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2016 Global Winners

Jia Shuo (John) Zhou

University of British Columbia
Business

Alicia Núñez García

University of Edinburgh
Classical Studies & Archaeology

Philipp Heckmann-Umhau

University of Cambridge
Built Environment

David Evans

University of Southampton
Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sciences

Tomas Higgins

Dublin Institute of Technology
Computer Science

Wayne Egan

Institute of Technology, Sligo
Earth & Environmental
Sciences

Danielle Dobos

Stanford University
Economics

Angelica Ng

Nanyang Technological University
Education

Fang Shengrong

Nanyang Technological University
Engineering

Ke Meng (Mary) Wang

Western University
Languages & Linguistics

Jacqueline Williams

Australian National University
Law

Naoise Dolan

Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin
Literature: English

Stephen Cox

Trinity College Dublin
Literature: Non-English

Jamie Hargreaves

University of Manchester
Mathematics & Physics

Maniragav Manimaran

University College London
Medical Sciences

Ilpo Hirvonen

University of Helsinki
Philosophy

Natalia Beghin

University of Manchester
Politics & International Relations

Jonathan Tan

Nanyang Technological University
Psychology

Caroline Breeden

University of Leeds
Social Science: Sociology & Social Policy

Eoin O’Leary

Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin
Social Science: Anthropology & Cultural Studies

Mohammed Sami Al Amili

Ulster University
Visual Arts & Design

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Jia Shuo (John) Zhou

Business
University of British Columbia

Winning Paper: Momentum Strategies: Returns From Trend-Following, Data-snooping, and Market Efficiency

Jia Shuo (John) is a graduate of the University of British Columbia, where he received a double major degree in honours Economics and Mathematics.

John is very interested in econometrics, quantitative financial modeling, machine learning, and artificial intelligence in the field of finance. Previously, John has interned at an investment bank in China called China Merchant Securities, where he was able to gain insight through hands-on experience.

In the future, John hopes to pursue a career in hedge funds in the investment management industry. In his spare time, John enjoys snowboarding, golf, and basketball. Since the completion of his undergraduate degree, John is working towards completing his Masters in Financial Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.

Alicia Núñez García

Classical Studies & Archaeology
University of Edinburgh

Winning Paper: Modern appropriation of past material culture: fostering ‘soft’ nationalisms in Mediterranean Europe through meaning, memory, and identity

Alicia graduated with first-class honours in Ancient Mediterranean Civilisations. She has undergone diverse archaeological fieldwork throughout Europe ranging from the Mesolithic to postmedieval times. She has also completed a community archaeology placement with Archaeology Scotland and attended a course on Greek archaeology with the British School at Athens.

She is currently pursuing a postgraduate MA in Experimental Archaeology at the University of Exeter, Alicia is hoping to integrate this hands-on approach with her research interests in outreach, public archaeology and theoretical issues – including symmetrical theory, questions of materiality, and queer and feminist theory. Alicia is also an avid capoerista, an aspiring writer and an enthusiast of idealism.

Philipp Heckmann-Umhau

Built Environment
University of Cambridge

Winning Paper: Stadtbildung-Bildungsstadt: The Transformation of Munich under Ludwig I of Bavaria (1786-1868)

Philipp is a Graduate student of Economics at King’s College, Cambridge, having completed his BA with Double First Class Honours in 2016. His architectural work has been awarded both the Purcell Prize, and the Jill Rickers Award.

As a designer, Philipp tried to address urban issues such as rising living cost, public health and sustainability. Having focused on the politics of urban planning and design, Philipp has become interested in an economic reading of the built environment, which has been his motivation to pursue his current studies of Economics.

Philipp has been supervised by Maximilian Sternberg, Nicholas Bullock, Hanna Weibye and Stefan Muthesius. He is a scholar of King’s College in Cambridge, of the German Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes, and of the Hamburg based Sutor Trust. Philipp has worked and interned for organisations as varied as the National Trust of England, Savills and BNP Paribas Real Estate.

David Evans

Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sciences
University of Southampton

Winning Paper: Exploring organoboron catalysis in the N-formylation of amines and development of a one-pot pathway to access isonitriles

David is a chemist from the University of Southampton who has been involved in organic chemistry research for a number of years during his undergraduate studies.

Having established an early relationship with Professor David Harrowven, he secured a prestigious Nuffield Undergraduate Research bursary, and has worked closely with him on a number of projects including the total synthesis of an anti-Alzheimer’s compound. His later work overseas at the ENSICAEN research facility in Normandy, saw the development of a new chemical pathway to catalytically and quantitatively access formamides that employed ‘green chemistry’ principles and a novel organoboron catalyst that was developed in-house.

