Yale-NUS alumnus awarded Future Nobel Laureate Scholarship

Yale-NUS alumnus Max Han (Class of 2024) has been awarded the 2024 Future Nobel Laureate Scholarship. This prestigious scholarship, offered by EF Education First in collaboration with EF’s partner, the Nobel Prize Museum, was awarded to 11  global recipients this year. The scholars will partake in a project-based course in intercultural communication, participate in an international field study, and undertake an action-learning project. The programme culminates in a fully-funded trip to Stockholm in December, where scholarship recipients will attend sessions at the 2024 Nobel Week Dialogue to learn from global thought leaders.

Reflecting on the award, Max said , “I was pleasantly surprised and honored to be the first Malaysian and Southeast Asian to receive this recognition”. Committed to environmental action from a young age, Max co-founded Youths United For Earth, a grassroots non-profit that mobilises Malaysian youths for climate action through local campaigns and advocacy. He views this scholarship as a powerful opportunity to amplify his nonprofit work back home in Malaysia and beyond. Max also thanked his professors at Yale-NUS, Anthony Medrano and Emily Dalton, for their invaluable support throughout the scholarship application process.

Max looks forward to attending the Nobel Week Dialogue in Stockholm this December, where he hopes to engage with Nobel Laureates to explore what meaningful change looks like in various regions around the world. “I’m particularly keen to explore how their ideas can inform my work in environmental justice and apply them in the Southeast Asian context,” he shared.

Max, who is also a 2024 Rhodes Scholar, is currently pursuing a MSc in Environment Change and Management and Master of Public Policy at the University of Oxford. Max described his time at Oxford as “both intense yet intellectually enriching”. He added, “My favourite aspect is meeting people from all over the world and learning from their diverse viewpoints. I’ve also been enjoying the opportunity to critically engage with its rich history while bringing in my perspectives and lived experiences.”

On balancing the demands of postgraduate studies with the scholarship programme, Max said, “Managing my studies alongside other commitments is definitely challenging, but not impossible with energy management and a deep passion for environmental justice and my work.”

As Max prepares to partake in the scholarship programme’s activities, he remains committed to applying the knowledge gained to advance environmental and climate justice efforts in Southeast Asia. “I believe in putting theory into practice, and I hope to complement whatever I learn from this programme with my ongoing work back home,” Max said.