Another Rosehill old boy attains Rhodes Scholarship honour

Five months after applying for a Rhodes Scholarship, Auckland University graduate Richard Beal found himself fielding questions from a panel of very distinguished individuals in Wellington this week.

Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright and Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard were among the group who interviewed the 22-year-old and six other candidates on the shortlist for the prestigious Oxford University scholarships.

Dame Silvia announced the three winners immediately after the interviews, reading the list in alphabetical order.

Mr Beal's name came first.

"I figured if I wasn't first, I was screwed," the former dux of Rosehill College in Papakura joked from his parents' home in Karaka last night.

Chelsea Payne of Lower Hutt and Sixiao Xu of Christchurch were the other winners.

Mr Beal, who has a degree in chemical and materials engineering, is the second former Rosehill College student to win a Rhodes Scholarship in the past two years. Glenn Goldsmith won in 2003.

Mr Beal plans to use his scholarship to do a three-year DPhil in Oxford's Department of Materials Science, beginning in October.

A member of Greenpeace, he is interested in sustainable energy technologies. His research will focus on third-generation photo voltaics, or solar cells.

The first two generations of solar cells were made with silicon. The latest generation use titanium dioxide, making them cheaper and easier to produce.

Ms Payne, who has law and arts degrees from Victoria University, plans to do a bachelor of civil law followed by a MPhil in Law. Her goal is a legal career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Mr Xu is a Harvard graduate and the former dux of St Andrew's College in Christchurch. He wants to do an MPhil in economics and pursue a public service career, starting at the Reserve Bank or Treasury.

Rhodes Scholarships were created by British imperialist Cecil Rhodes. They have been awarded annually since 1903 on the basis of academic and personal achievement.

 

Mr Beal's Rhodes Scholarship will cover his course and college fees at Oxford, leaving about $30,000 for living expenses, or "booze and haircuts" as he puts it.

He is excited about living in a place steeped in history and further pursuing hobbies, including badminton and theatre.

He also wants to join the Oxford chapter of Engineers Without Borders, an organisation similar to Medecins sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) that helps people in developing countries.

His goal is to return to New Zealand well-versed in solar-cell technology so he can implement sustainable energy projects here.

But it depends on who he meets.

"I might find a hot English wife who doesn't want to leave England, but if I have my way, I'll be back."