Students win scholarships for UK PhDs

Following hard on the heels of Otago's double Rhodes Scholarship successes, two more of the University's brightest students have scooped another prestigious scholarship for UK study.

Deidre Cleland and Reed Roberts, both of whom are honours students in the University's Department of Chemistry, have just been awarded 2008 Woolf Fisher Scholarships to pursue PhDs at Cambridge University.

As with the Rhodes, two of the three scholarships nationally on offer this year went to Otago. The scholarships are worth approximately $NZ100,000 per year for three or four years, putting them among the most valuable in New Zealand.

Each student receives full payment of fees at either Cambridge or Oxford University, a living allowance and an annual return airfare from London to New Zealand.

Scholars are chosen on the basis of both their outstanding academic ability and possession of qualities admired by the late New Zealand industrialist Sir Woolf Fisher (of Fisher & Paykel): integrity, kindness and generosity, leadership, boldness of vision, exceptional zeal, keenness and capacity for work.

For her PhD, Deidre intends to work with the world-leading Optoelectronics Group in Cambridge's Physics Department.

She plans to investigate properties that improve the performance of Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs), knowledge which could be used in designing new forms of low-energy lighting and more efficient solar cells.

"There are some exciting benefits that could potentially result from this kind of research. Widespread use of OLED-based lighting and improved solar cells could dramatically reduce energy consumption worldwide," Deidre says.

At Otago, she undertook a research project under the supervision of Associate Professor Keith Gordon, who is working on improving OLED technology for use in screen displays.

Reed plans to undertake PhD study into synthetic chemistry at Cambridge's Chemistry Department. Synthetic chemistry is the science of making molecules. Reed's particular interest is in designing new biologically targeted molecules to aid the development of new drugs to fight disease.

"This is an area where I hope to make a positive impact on the world. Successfully treating diseases requires a multidisciplinary approach of which synthetic chemistry is an important part," Reed.

After completing his PhD, Reed intends to pursue postdoctoral work and enter academia.

University Director of Research Higher Degrees & Scholarships Dr Charles Tustin congratulated the pair, saying they have done Otago proud.

"This is a marvellous result for them. Their well-deserved success reflects the excellence of postgraduate-level research at Otago and the high calibre of students the University attracts.

"In both their remarkable academic achievement and as well-rounded individuals with strong leadership potential, they exemplify the ideal of an Otago graduate."

Deidre's extra-curricular activities include captaining and coaching the Knox College volleyball team, while Reed is an avid tramper and skier.