David graduated with first class honours in 2016 and received the faculty gold medal award. His original research from ENSICAEN was graded at over 90% – the highest undergraduate mark seen for many years’. David is now embarking on a PhD with Professor Bruno Linclau at Southampton, funded by Dextra Laboratories.

Tomas Higgins

Computer Science
Dublin Institute of Technology

Winning Paper: Identifying Mood by Analysing Keystroke Dynamics

Tomas recently graduated with a first class honours degree in Computer Science from Dublin Institute of Technology.

In April 2016, Tomas won an award for the most innovative use of open data at DIT’s School of Computing Project Fair. He has an interest in developing projects which improve the way individuals interact with computers and smart technologies.

His research aims to investigate how the use of machine learning techniques can transform how computers are currently used. He currently works as a software engineer in Dublin City Centre.

Wayne Egan

Earth & Environmental Sciences
Institute of Technology, Sligo

Winning Paper: To assess the impact of the Bellawaddy River on the microbiological quality of the bathing waters of Enniscrone Beach, Co. Sligo, Ireland.

Wayne is a Graduate of the Institute of Technology, Sligo in North-West Ireland. He graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Management in 2015, achieving first class honours.

He also received a Governing Body Medal for achieving the highest grade in his programme. Wayne works for the Irish Environmental Protection Agency where he is a member of the Hydrometric and Groundwater Section. He has a large interest in the use of new technologies and specifically in telemetry.

Wayne is also interested in developing new synergies between hydrometric data and other data sets to increase the understanding of hydrological processes in, and between, catchments. Outside of work Wayne has a major interest in environmental history and in micro-toponymy in particular. He has written two books on the subject based on two depopulated areas in the north-west of Ireland.

Danielle Dobos

Economics
Stanford University

Winning Paper: Modeling the Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Labor Market Supply in the United States

Danielle Dobos is a recent graduate of Stanford University with a B.A. in Economics, and a minor in modern languages.

Her coursework focused on income inequality both in the United States and further afield, questioning equal access to education and healthcare. She has assisted with research projects examining a diverse array of economic affairs, from international monetary policy to development initiatives in Ghana, and most recently the labor market effects of United States Affordable Care Act (ACA) for her undergraduate honours thesis.

Since graduation, Danielle has been working as a consultant for the social impact consulting firm ‘Dalberg Development Advisors’ in San Francisco, but hopes to pursue a PhD in the near future. In her free time, Danielle enjoys cooking, running, and travel.

Angelica Ng

Education

Nanyang Technological University

 

Winning Paper: Comparing Cyberbullying Perpetration on Social Media between Primary and Secondary School Students

Angelica is currently a 4th year Psychology major in Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore.

In 2015, she emerged in the top 5% of her cohort and was placed on the Dean’s List. In 2016, she completed the Undergraduate Research Experience on Campus (URECA) programme in NTU and was awarded the title of NTU President Research Scholar with distinction. Her research interests lie in the fields of criminal, forensic and correctional psychology, and she hopes to secure a related career in the future.

Outside of school, Angelica actively engages in volunteer work at a dog shelter. In 2013 to 2015, Angelica was the Events Manager for the NTU Animal Lovers’ Society, and helped to organise the society’s first ever dog adoption drive. In addition, she also runs a horror-themed blog and communicates to over 40,000 followers worldwide.

Fang Shengrong

Engineering

Nanyang Technological University

Winning Paper:Development of Shape Memory Zirconia Particles and Powder Compacts

Fang Shengrong attained a Bachelor’s Degree from NTU, where he gained valuable skills and knowledge in Materials Science and Engineering, as well as hands-on technical work in NTU laboratories.

His major in Materials Sciences and Engineering provided the fundamentals to conduct reviews and updates on Materials Suitability Reviews and Equipment Strategies, ensuring equipment reliability.

In his personal life, he is an avid volunteer in various Voluntary Welfare Organizations (VWOs) in Singapore, serving the residents of nursing and children homes and helping the community at large. Based on past experiences being in the Main Volunteer Committee for VWOs, Fang Shengrong is an excellent team player and has a serious attitude towards work and life.

Ke Meng (Mary) Wang

Language & Linguistics
Western University

Winning Paper: Does developmental social pragmatic intervention for children with autism influence parent language use?

Mary is a student in the BMSc in Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences program at Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University.

An aspiring speech language pathologist, Mary is currently working with Dr. Janis Oram Cardy and Amanda Binns in the Autism Spectrum and Language Disorders lab to investigate parents supporting communication development in young children with autism spectrum disorder. Her research has formed the basis for a first-authored presentation at the Symposium for Research in Child Language Disorders (SRCLD) in Madison, Wisconsin, US. In addition, she has co-authored a poster with Donna L. Bandur at London Health Sciences Centre, accepted at the Academy of Aphasia’s 54th Annual Meeting in Llandudno, Wales, UK.

