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Fulbright Science and Innovation Graduate Awardee Cam Birchall '07
Wednesday, 27 February 2019
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The Fulbright Science and Innovation Graduate Award is an annual award, given to promising New Zealand students looking to undertake postgraduate study or research at universities in the United States. Eight awards are granted each year to the value of up to NZD$40,000 for up to one year of study, with students able to use it towards a Masters or a PhD programme in the areas of Science and Innovation. Cam Birchall '07 was one of 10 recipients in 2018 and is using his award towards his PhD in Economics, studying at the University of California, Davis. However, Cam was based overseas when he applied for the award and could not be interviewed in person, but he remembers how his supervisor actually considered flying him back home to boost his chances. "I was quite surprised to see I passed the first round. Obviously finally hearing I was successful was a bit of a rush of emotions." Naturally, his parents were thrilled about the news - although multiple time zones meant Cam could not get a hold of them for over 12 hours. "In the end, when I finally got them on the phone I think I had calmed down a little bit, so they were a bit surprised I wasn't as ecstatic as them!" Cam completed his Bachelor of Science from Victoria University of Wellington in 2014, before receiving his Master of Science from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium. For his PhD topic at Davis, Cam will model how large fishing firms may influence New Zealand’s markets for fishing rights, considered one of the most sophisticated environmental rights markets in the world. Once he completes his PhD, Cam will be looking to find a role that "strikes a very good balance of applied, relevant work, and fundamental research", working for a company that "would play to his strengths", such as independent policy research institute Motu, based in Wellington. Motu is the top-ranked research organisation in the country, and two of its senior fellows are also Old Boys - Dr David Maré '75 and Dr Arthur Grimes '70. At Grammar, Cam was named as captain of the 1st XI Hockey team in 2011, and still keeps an eye on the team from afar. "I still like to check up on the teams every now and then when a big game is coming up. I think little things like this have endured a bit more than I originally expected. I didn’t think I would still be watching out for Grammar eight years on!" Although he did not study Economics while at Grammar, Cam was taught to "work towards whatever goal I considered important" which influenced him more than the specific classes he took, and this is sound advice he wants to pass on to current students. "Despite what you may think once you are in Form 7, you actually have plenty of time to discover what you are good at and what you enjoy. If you can take this time then I promise you will be more successful and more importantly happier in whatever pursuit you eventually choose." |