THE NEW THATCHER SCHOLARS

Zoë Campbell

Charles Powell Thatcher Scholar BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Home for me is a small village in Dorset where I attended the local state school. I spent part of my childhood in Kenya, which opened my eyes to the extremes of social and economic inequality, and also to my relative privilege. This early experience, combined with my studies of how societies develop politically and economically, motivated me to understand what causes inequality and how to tackle it. I believe my degree is a great stepping stone for this goal as it gives me a broad understanding of how the world works, exploring the role of governments, economic systems, communities and cultures and how they interact. I am particularly interested in international relations and in environmentally sustainable and socially-just economic models. In the future I am keen to explore how different sectors address inequality, including academia, government, NGOs, and the private sector, so I can get a sense of which would best help me to fulfil my aspirations. In my spare time I enjoy playing for the college rounders team as joint captain, painting and going to charity shops. I am extremely grateful for the scholarship and the opportunities it offers to support me in my efforts to tackle inequality.

Holly Cobain

Michael Bishop Foundation Thatcher Scholar BA Modern Languages (German, and Russian)

I grew up in a rural area of Northern Ireland, where I discovered a passion for modern languages while attending my local grammar school. I was particularly drawn to German as I was fascinated by the logical nature of its grammar, alongside the endless nuances of learning to speak another language fluently. I was always intrigued by the Russian language and the Cyrillic alphabet, so I decided to study Russian ab initio at university. I am currently on my year abroad in Estonia, taking part in a Russian language course, where I am gaining a valuable insight into the impact of the war in Ukraine on relations between Europe and Russia. I am particularly interested in translation and the role of language in facilitating communication on both an individual and international level. Outside of my studies, I enjoy spending time outdoors, listening to music, and playing the piano. I have also been involved in several cross-community projects in Northern Ireland. I am proud to be a Thatcher Scholar and I am extremely grateful to Lord Glendonbrook for giving me the opportunity to realise my full potential and engage with my local community and the wider world.

George Seager Michael Bishop Foundation Thatcher Scholar BA Classics

I grew up in a small town in Suffolk. My exposure to the classical world was practically non-existent until sixth form, when a chance decision to attend a taster session led to me discovering my passion for ancient history. Since then, I have thrown myself into the subject, discovering here at Somerville that my greatest interest lies in late Republican Rome and its judicial processes, as well as the study of the Latin language, topics which my degree has given me ample opportunity to explore in depth. The lack of opportunity for me to study Classics when I was young has led me to be deeply passionate about access and outreach work, and I hope to contribute to helping others from underprivileged backgrounds to discover a wonderful subject which they might otherwise never even consider as a possibility. Outside of academia, I am also an avid writer, managing a writing group here at Somerville which meets once a week to discuss one another’s work. I am honoured to have been chosen to receive this scholarship and am deeply grateful to Lord Glendonbrook for funding my education. I hope to make the most of the opportunity that has been provided to me to pursue excellence in all that I do, academic or otherwise.

Ming Song Oh

Lee Kuan Yew - Thatcher Scholar

BA Law

I read law at the National University of Singapore for a year before coming to Somerville. Only a handful of my extended family have ever pursued higher education, so I had no one to approach about it. I chose the subject because I am fascinated by how it sits at the junction of multiple intertwining disciplines. I also studied Law in order to help the underprivileged in the form of pro-bono work. Serving the community and helping others has always been close to my heart. In junior college I led a project giving academic support to students across Singapore from under-privileged backgrounds, and I was also Project Director of the NUS Law Golden Years Project 2022, where I led a team of 25 students to educate the elderly on wills, lasting power of attorneys, and the CPF nomination scheme. I will use my degree to help those who cannot afford legal aid so that justice is truly accessible to all. Outside of work, I enjoy chess, badminton, and going on food hunts. I am looking forward to trying out the different sports and clubs that both Somerville and the university have to offer. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity; as the second Lee Kuan Yew-Thatcher scholar, I will do my best to protect the rights of the marginalised and promote access to justice.

Xiya Yu

Ng Teng Fong Thatcher Scholar

BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics

My name is Xiya Yu, a first year PPE student in Somerville College. Social sciences have always been my passion, and I am truly grateful for being able to study my favourite subjects here with the support from MTST. I grew up in Hunan, a province in South Central China. Since I was a child, I have always been interested in reading and thinking. My enthusiasm for social sciences continued to grow in high school as I joined the school debate team and Model United Nations. Therefore, studying the three different yet internally related subjects is definitely the most exciting thing for me entering university, since I can listen to past thinkers in depth through reading, communicate ideas with extraordinary teachers and like-minded fellows, and explore the problems that have long been haunting my mind. Throughout my three-year study here, I hope to improve academic and critical thinking skills, which I believe would be invaluable for my future career and lifelong development.