After completing her undergraduate degree in 2017, Mary will be pursuing a clinical master’s degree in speech language pathology, and has future plans to complete her PhD studying language disorders.

Jacqueline Williams

Law

Australian National University

Winning Paper: The Enforcement Regime of the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) under Chapter 7 of the Corporations Act: Reform Required

Jacqueline is a final year student at the Australian National University (ANU), studying a combined Bachelor of Asia-Pacific Studies degree, majoring in Chinese Studies, and a Bachelor of Laws degree with Honours.

Jacqueline has achieved impressive academic results, including being inducted into the Golden Key International Honour Society for placing in the top 15% of her cohort. Jacqueline has relished the opportunity to represent the ANU at a number of conferences and exchange programs, including at Nanjing University in China, the University of Toronto in Canada, and the National University of Singapore.

In addition to her academic studies, Jacqueline has demonstrated her leadership and passion for service through her volunteer positions on the Australian Capital Territory Rowing Board, ANU Sport Council, ANU Boat Club Committee, and participation in various community events. In her spare time, Jacqueline loves to be involved in sport.

Naoise Dolan

Literature: English
Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin

Naoise graduated in 2016 with a First Class BA in English from Trinity College Dublin, and also holds a Cambridge CELTA.

Her academic interests include political theory, sociolinguistics, narratology, postcolonial studies, and the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century novel. A freelance writer and illustrator, she has appeared in Buzzfeed UK, Feministing, Development Education, Bluestockings Magazine, and the Someone You Love pro-choice art exhibition.

She currently teaches early literacy in Hong Kong and is working on a novel.

Stephen Cox

Literature: Non-English
Trinity College Dublin

Winning Paper: Jorge Luis Borges and Translation: A Comparative Study of Translated Borges Stories in English

Stephen graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 2015, where he studied Spanish and French, achieving a distinction in Spoken Spanish.

He was actively involved in writing during his time in college; his short story ‘Michael Sparrow, the Author of Ulysses’ was nominated for Short Story of the Year at the 2015 Irish Student Media Awards. Stephen has also had articles and reviews published in The New Statesman and Totally Dublin magazine.

Since October 2015 he has been living in Lisbon, Portugal, where he works as an English teacher and continues to write fiction and articles. Having lived in Spain and Portugal, Stephen hopes to travel and live in as many countries, and to learn as many languages, as possible. He would like to pursue a career in writing, media or publishing.

Jamie Hargreaves

Mathematics and Physics
University of Manchester

Winning Paper: The Role of Anisotropy in Nonlinear Elastic Models of Skin

Jamie is a recent graduate of The University of Manchester, graduating with a Master’s Degree in Mathematics. Throughout the degree his interests have be found predominantly in the area of applied mathematics, thus leading to his choice of final year project, centring around the biomechanical properties of the skin.

Outside of university he enjoys reading and, recently, has taken an interest in political literature, particularly that pertaining to Anarchism and Libertarianism. He has enjoyed video games from a young age and also enjoys numerous podcasts and online shows. Additionally, he is passionate about music and has played the piano for a number of years.

Maniragav Manimaran

Medical Sciences
University College London

Winning Paper: Developing an ultrasound phantom using 3D printing for practicing minimally invasive intracardiac procedures.

Maniragav is a Medical Student at University College London and recently completed a BSc in Medical Physics and Bioengineering (First Class Honours).

Through working with the World Health Organisation as a Medical Technology and Innovation Intern, Maniragav helped to develop the 2016 Compendium of Innovative Health Technologies for Low-Resource Settings.

As the first Medical Student elected as President of the UCLU Entrepreneurs Society (UCLe), Maniragav led a team of 20 students to manage one of Europe’s largest enterprise societies encompassing over 3,700 online members. Having secured a record £12,000 in funding, he helped to manage the society’s venture capital Fund and invested in 8 UCL startups in 2015/16. Maniragav is a co-founder of Kickstart London, the first student-run pre-accelerator programme active across London universities.

In the future, Maniragav hopes to use his medical technology, business-strategy and start-up experience to address global healthcare inefficiencies.

Ilpo Hirvonen

Philosophy
University of Helsinki

Winning Paper: On the Interrelation between Phenomenology and Externalism

Ilpo Hirvonen completed his undergraduate degree in Theoretical Philosophy at the University of Helsinki in 2016 and is currently studying for his master’s degree there.

