Draper Scholarship Awarded To West Point Cadets

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Cadets Saleem Ali, Adam Eckstein, and Dylan Green from the Class of 2024 have been accepted into this year’s Draper Scholarship Program. These scholars will have the opportunity to collaborate with fellow scholars and technical staff to solve real-world problems, develop technologies in world-class laboratories, and publish in top-tier journals and conference presentations. The cadets will continue to pursue Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy studies in technical areas in engineering and the sciences.  

About the Scholars 

Cadet Saleem Ali is a Mathematical Science Major from Westbury, N.Y. His research focused on the development and improvement of computational fluid dynamics methods and creating a partnership between human and artificial intelligence to counter the insider threat. He has travelled throughout the nation leading and instructing STEM workshops for middle and high school students. Ali also enjoys studying Chinese in his free time. Following graduation, he will attend Brown University's Data-enabled Computational Engineering and Science Program through the Draper Scholarship, where he will explore the application of machine learning in aerodynamics.  

“I am grateful to my family, friends, and mentors who have and continue to support and guide me,” said Cadet Ali. “Because of them, I have received the Draper Scholarship and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, two invaluable opportunities to innovate and grow as a leader and scholar. Through these opportunities, I hope to positively impact water security and the ethical use of artificial intelligence." 

Cadet Adam Eckstein is a Mechanical Engineering Major with a German Minor from Vicksburg, Miss. The main focus of his research is fluid mechanics, studying turbulent mixing with impacts in engine design, chemical spread, river development, and more. His senior capstone focused on contaminant dispersion within and around buildings to study the impacts of potential chemical, medical, and military threats. He was also a member of the West Point Triathlon Team. Eckstein will attend Purdue University as a Draper Scholar, pursuing a Master of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. He plans to research rocket engine propulsion and complete comprehensive computational fluid dynamics modeling of rotating detonation engines from tip to tail in an effort to assist in the Army’s mission to improve hypersonic engine design. 

“I feel very honored to be selected as a Draper Scholar and continue my educational pursuits at Purdue in the field of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering with some of the best minds in the field,” said Cadet Eckstein. “I am extremely grateful to my family, friends, teachers, and advisors for helping me along the long and hard path to graduate school. I would also like to thank God for watching over me and for enabling me to pursue my dreams at West Point. I am thankful to the Academy for providing me with the challenges and opportunities that allowed me to pursue this route in the Army and for developing me into the man I am today.” 

Cadet Dylan Green is a Computer Science Major from Irvine, Calif. He has engaged in various undergraduate research projects, including applying genetic algorithms to combinatorial testing, creating and evaluating study resources for a computer systems course, and developing augmented reality software to improve soldier capabilities. Green also serves as the League of Legends Team Captain on the Army West Point e-Sports Team and hopes to continue supporting the program after graduation. As a Draper Scholar, he will continue pursuing his passion for developing software that improves soldiers' quality of life while studying computer science at Brown University. 

“I am truly honored to be a member of this year's cohort of technical scholarship recipients,” said Cadet Green. “Continuing my computer science education will allow me to continue contributing to meaningful systems that directly impact soldiers' daily lives while further expanding my computer science knowledge before entering the Army's Cyber Branch.” 

Learn more about the West Point Technical Scholars Program at https://www.westpoint.edu/academics/scholars-program/technical

About West Point   

The U. S. Military Academy at West Point is a four-year, co-educational, federal service academy located 50 miles north of New York City. It was founded in 1802 as America's first college of engineering and continues today as the world’s premier leader-development institution, consistently ranked among top colleges in the country. Its mission is to build, educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets to be commissioned leaders of character committed to the Army Values and ready for a lifetime of service to the Army and Nation. For more information, go to www.westpoint.edu.