Achraf Brahim

Qatar Thatcher Scholar

MSt Late Antique & Byzantine Studies

Originally from Tunisia, I have studied in Lebanon, the USA and France. I graduated with a BA in History from the American University in Beirut, where my work was focused on Middle Eastern (mainly Islamic) history. While working towards a minor in Semitic Studies, I was introduced to the rich realm of Syriac literature and the diverse traditions of Christian communities under Islamic rule. I was taken aback by the voices of Syriac authors who often produced counter-narratives to mainstream Abbasid historiography, and went on to research the role of Syrian Melkite communities in the flow of historiographical material between the Caliphate and Byzantium. Following my undergraduate studies, I had the opportunity to expand my knowledge of Eastern Christian traditions studying at the EPHE in Paris. At Oxford, I hope to research the impact of the Byzantine reconquest of Antioch on the Melkite Church in northwest Syria and the local translation movement of Greek religious literature into Arabic and Syriac. In my spare time, I enjoy cycling and hiking as well as sketching and visiting museums. I am grateful and honoured to continue my academic journey and join Somerville’s dynamic community as a Qatar Thatcher Scholar.

Dayin Wijaya

Oxford Qatar Thatcher Scholar

MPhil Economics

Before coming to Oxford, I graduated cum laude from NYU Abu Dhabi on a fully funded scholarship. I undertake empirical, data-driven research with a focus on labour economics and international trade. My undergraduate thesis explored the effects of lower trade barriers on upskilling in Indonesia, earning a distinction. I applied my knowledge as an intern across the private and public sectors, including as an analyst in venture capital; driving customer analytics and business development at startups in New York and Jakarta; and conducting market research at the U.S. Commercial Service in Abu Dhabi. As child from a low-income household in rural Indonesia, I am deeply invested in efforts to democratize access to education. In 2018, I spoke at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Boston about the importance of educating economically disadvantaged students, drawing on my own experiences as a recipient of two high school scholarships in Indonesia and the Netherlands. Education is not a fruitless act of charity; it is a long-term investment that can spur growth and foster community development. I continue to mentor first-generation students applying to universities, and to serve on a committee to nominate students for scholarships overseas.

Harrison Nicholls

Clarendon Oxford Thatcher Scholar

DPhil Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary (AOP) Physics

My research focuses on the chemistry and dynamics of atmospheres on planets outside the solar system. These are complex environments that we can only indirectly measure, so having a comprehensive understanding of the processes involved is important for accurate characterisations. More specifically, I have developed cutting edge computer models to account for certain interactions between a star and its planets. This is particularly relevant following the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope and all of the exciting data it will bring us. Working within the Astrophysics department during my masters allowed me to be involved with the questions and people on the forefront of the field and make critical connections within the astrophysics community. My new home within the Atmospheric Physics department here in Oxford provides me with the opportunity to learn more about this rapidly growing area of study and hone my research while working alongside world-leading experts. In my free time, I enjoy rock climbing. Approaching each climb is like solving a puzzle with its own crux which often requires significant thought to solve most optimally, not dissimilar to some problems in Physics. I am so grateful for all the opportunities made available to me thanks to my Clarendon Oxford Thatcher Scholarship.

Giuseppe Di Pietra

Clarendon Oxford Thatcher Scholar

DPhil Atomic and Laser Physics

I come from a small town in the hills of central Sicily. My passion for physics started at high school, where I became fascinated by the elegance and precision with which it allows us to understand a complex and unpredictable world. After my Bachelor’s degree in Physics at the University of Catania, I did an International Masters in the Physics of Complex Systems at the Politecnico di Torino and the Université de Paris. My DPhil research focuses on Quantum Information Theory, studying the information-theoretical foundations of systems in biological entities made of a subsystem that fully obeys quantum theory interacting with a macroscopic component with many degrees of freedom (a complex system). In my spare time, I enjoy playing tennis and table tennis, watching movies, TV shows and motorsport (I’m an avid Ferrari fan!), and reading. I am also interested history, European and United Kingdom monarchies in particular. I’m honoured to have been awarded this prestigious scholarship. I hope to make the most of my studies and career thanks to the community of brilliant fellow Thatcher Scholars and Somervillians!

