Class of 2026 Cadet Named Hertz Fellow

WEST POINT, N.Y. May 7, 2026 – The Hertz Foundation recently announced that Cadet Matthew Wanta, Class of 2026, has earned a Hertz Fellowship and is one of 19 fellows selected this year.

Since 1963, the Hertz Foundation has awarded more than 1,300 doctoral fellowships with the goal of supporting the early-stage research endeavors of the nation’s most promising innovators in science and technology. Hertz Fellows receive funding for up to five years of graduate study, culminating in a doctoral degree, to pursue research that best advances our nation’s security and leads to life-changing innovations. Hertz Fellows are selected from a broad applicant pool based on a written application, as well as two rigorous technical interviews.

Cadet Wanta is a mathematical sciences and computer science double major from Jackson, Wis. His work centers on machine learning for autonomous systems, integrating probabilistic modeling into cooperative drone search and swarm control frameworks. Wanta's proudest research experiences include working with military organizations in developing information-theoretic drone path planning and mentoring a team of three junior cadets extending this work into new autonomy applications. As a cadet, he serves as company commander for the B2 Bulldogs and is a graduate of Sapper and Airborne School. Wanta will commission as a Cyber Officer and plans to pursue a doctoral degree at MIT's Operations Research Center in collaboration with Lincoln Laboratory, where he will pursue research in support of military organizations and national defense.

"It is a tremendous honor and blessing to be selected as a Hertz Fellow and join a remarkable community of innovators and mentors. I am especially proud to represent Department of Mathematical Sciences, the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, West Point, and the Army as I further my education in support of national security. I am grateful to my instructors, mentors, research advisors, friends, family, and God for their steadfast support throughout my time as a cadet."

About the Technical Scholars Program

The Technical Scholars Program mentors and guides cadets in their pursuit of STEM-only undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships as they seek national and international honors for their performance. With over 240 scholarships and fellowships awarded, the Technical Scholars Program continues to fill the Army ranks with innovative leaders prepared for the challenges they will face throughout their careers. Learn more 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