Young Architecture Champion wins Australia at Large Rhodes Scholarship

14 Dec 2011
Architecture graduate Angela Darby from the University of Melbourne has a passion for sustainability and design and hopes to bring these two disciplines together through her studies at Oxford University.

Angela has completed a Bachelor of Architectural Studies with the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning and will travel to the United Kingdom in 2012 as an Australia at Large Rhodes Scholarship winner.
While studying, Angela also found time to train and prepare for representing Australia in Modern Pentathalon at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. She continues to use this experience to mentor children and young people through a variety of community programs that encourage self-esteem and potential.
Angela’s commitment to the environment is reflected in the course she intends to undertake at Oxford University. By completing a Master of Science in Environmental Change and Management, she hopes to bring back innovative ideas to Victoria that will effect real change within our society’s understanding of sustainability.

Angela, whose major area of study has been sustainability at the University of Melbourne, said "I would hope to leave Oxford well-equipped and supported in my efforts to make a difference to the way we look at interfacing design and the environment. I am committed to environmentally sustainable and resilient design that can take into consideration the Australian climate and solar design. I want to work towards shifting paradigms of thinking so we can think about solar in all planning."

Congratulating Angela on the scholarship, Honorary Secretary of the Victorian Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee Professor James Angus, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, at the University of Melbourne, said all of the applicants had a strong commitment to addressing urgent problems facing the world at the end of the first decade of the 21st century.

"Working on solutions to address sustainability in global and local development are highly commendable aspirations which all the applicants described as personal motivators," Professor Angus said.

"I encourage all of them to pursue their dreams and put their educational, professional and community achievements to date to the best use possible. Angela has demonstrated a commitment to her environment and a passion for change."

The Rhodes Scholarship is awarded annually to young people aged 18 to 25 who show high intellectual and academic ability as well as an interest and involvement in the community and who demonstrate leadership qualities and sporting achievement.

Each year, nine Rhodes Scholarships are available for outstanding Australians to study at the University of
Oxford. One Rhodes Scholarship is offered in each of the States (NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA and TAS) and three for Australia At Large.