Four future leaders awarded scholarships to Cambridge - 2017 Woolf Fisher scholars

Caption: 2017 Woolf Fisher Scholars (from left): Jonathan Barnard, Liam Jolliffe, Tessa Morgan and Amy Hill with Sir Noel Robinson, Chair of the Woolf Fisher Trust.

Life-changing Woolf Fisher scholarships have been awarded to four outstanding young New Zealand graduates who have the potential to become future leaders in their field to enable them to undertake their doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge.

The scholars for 2017 are Jonathan Barnard, a graduate of Massey University; Amy Hill from the University of Canterbury; Liam Jolliffe from Victoria University of Wellington; and Tessa Morgan from the University of Auckland.

The Woolf Fisher Scholarship, which covers the students’ study and living costs at Cambridge, is estimated to have a value of $300,000 per student, making it one of the most generous scholarships available to New Zealand students.

Sir Woolf Fisher (1912-1975), co-founder of Fisher and Paykel, set up his Trust in 1960 to recognise and reward excellence in education. The Scholarship selects young New Zealanders based on their outstanding academic ability, leadership potential as well as their integrity, vision and capacity for work.

The Chairman of the Woolf Fisher Trust, Sir Noel Robinson, said that four of the seven shortlisted were of such a high and equal standard that the Panel had agreed to offer a scholarship to all four.

“We are delighted that we have had such a strong field shortlisted for this year’s scholarships.  They each bring a range of strengths and research interests.  And most importantly, they embody the characteristics envisaged by Sir Woolf when he established the scholarship.  We will follow their progress with great pride and great interest.”

This year’s scholars are:

Jonathan Barnard, aged 22 of Tauranga, who will study his PhD in Chemical Engineering at Cambridge.  His proposed research will involve investigating the dynamics and reactivity of underwater methane plumes from deep sea methane hydrate deposits and will contribute towards solving global warming and the energy crisis.

He has a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours, majoring in Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering from Massey University.  He studied at Aquinas College in Tauranga and is currently working in a safety and risk engineering position with WorleyParsons, an engineering company, in New Plymouth.

Jonathan has held a number of leadership roles including captaining the 1st XI football team, and last year was the National Chair of Student Engineers New Zealand, reporting to the CEO of the Institute of Professional Engineers.

Amy Hill, aged 24, will study her PhD in Biochemistry at Cambridge.  Her goal is to generate meaningful research that will help others and make the world a better place.  She has a special interest in antibiotic resistance and proposes to investigate either the production of carbapenem antibiotics by various species of bacteria or the biology of bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria.

Amy attended Nelson College for Girls.  After completing a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Canterbury, she started work for a chartered accountancy firm before deciding to return to Canterbury to study for a Master of Science.

She has held a number of volunteer roles including working in a hospice shop, mentoring university students both inside and outside the lab, and served as treasurer of Biosoc, the university’s biology society.

Liam Jolliffe, aged 22, proposes to study for a PhD in Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics at Cambridge. While he has yet to decide on a research topic, he finds matroid theory particularly interesting and has been investigating algebraic matroids. He sees his future being in academia, where he will be continually challenged through research, and teaching will enable him to pass his love for mathematics onto students.

Liam studied at Wairarapa College where he received amongst other awards, the Drumond-Chesterman trophy for boy’s all round contribution and service to college life, which he is most proud of.  He completed a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physics at Victoria University of Wellington and is currently undertaking his Honours degree in Mathematics, also at Victoria.

He is a keen footballer and has played alto saxophone with the Wellington City Concert Band.

Tessa Morgan, aged 22, will study her PhD in palliative and end of life care with Cambridge’s Department of Public Health and Primary Care.  Her topic will consider whether gender influences family caregiving practices at end of life and consequently, how to design effective strategies to help support the increasing number of family caregivers providing end of life care. Her goal is to be a leader in the field of palliative care and to lead a New Zealand-based research institute.

Tessa studied at Rotorua Girls High School.  There she was awarded the Rotorua Young Achievers award and the Rotorua Energy Trust Role Model Award in recognition of her academic, sporting and community achievements.  She has a Bachelor of Arts majoring in History and Politics and is working towards her BA Honours, also at the University of Auckland.

Tess represented New Zealand earlier this year at the U21 Global Ageing Conference in Mexico, where she presented on the MBIE-funded Aging Well Social Isolation in Older Adults study. She also volunteers at Mercy Hospice providing hospitality in the in-patient unit.

Universities New Zealand acknowledges the work of the Trust in investing in young New Zealanders and in academic research and innovation.

Universities New Zealand-Te Pōkai Tara administers over 40 national undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships.