We're delighted to share that physics major Luca Abu El-Haj (CC '26) has been awarded a 2026 Gates Cambridge Scholarship. He's one of three Columbia undergraduates selected this year for the program, which provides full funding for graduate studies at Cambridge to students from outside the United Kingdom who demonstrate outstanding intellectual ability, a commitment to improving the lives of others, and leadership potential.
Luca's interests in natural sciences have continued to evolve and expand during his time at Columbia. Most recently, he's been working with faculty member Colin Hill in theoretical and computational cosmology. Previously, he also conducted research in observational astronomy with Professor Chuck Hailey and Research Scientist Kaya Mori, as well as in computational nuclear physics at the the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory with Dr. Stephen Gardiner. At Cambridge, he plans to pursue a PhD in the Department of Applied Math and Theoretical Physics, where he'll be working with Professor Enrico Pajer and hopes to better understand how quantum field theory works on cosmological spacetimes, especially in the context of inflation.
Outside of academics, Luca volunteers with a Harlem-based after school program, Reader Team, which partners with student and faculty volunteers from Columbia. As a member of Reading Team Math, Luca works primarily with 4th and 5th graders on math literacy skills. He's also an avid soccer fan and notes that he'll continue to support Tottenham Hotspur when he's in the UK, even if they're experiencing a "challenging" season (as several online sources diplomatically framed it). Luca concedes their season has been more than just challenging: "They are dreadful," he confessed. Still, he's excited about the prospect of seeing them play when he's at Cambridge.
We hope you'll keep us updated, Luca! On your research, of course, but also whether you get to see a Tottenham Hotspur game.
