How can we best tackle food insecurity in Africa?
How can we address some of the most pressing sustainability challenges?
How can computer simulations improve treatments for some of the most serious diseases affecting human health?
The Gates Cambridge Scholarships
are a perfect fit
with the University's mission,
which is to contribute to society through learning, great teaching and outstanding research.
Since the first class in 2001
the Trust has awarded
more than 1,600 scholarships
to outstanding students from 104 countries.
And across the world 1,200 alumni are making an impact in a wide range of fields.
By attracting great students from all around the world from vastly different backgrounds
the Gates Cambridge Scholarships enhance our community's diversity and enrich our pool of talent.
These women and men are
primed to go out into the world
and develop innovative solutions for some of the world's greatest problems.
To tackle food insecurity in Africa we
need to invest in agricultural research
and technical capacity, including for
small-scale farming of staple crops
such as rice.
I'm studying how different fungi interact with the roots
of rice plants and how we can exploit this interaction
to develop more dependable varieties with higher yields.
How can we address
some of the most pressing
sustainability challenges
when resources are scarce, time is short, information is limited and decisions are extremely urgent?
I've been working with individuals and organizations
trying to find very unconventional solutions to some of
these most pressing sustainability challenges.
I study protein folding which
is the process by which proteins adopt their
unique functional shapes.
Through computer simulations we are able to get
microscopic insight into this process
and understand why certain proteins
do not fold properly, leading to diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
We can also identify potential targets for drugs.
Although Gates Cambridge is a
prestigious scholarship at one of the
world's leading universities,
the program is very much about engaging the wider world.
My own contribution has been to
set up a mentoring programme for Caribbean students
who want to apply for
scholarships like Gates Cambridge
and the community has been incredibly
supportive of this work.
Gates is much more than just a funding scheme. Differently from most scholarship schemes,
it provides an environment where
students can interact on a daily basis
and can come up and cross fertilize
their projects and learn from one another.
I think the value of the Gates Scholarships is that everyone who
graduates comes away with an incredible
network of both friends
relationships
and also a professional network
that they can draw upon for the rest of their lives.
We're looking for graduate students from across the world,
in any subject.
Students with outstanding
academic achievements,
a strong commitment to improving the lives of others
and leadership ability.
Cambridge has outstanding facilities
and if your field of study is a good fit with Cambridge
the scholarship can make a significant
difference to your future
and launch your career.
The scheme has already built a global network of leaders who are not only
great ambassadors for Cambridge, but I
hope will take our mission to heart:
to contribute to society and go out there
and make it happen.