Ilpo’s main interests concern phenomenology, history of philosophy, philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, and particularly the philosophy of Edmund Husserl. Questions about the nature of consciousness, scientific knowledge, and the historical development of philosophy interest him the most. He is now working on his master’s thesis which studies the problematic relation between Husserl’s philosophy and realism. Ilpo Hirvonen is very interested in the divide between analytical philosophy and phenomenology as well as trying to look beyond it.

His other interests besides theoretical philosophy include aesthetics, comparative literature, and film studies, but he is primarily hoping to pursue post-graduate studies of philosophy in the future.

Natalia Beghin

Politics & International Relations

University of Manchester

 

Winning Paper: Perverting the Panopticon: Feminism, Peace, and the prospect of a ‘new totalitarianism’

Natalia is an Australian/French dual national currently studying a Masters of International Affairs at the Australian National University.

Her spoken languages include English, French, and Mandarin Chinese. Over the past three years, Natalia has been privileged to receive scholarships to study at Fudan, Yale, and Manchester Universities. In 2015, Natalia was honoured to be Highly Commended by the Undergraduate Awards in the fields of Economics, and Philosophy/Theology.This year, Natalia was also delighted to have been named the Undergraduate Awards’ Global Winner for International Relations/Political Science for her paper.

In addition to her studies, Natalia has a passion for aid and development, a sector in which she hopes to form her career. Her experiences working for the Institute of Economics and Peace on gender-based violence research, and the management consultancy firm Nous Group in Indigenous health policy have only strengthened her enthusiasm for this profession.

Jonathan Tan

Psychology

Nanyang Technological University

Winning Paper: Effects of Sleep on Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease

Jonathan has always been curious about the human mind and behaviour. This led to his decision to pursue a Psychology degree in Nanyang Technological University (NTU) after previously obtaining a Diploma in Computer Engineering from Temasek Polytechnic.

During his time at NTU, Jonathan was placed on the Dean’s List for four consecutive years and was also awarded the HSS Psychology Book Prize. He discovered his interest in research after he was invited to participate in the university’s undergraduate research programme as an NTU President Research Scholar during his second year. Jonathan also had the opportunity to present his works at the Asia-Pacific Conference on Vision and the Singapore Health and Biomedical Congress.

Jonathan recently graduated with a first class honours degree in Psychology. Following on from his research, Jonathan is keen to learn more about the world of sleep psychology.

Caroline Breeden

Social Science: Sociology & Social Policy

University of Leeds

 

Winning Paper: Critically assess how far ‘lad culture’ can be perceived as an example of a moral panic about youthful sexuality and behaviour.

Caroline is a Sociology graduate from the University of Leeds.

During her course, she developed a keen interest in childhood and youth studies and gender inequalities among young people in society. She also won the Arthur Royse Prize for best in Sociological Research Methods. Caroline thoroughly enjoyed her degree, especially the variety of topics offered throughout her four years at Leeds. Caroline’s most memorable and fulfilling experience while at university was having the opportunity to study at the University of Toronto for a year.

Caroline has volunteered with the Children’s Society, supporting young refugees, focusing on their academic goals but also helping them to grow in confidence. Finally, Caroline regularly attends the gym and her fitness goals keep her focused, dedicated and motivated.

Eoin O’Leary

Social Science: Anthropology & Cultural Studies

Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin

Winning Paper: Political action from spaces of bare life: Situating the figure of the refugee/asylum seeker in power analysis

Eoin recently graduated from Trinity College Dublin, with a First Class Honours degree in European Studies and two special awards for French language results and his research into the image of Europe in contemporary Russia. His studies in Dublin were complemented by two years studying abroad in Moscow State University and Sciences Po Paris.

Eoin is also an active member of the European Youth Parliament, and has worked in various capacities raising awareness of European affairs among young people around Europe. A keen poet, Eoin has also won several national poetry awards.

Mohammed Sami Al Amili

Visual Arts & Design

Ulster University

Winning Paper: Paintings

Sami lived his early adult years in war-torn Iraq surrounded by tension and the horror of daily bombings and assassinations.

Sami’s present paintings have elements inspired by the shape of symbols found in our everyday life; his paintings rely on memories. He tries to record the incidents as fragments moving in the paintings in many directions, giving the impression of breakage and destruction in the structure of his works.

He holds a Diploma of Fine Arts from the Institute of Fine Arts, Baghdad, Iraq, having graduated in 2004. He later graduated from Belfast School of Art, Ulster University with a BA Fine Art with First Class Honours Degree. Sami is currently studying MFA in Goldsmith, University of London.

Mohammed Sami has shown at a variety of galleries and had five solo shows, having participated in number of local and international group shows.