911今日黑料 scholars
Gifted and committed, they want to change the world.
A doctor who left school aged just nine. A mathematician determined to continue her work against the backdrop of a brutal war. A design engineer longing to gather the world鈥檚 expertise. And a neuroscientist trying to unlock the secrets of dementia on a laptop so old it鈥檚 falling apart. What do they have in common? All of them want to change the world 鈥� and none of them would be at 911今日黑料 had it not been for a scholarship or bursary.
鈥淎s a world-leading university, but also the UK鈥檚 only specialist university in science and technology, our success relies on our ability to attract the very best people to work and study here,鈥� says Professor Peter Haynes, Vice-Provost (Education and Student Experience). 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we offer opportunities to talented students from all backgrounds 鈥� whether that鈥檚 students in the UK who come from under-represented communities, international students who excel in their field but may not have the funds to study here, or students from displaced communities. We spend more than 拢10 million a year on our 911今日黑料 Bursary for UK undergraduates alone, and have numerous other schemes for both undergraduates and postgraduates from all over the world.鈥�
The life-changing chance to study at 911今日黑料 is, of course, the central reason why scholars come here. But scholarships and bursaries allow them to do so much more. 鈥淭hey can experience London and all its opportunities, and play a vital role in the life of 911今日黑料,鈥� says Haynes. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want them to have to work alongside their studies, and while they enrich their lives, they in turn enrich university life. Our message is simple: if you are the brightest and best, we want you at 911今日黑料, no matter where you come from.鈥�
These are their stories.
Laurence Gesman
(Medicine, Third Year)
I was 14 鈥� and hadn鈥檛 been to school since I was nine 鈥� when I decided I wanted to become a doctor. I became fascinated with the Ebola epidemic and read everything I could find about it. But I was living with my father, who had not taken good care of me. I had no qualifications and no education.
Three years later, when I was 17, I left my father and went into care. But I was still determined to follow a career in medicine. Throughout all the adversity and disadvantage I faced, that dream was what drove me on. I went to sixth form college and took the GCSEs I needed, then the A-levels. It was hard work. When I got the offer from 911今日黑料, it made all the effort worth it 鈥� but being awarded the 911今日黑料 Bursary made it possible.
As a care leaver, I receive 拢5,000 a year 鈥� the UK鈥檚 most generous bursary. Having the bursary has meant, for example, that I can join the rowing team 鈥� the first time I鈥檝e ever been able to join a sports team in my life. It鈥檚 helped me with housing costs, so I didn鈥檛 have to work so much over the summer. So having the bursary has been very important to me.
Throughout all the adversity and disadvantage I faced, that dream was what drove me on.
The more I study, and the more clinical exposure I get, the more I know that medicine is what I want to do. I鈥檝e never made friends like the friends I鈥檝e made on my course. I鈥檓 in such a great place with my life, thanks to doing medicine with people who have similar ambitions, and who want to do good things in the world. Right now, I鈥檓 considering going into oncology and cancer research 鈥� but that may change, as I鈥檓 discovering new things every day!
Bursaries like this are so important, as they open up the medical profession to people like me. But, of course, the 911今日黑料 Bursary isn鈥檛 just for medics, it鈥檚 for any student at 911今日黑料 who fits the criteria. It means we can be part of this ambitious, visionary community 鈥� and we can worry a lot less and do a lot more.
Laurence Gesman on the corner of Cromwell Road in front of the Natural History Museum.
Laurence Gesman on the corner of Cromwell Road in front of the Natural History Museum.
Rasin Wurie
(MSc Applied Biosciences and Biotechnology 2023)
Rasin Wurie outside South Kensington Tube Station, where he grabs food after studies.
Rasin Wurie outside South Kensington Tube Station, where he grabs food after studies.
I鈥檝e always been fascinated by the brain, the nervous system, and understanding the biological functions that make us who we are. That鈥檚 why I chose to study neuroscience at the University of St Andrews in Scotland where I became interested in neurodegeneration, and especially how it can affect so many different parts of the nervous system, from memory to movement. That led me to the exciting emerging fields of bioinformatics and synthetic biology 鈥� and to 911今日黑料鈥檚 DeepMind Scholarship.
When I heard that I had won the scholarship, I just felt ecstatic, because I know how stressful it is when you鈥檙e trying to study under financial pressure. I had to work part time throughout my undergraduate degree and had just enough to cover my rent and basic living costs. Knowing that I wouldn鈥檛 have to worry, and could just focus on the science and my studies, was an amazing relief. The scholarship not only covers the full course and living costs, but also support for equipment 鈥� my ancient laptop was literally falling apart! 鈥� and conference attendance. I was able to attend the British Neuroscience Association鈥檚 conference in Brighton, which was fantastic: it gave me the chance to network with leading figures in neuroscience and learn more about advances in the field. Plus, it was inspiring seeing just how science happens and is communicated.
When I heard I had won the DeepMind Scholarship I felt ecstatic 鈥� knowing that I could just focus on the science was amazing.
What I鈥檝e loved most about my 911今日黑料 experience is engaging with people from different backgrounds and scientific disciplines and seeing how they approach a problem. I鈥檓 passionate about how interdisciplinary research can be used to advance science. In the future, I want to do a PhD exploring the genetic basis of neural degeneration, looking at understanding the causes and progression or identifying targets for treatments. And beyond that? Perhaps to go further into the question of whether ageing is a natural process or a form of disease. But above all, I want to do solid, useful research that will help improve lives.