Oxford Qatar Thatcher Scholar

DPhil Engineering

I grew up in Tripoli, a beautiful city in north Lebanon. With hard work and my parents’ encouragement, I graduated high school as one of the top five students in Lebanon and received the CNRS scholarship to study Electrical Engineering at the Lebanese American University (LAU). I developed my passion for Communications Engineering while working as a Research Assistant with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at LAU, which led to a Masters degree in the field and now my doctoral studies at Oxford. In my spare time, I enjoy walking and playing volleyball with my siblings and cousins. Previously, I was a member of the IEEE club and the Artificial intelligence club at LAU. I was involved in different activities through them including tutoring sessions, introductory sessions to programming and artificial intelligence, and research directing sessions to present work to younger university students. I also volunteered as a proctor for exams, and helped to teach the Control Systems laboratory course during the Fall 2021 semester. I am honoured to be a Thatcher Scholar and I am looking forward to making the most of the great opportunities that it offers me in the next few years.

Scholar New S

» Sarafina Otis (2020, Medicine, Margaret Thatcher Scholar) achieved the 2nd highest overall performance in the University 2nd year medical exams.

» Reyam Remmahi (2021, DPhil English, Oxford Qatar Thatcher Scholar) has been volunteering as an editor for the studentrun, peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary journal Oxford Middle East Review

» Zoë Campbell (2021, BA PPE, Charles Powell Thatcher Scholar) interned in water policy research with Dr Hussam Hussein, Executive Director of Partnerships for Development at the Royal Scientific Society, Jordan.

» Caitlin Kelly (2020, BA English, Giles and Ann Currie Thatcher Scholar) gained experience in the archives of four Cambridge colleges organised by the Programme Director. She has received an offer for Oxford’s MSt in English Literature.

» Luca Ricci (2020, DPhil Ancient History, Oxford Thatcher Scholar) spent 3 months at the British School in Rome as a Pelham Scholar. He carried out research at the sites of Tivoli and Lanuvio, and curated an exhibition at a local museum.

A Lumni New S

» Kate House (2016, BA English, Qatar Thatcher Scholar) has been working pro-bono with firms including the Toynbee Advice Clinic and Maternity Action during her training contract with Allen & Overy.

» Isobel Hettrick (2015, BA PPE, Michael Bishop Foundation Thatcher Scholar) joined Autonomous Research in December 2022 to lead coverage of the European Asset Management sector.

» Anna Gee’s (2017, MBiol Biology, Thatcher Scholar) PhD research at Imperial College continues with field work in the Yucatan Peninsula with the climate justice and forest restoration charity Plant-for-the-Planet.

» Will Sargent (2015, Graduate Entry Medicine, Margaret Thatcher Scholar) continues his work as an army doctor. He has published research in Clinical Radiology and Injury this year, and has a third article in review.

» Malak Al-Shaikhali (2018, MSc Immunology, Oxford Qatar Thatcher Scholar) is teaching immunology at the Medical School in Gaza and supervising medical students in clinical settings.

Jessica Mannix Trust Director

The number of Thatcher Scholars studying at Somerville rose this year to 28, our largest cohort yet. One thing helping the growth in our ranks was the assistance of the prestigious Clarendon Scholarships. By parterning with them this year, we were able to award scholarships to not just one talented physicist, but two - a plus all round! Some of our graduate students have needed to extend their studies owing to the interruption of their research by the pandemic, also contributing to the number.

There is a real sense of community among the Thatcher Scholars, which was on full display at our tea party event last summer (pg. 10). Some of our undergraduate scholar alumni have stayed on at Somerville to undertake graduate studies, and continue to remain engaged with the Trust and their peers, such as Althea Sovani (pg. 15).

Along with two of our trustees, Stephen Sherbourne and Clara Freeman, we all got together over lunch at the beginning of term which allowed the new scholars to meet the ‘old hands’, for Stephen and Clara to talk with the scholars, and for shared interests and ideas to be exchanged. Across the table at lunch, I heard physicists and linguists animatedly talking about their subjects, and English graduates sharing ideas with their undergraduate counterparts. These intellectual exchanges bring a rewarding depth to the students’ academic experience, not just among the Thatcher Scholars, but across the Somervillian student body as a whole.

The community of Thatcher Scholars is now a truly interdisciplinary one, and spans the divisions, degree levels, and years. I am excited to see how it continues to grow in the years to come.