Future scientist and engineer awarded Robertson Scholarships to USA

Photos: Michael Zhang; Georgia Lala

Two school leavers from Auckland and Invercargill have been awarded prestigious Robertson Leadership scholarships to study at Duke University in the United States.

Georgia Lala, aged 18 from Stonefields in Auckland, will study Natural Sciences, and Michael Zhang, also aged 18 from Invercargill, will study Mechanical Engineering.

John Taylor, Chair of the Robertson Scholarship Selection Committee says, “Both students have demonstrated qualities of independence and initiative which make them admirable candidates for the Robertson Leadership Program”.

The Program selects about 36 young leaders internationally, including two from New Zealand, with the potential to make transformational contributions to society.

The Program is valued at about NZ$100k per year for up to four years, and covers the scholar’s tuition, accommodation, living and travel costs to attend either Duke University or the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. In addition, scholars have the opportunity to participate in summer experiences, which include internships, research, or international community projects.

Michael Zhang was the Deputy Head Boy at Invercargill’s James Hargest College last year.  In addition to achieving Excellence in all his NCEA exams, he was also highly placed in numerous academic competitions including the Eton Press Maths Competition and the Treasury Challenge.  He achieved perfect scores in SAT (the American equivalent of University Entrance) in Mathematics and Physics.

Michael is also a gifted musician and composer, and led the school jazz band.  He is a talented sportsman representing New Zealand twice in table tennis and has been part of Southland’s Academy Talent Accelerator programme.

He has chosen to study Mechanical Engineering as it will enable him to make a significant change in the area of renewable energy.  He proposes to go on to complete a PhD in marine and hydrokinetic energy, which has high potential but is an under-utilised resource.

In 2014 Michael was selected by the Royal Society of New Zealand to represent our country at the London International Youth Science Forum. 

He says, “The lectures inspired me to undertake research in renewable energy and the possibilities of hydrogen fuel cells.  My aim is to develop technologies to improve New Zealand’s energy security.” 

“In the future I would like to be influential in helping New Zealand in securing our renewable resources, increasing our capacity for stored power, and maintaining our sustainability.

Last year Georgia Lala was a Prefect, Proxime Accessit, and Peer Support Leader at Auckland’s Diocesan School for Girls.  She achieved Excellence endorsements in all her subjects for NCEA Levels 1-3, and received an Outstanding scholarship in Geography.  She is a talented artist, and one of her multimedia works is now in the Sir James Wallace Art collection.

Georgia has a strong interest in human rights and is a UN Youth Ambassador.  She was part of the Australasian delegation at Harvard’s Model United Nations held in Boston. 

She has a passion for natural sciences and in 2015 was awarded the Prime Minister’s Future Scientist Prize for her research paper on an aquaponics system to grow plants with a low carbon footprint.  She also received the New Zealand Institute of Physics Award and the Royal Society of New Zealand’s Powering Potential Scholarship.

On the back of her research, Georgia runs her own business selling aquaponics units to schools and homes.  The business has donated over $1000 to schools and charities, targeting less fortunate children. Georgia also devotes weekend afternoons to creating quilts for children at Starship Hospital, donating over 30 quilts in a year.

At Duke, she will undertake a degree in Natural Sciences, majoring in Biology.  She plans to then complete a postgraduate degree in medicine.

Georgia says, “My goal is to aid others in achieving their optimal wellbeing.

“Studying science will enable me to work towards becoming a person who lives life daily with consideration to those less fortunate than me, that the thing I choose to do each day will be done with thought as to how I might benefit the life of someone with less choice than me”, she says.

The Robertson Scholars Program was established by Julian Robertson, an American philanthropist and former hedge fund manager, who spends part of each year in New Zealand.

It is administered by Universities New Zealand — Te Pōkai Tara. The deadline for applications is 1 December. More information on the scholarship can be found at http://www.universitiesnz.ac.nz/scholarships/robertson.

Background

- Duke University is a private research university with an annual operating budget in 2015-2016 of USD$2.3 billion (NZD$3.36 billion). The 2015 market value of the Duke endowment fund was USD$7.3 billion (NZD$10.6 billion).

- To be eligible for the Scholarship, students must:

- be entered for the Year 13 senior school examination (for example, NCEA Level 3, Cambridge exams, etc) or equivalent senior school exam in the year of application,

- be New Zealand citizens or have New Zealand permanent resident status

- normally have completed their five years of secondary schooling in New Zealand.

- Selection is based on academic ability, leadership potential, commitment to community service, courage, collaborative spirit and a strongly ethical outlook.