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This Army major wanted to combine his military service with the hard science of biodefense. Read how Major Geoffrey Mattoon found his way to the Schar School’s one-of-a-kind graduate program—in the shadow of the Pentagon.

Two Schar School biodefense PhD students won competitive fellowships with a renowned program. See who they are.

As a young policeman in Türkiye, Mahmut Cengiz witnessed the cruel effects of organized crime on communities and those who live in them. Now, the Schar School associate professor is a preeminent expert of terrorism and combats it on his own terms—as a teacher.

Graduate student Nick Marko earned a master’s in biodefense and a graduate certificate while working full time as a neurosurgeon.

The odds of winning a Presidential Management Fellowship are low—4 percent of applicants are chosen each year. But Schar School grad Aurelia Berisha beat the odds and is making the most of her two-year federal government opportunity.