% of IMO participants in recent years. The Global Talent Fund is supporting Evan to expand OTIS, including with added scholarship funding for participants.
Evan became a trainer for the United States International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) team after winning an IMO gold medal and the USA Math Olympiad in 2014. He also wrote the popular textbook Euclidean Geometry in Math Olympiads while in high school, which was published in 2016, and he streams Olympiad math for public entertainment.
Outside of math and teaching, Evan’s hobbies include Arch Linux, competitive Hanabi and puzzle hunts.
Physics, government, education policy
Ph.D. in Physics, King’s College London; Jocelyn Bell Burnell Medal
Bethan works at the intersection of mathematics, higher education and talent development. She is the manager of GTF BIG Talent Scholars.
After earning her Ph.D. in physics, Bethan held senior roles in the UK government. She worked on policy at the UK’s education ministry before leading the private office for the ministers responsible for higher education, advancing education and skills policy during a period with several ministerial transitions. She then served in private office as Deputy Principal Private Secretary to three government ministers responsible for science and technology.
She sits on the Advisory Board of the Martingale Foundation, which funds postgraduate scholarships in mathematics, and advises the Campaign for the Mathematical Sciences, which promotes the teaching, research and funding of mathematics in the UK.
Mathematics education, Olympiad coaching
IMO medalist, problem proposer, and team leader
Anant is an Indian mathematics educator and founder of Mathelots. The organization works to foster math talent through discovery-based learning, instilling a lasting love of the subject in students everywhere. One of its initiatives, the IMO World Series, is a pro-bono global training program for IMO contestants and teams reaching roughly 20 students at IMO 2026. With GTF’s support, Anant will further grow the reach of Mathelots and the IMO World Series, helping to narrow the gap among countries in their Olympiad training.
Despite coming from a school with no Olympiad history, Anant won two Bronze Medals and a Silver Medal over four IMO appearances. He proposed Problem 6 for the 2019 IMO in Bath, served on the IMO 2025 Problem Selection Committee, and became India’s youngest-ever IMO Team Leader in 2026. He has taught exceptionally gifted students from 40 countries across six continents.
A graduate of Chennai Mathematical Institute, he completed Part III of the Mathematical Tripos at Trinity College, Cambridge, on the Ramanujan Research Studentship.
Entrepreneurship, venture investing
Founder, Apex Talent Foundation; VC and tech operations experience
Uliana is the founder of the Apex Talent Foundation, which works to find Ukraine’s most able young mathematicians and scientists, develops them, and helps connect them with one another and the world. The Global Talent Fund is supporting Uliana to launch Apex.
Previously, she has built and invested in companies for ten years: at 1991 Ventures she deployed a $10 million Ukraine Support Fund from Google for Startups, and as COO she helped run the European Innovation Council’s €20 million program for deep-tech founders.
As an advisor at the Presidential Fund of Ukraine, she supported national and international Olympiad winners and built partnerships between Ukrainian and UK universities. Outside of work, she skis, practices yoga, and plays tennis.
This paid fellowship supports individuals to pursue an innovative project that advanced GTF’s mission to identify, nurture, and empower talented youth worldwide.
Recipients proposed a clear, feasible idea with the potential for demonstrable impact, and demonstrated their ability to execute — through relevant experience, transferable skills, or previous leadership roles. Proposals ranged from 3 to 12 months, with an extension possible. The fellowship was open to applicants from any age or country.
This fellowship program supported graduate students in economics and economics-adjacent fields carrying out research on discovering and nurturing global math talent, with the broader goal of expanding the number of researchers working in this area. Recipients were freed from other responsibilities, such as teaching, to focus on their research, including field-work travel as needed, and were connected to peers and matched faculty mentors with relevant research expertise.
In partnership with Agency Fund and Carina Initiatives
This call sought to fund projects that screen for hidden math talent in low- and middle-income countries at large scale, by leveraging rich data sources such as national exams, and projects that support exceptionally talented youth in navigating their potential — access to role models, nurturing environments, insight into educational and career options, coaching and mentorship, and similar “agency-oriented” interventions.
