Canterbury’s student earns Rhodes scholarship

Canterbury’s fifth student in five consecutive years to earn a Rhodes scholarship

November 16, 2014

When University of Canterbury physics student Hadleigh Frost heads to Oxford University next year, he will be the fifth Canterbury student in five years to earn a Rhodes doctoral studies scholarship.

Frost follows Hamish Tomlinson, James Bonifacio, Andrew Dean and Ryan Manton who were all elected Rhodes scholars in recent successive years.

This is an outstanding achievement for the University of Canterbury as it highlights the quality of its students and the fact they can get access to one of the best universities in the world for postgraduate study. It is only the third time since 1904 for a New Zealand university to have a student awarded a Rhodes scholarship in five consecutive years.

Frost, a former Halswell Primary School and Lincoln High School student, will be studying theoretical physics at Oxford.

``In recent years, mathematicians and physicists have joined forces and made remarkable progress in understanding quantum field theories. These theories describe the smallest particles that we know about. I hope to contribute to these developments,’’ he says.

``While at Lincoln, I received the Len Basser prize for leadership in science at the International Science School in Sydney. That was a great honour and it is still an encouragement to me. I was also a New Zealand qualifications Authority premier scholar.

``Two years ago I won the inaugural Eureka! Sir Paul Callaghan Award for young science orators. University of Canterbury has continued to do well in these awards. I am very grateful for this opportunity and I look forward to working at Oxford.

``I have been lucky at the University of Canterbury to receive a generous amount of support from the College of Science and from the people in the physics department.’’

Canterbury’s 2013 Rhodes Scholar James Bonifacio says the experience learning and researching at Oxford has been fantastic.

``The academic experience is great. I've learnt a lot and have met many inspiring researchers. It's also a great social experience to be part of a college and you're able to interact with a diverse group of amazing people through university societies and the Rhodes community. I'm sure Hadleigh will thrive here."

Two other Rhodes candidates from Canterbury, Lara Sweetapple and Arion Pons, reached the last eight students to be considered for the prestigious scholarship.

ENDS

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