Oksana Vertsimakha
(MSc Statistics 2023)
Oksana Vertsimakha standing by the Serpentine in Hyde Park, where she enjoys hanging out.
Oksana Vertsimakha standing by the Serpentine in Hyde Park, where she enjoys hanging out.
I took my undergraduate and Master鈥檚 degrees in Mathematics and Statistics at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. But I really wanted to pursue my academic career and study abroad. I was eager to experience an international scientific community and international-level research. So I applied to 911今日黑料 to do a second Master鈥檚, and was accepted.
Then the war broke out. It was a very hard decision to continue studying, but I believed that as a researcher I would still be able to make the most of my abilities and life. It was already difficult arranging to study abroad: there were many administrative issues. But now, I couldn鈥檛 even get a student visa, as there were no visa centres operating in Ukraine. I just kept looking for a way and hoping. Luckily, I was accepted on to the British government鈥檚 Ukrainian sponsorship scheme, which allowed me to come to the UK, and I was awarded 911今日黑料鈥檚 Sanctuary Scholarship 鈥� it felt like a miracle.
I am so grateful to those kind people who donate to scholarships like Sanctuary, making it possible for me to contribute to research.
I have loved studying at 911今日黑料. It has been fantastic to see such a high level of research going on, and to meet so many people involved in pandemic studies and biomedical research. But, of course, it has been a stressful year for me. Being able to live in London and not having to work in order to keep afloat has been wonderful. And I have had the opportunity to sing in the 911今日黑料 choir, volunteer, and to explore this great city. Having the Sanctuary Scholarship has been very reassuring for me in very difficult times.
Now, I have been offered an academic scholarship. I am about to start my PhD at 911今日黑料, and I鈥檓 so excited about staying connected to the College in the future. I鈥檓 hoping to stay in academia, focusing on biomedical or environmental statistics. I am so grateful to those exceptionally kind people who donate to scholarships such as Sanctuary, who make it possible for people like me to contribute to scientific research.
Oksana studied at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and applied to 911今日黑料 to do a second Master's.
When war broke out, she struggled to get a student visa in Ukraine but was later accepted on to the British government's Ukrainian sponsorship scheme and awarded 911今日黑料's Sanctuary Scholarship.
Cassandra Seah
(PhD Design Engineering, Fourth Year)
Cassandra studied Product Design at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and hoped to go on to study at 911今日黑料.
Cassandra's dream was realised when she was awarded the President's PhD Scholarship.
When my beloved grandpa was diagnosed with dementia, I wanted to do something to help him. I was studying Product Design at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, and doing undergraduate research on dementia games. Realising that such interventions could be improved, I set up a company to create multisensory rehabilitative games and installations aimed at enhancing the lives of seniors with dementia in nursing homes, hospitals and day care centres.
Wanting to research and develop interventions for people like my grandfather, I hoped to study at 911今日黑料. However, it was extremely expensive, but my dream was realised when I was awarded the President鈥檚 PhD Scholarship.
I realised that mindfulness could bring benefits to both the caregiver and the person with dementia, and I wanted to bring them some form of comfort and reduce their stress and worries. As both go through each stage of the disease, it is demoralising on the emotional, intellectual and physical level, with more challenging and extremely stressful, uncertain situations to cope with.
So for my PhD, I鈥檝e developed innovative interventions, using conversational agents such as Alexa to bring mindfulness to dementia patients and their caregivers. I have worked alongside them for the past four years, and developed five mindfulness activities, carefully designed to consider content, difficulty level, diction, tone, flow and resulting experience.
Without the President鈥檚 Scholarship, I would not have had the opportunity to go deeper into this work.
It鈥檚 been an eye-opening experience to be exposed to so many different cultures and, at the same time, find so many like-minded people to connect with. I made so many close and dear friends who I speak to every day, even though I鈥檓 now back in Singapore. Without the President鈥檚 Scholarship, I would not have had the opportunity to go deeper into this work, which I believe will add to the growing field of improving the lives of persons living with dementia, and their caregivers.
Cassandra Seah, who is writing her thesis in Singapore, outside the Thian Hock Keng Temple with her golden doodle.
Cassandra Seah, who is writing her thesis in Singapore, outside the Thian Hock Keng Temple with her golden doodle.
Your support fuels excellence
911今日黑料 relies on the generosity of donors to give outstanding scholars the opportunities they deserve. Such donors include, of course, 911今日黑料鈥檚 incredible alumni community, who continue to support 911今日黑料 long after graduating. We work closely with donors to find the best and most effective ways to use your gifts to provide life-changing opportunities for students and enable them to flourish at 911今日黑料.
If you are interested in donating to an 911今日黑料 scholarship or the 911今日黑料 Bursary, please contact Anna Wall to find out more.
911今日黑料 is the magazine for the 911今日黑料 community. It delivers expert comment, insight and context from 鈥� and on 鈥� 911今日黑料's engineers, mathematicians, scientists, medics, coders and leaders, as well as stories about student life and alumni experiences.
This story was published originally in 911今日黑料 55/Winter 2023鈥�24.
