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Matt our second Rhodes Scholar for 2005

2005 Rhodes Scholar Matt Wenham
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Wednesday, 1 December 2004

ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide graduate Matt Wenham has become the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥'s second Rhodes Scholar this year - making it the third year in a row the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ has produced two Rhodes Scholars.

Matt, 23, was last night announced as one of five Rhodes Scholars for ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ at Large for 2005 at a special ceremony in Canberra. The scholarship enables him to head to Oxford ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ in the UK next year, where he will begin a D.Phil (PhD) in Biomedical Science.

The Rhodes is one of the world's most prestigious scholarships, and is offered annually in every State in ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥, plus five for ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ at Large. In October, ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ Law and Science graduate Hannah Tonkin was announced as the South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n Rhodes Scholar for 2005.

Matt, who is the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥'s 98th Rhodes Scholar in the 101 years of the scholarship, graduated from the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide in 2003 with an Honours degree in Science, specialising in biochemistry. He is now based in Melbourne where he is a researcher at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

"I congratulate Matt on his outstanding achievement - it is never easy to win an At Large Rhodes Scholarship because you are up against the very best students from across the country," ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide Vice-Chancellor Professor James McWha says.

"This is the third year in a row that the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide has produced two Rhodes Scholars, which I believe is an exceptional achievement. I would be more than happy to have just one Rhodes Scholar in a year, and to continually produce two is just outstanding.

"It further demonstrates the qualities and potential of the young women and men who choose to study at the ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ of Adelaide."

Matt went to high school at Brighton Secondary School, and has previously been a Vice-President of the Youth Affairs Council of SA and President of the Adelaide Chapter of the Young Scientists of ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥. He has refereed soccer in the South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n State and Premier League competitions, and is also a musician and singer. In 2003 he received a Centenary Medal for his services to youth affairs.

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