Justin Wei has been chosen by his peers as the winner of the Bill Gates Sr. Prize 2026
My time as a Scholar has been transformative…No community has been more important to me during my PhD than Gates itself. My own Orientation was a masterclass in how care can be a powerful guiding ethos, which inspired me to dive in headfirst.
Justin Wei
The 2026 Bill Gates Sr. Prize for outstanding scholars who embody the mission and values of Gates Cambridge has been awarded to Justin Wei.
The prize was established by the Gates Cambridge Trustees in June 2012 in recognition of the late Bill Gates Sr.’s role in establishing the Gates Cambridge Scholarship programme, being a Trustee and engaging with, and inspiring, many generations of Gates Cambridge Scholars.
Announced at the graduation dinner on Friday, it allows Scholars to recognise the impact and contribution to the Scholar community of their peers, with particular reference to the Scholarship’s selection criteria – academic excellence, potential for leadership and commitment to improving the lives of others.
Justin ticks every box. His PhD is in the critical emerging domain of Black British history. His work examining how cultural production, queer intersectionality and high politics operated as key arenas for interracial solidarity has taken him to conferences in the UK and abroad, including the field-leading North American Conference on British Studies. His work for a symposium dedicated to the knowledge of British Black Power is now being developed into a special issue for History Workshop Journal, a top radical history publication.
He has also taught and supervised over 70 undergraduate students across History, Politics and Economics and for two years he was Co-Convenor of the Cambridge World History Workshop, coordinating weekly seminars that cumulatively invited over 40 early-career researchers from around the world to present.
Community leadership
In addition to his academic work, Justin has shown his outstanding leadership qualities in his five roles on the Gates Cambridge Scholars Council, including as President. He has also been Communications Officer, Elections Officer, Internal Officer and Orientation Co-Director.
He took over as President at a crucial time for the scholarship, helping to foster a space of “radical support”. Together with the Trust, he and the Council successfully implemented significant financial uplift for Scholars, enabled greater financial autonomy for Council, revived stalled projects like The Scholar magazine and spearheaded the first major reform of the constitution since the Council’s founding.
In addition, Justin has found time to be Men’s Captain of the St Edmund’s College Boat Club, organising up to 10 training sessions per week and administering a ‘learn-to-row’ programme for over 30 people. Under his tenure, he delivered the strongest competitive racing results in the college’s history, winning the 2024-2025 award for best college performance in Cambridge.
He says: “My time as a Scholar has been transformative…No community has been more important to me during my PhD than Gates itself. My own Orientation was a masterclass in how care can be a powerful guiding ethos, which inspired me to dive in headfirst.
“One of my most special Gates memories will always be the 2024 Welcome Event I organised in Hong Kong. Serendipitously, the dinner brought together two Scholars-elect and an alum from the inaugural class. I remember fondly the sense of old and new colliding, of energy, excellence, and possibility. These moments of connection make Gates Cambridge one-of-a-kind; long may this community flourish.”
Forward-looking
One of his nominators stated: “Justin’s level of contribution is notable in both scale and consistency. His work for the Council has required sustained effort across multiple roles, often resembling a full-time commitment alongside his academic responsibilities. Throughout, he has maintained a high professional standard, ensuring that each initiative was carefully planned and effectively delivered.”
Another said: “Justin’s commitment to improving the lives of others is evident in his profound engagement with the Gates Cambridge community…As President, he prioritised ensuring that all scholars felt proud of and safe within the community, championing inclusive programming and advocating effectively for financial support in response to scholar concerns.
“Crucially, his leadership has been forward-looking. His emphasis on sustainability and institutional strengthening ensures that his contributions will have a lasting impact on future cohorts. Taken together, Justin Wei exemplifies the Gates Cambridge criteria through his intellectual excellence, transformative leadership, and unwavering commitment to community.”
