Announcement from the Royal Society of New Zealand
Thursday 11 December 2008
Rutherford Foundation Selects Two Graduates For Phd Studies In Cambridge
The Rutherford Foundation of the Royal Society of New Zealand has awarded two PhD scholarships to students of The
University of Auckland: George Gordon and Rachael Shaw, both of whom have shown exceptional academic ability. They each
have clearly defined research projects and supervisors in place for their doctoral research at the University of
Cambridge.
The announcement was made by Royal Society of New Zealand President, Neville Jordan, at a special function on 10
December at the NZ High Commission in London, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ernest Rutherford receiving the
Nobel Prize. He won an 1851 Exhibition Scholarship to study at Cambridge, and spent the latter part of his career as
director of the Cavendish Laboratory.
George Gordon is an engineering graduate whose studies will be part of an intelligent airport project, using fibre optic
and radio frequency technologies to connect information from many independent electronic sources.
Rachael Shaw will undertake psychological studies of mental time travel in a bird – specifically the Western Scrub Jay.
She will study consciousness and memory, contributing to the field of evolutionary biology and psychology.
Professor Paul Callaghan, trustee and convenor of the Rutherford Foundation selection panel, said, “Both these young
people will be wonderful ambassadors for New Zealand science. They also have a strong desire to return home and make
their careers here. That is great to hear. The Rutherford Foundation trustees plan to increase the number of research
opportunities here so that more of our bright young scientists can return homῥ.
The Royal Society of New Zealand wishes to thank the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust for their generous support of these
doctoral scholarships.
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