Brad Wu, a senior at Arizona College Prep High School in Chandler, was awarded a $50,000 Davidson Fellows Scholarship for his engineering project.

The project was the creation of a lightweight, brain-controlled robotic arm device to help stroke patients regain movement. The Davidson Fellows Scholarship is an honor for students 18 and younger. His award is part of the program’s 25th anniversary year, which is granting a combined $825,000 to only 21 students nationwide.

“Joining a community of passionate, intellectually driven peers — whether in STEM or the humanities — gives me the confidence to pursue my passion for engineering with greater purpose,” Wu said in a news release about the award. “I will be forever grateful to the Davidson Institute for its generous support, which empowers me to pursue higher education and future career.”

Wu’s project combines a brain-computer interface that detects when patients are actively engaging, an adjustable forearm exoskeleton and real-time vibration feedback to guide recovery.

Using advanced machine learning, it interprets brain activity to support personalized rehabilitation. Designed to be low-cost and scalable, the device could make high-quality stroke therapy more accessible, reducing reliance on caregivers and improving independence for millions of patients worldwide, the release states.

Wu is a two-time International Science and Engineering Fair Grand Award winner and serves as president of ACP High’s A.I. Club. He is also a youth council member in local government, helping develop programs that address youth health issues.

Wu has trained in kung fu for 12 years, specializing in tai chi and rope dart.

The Davidson program offers college scholarships to students 18 or younger, who have completed significant projects that have the potential to benefit society in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, literature and music.

It’s a program of the Davidson Institute, a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Reno, Nevada, that supports profoundly gifted youth.

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