Two Gates Cambridge Scholars - Anwesha Lahiri and Stanley Onyemechalu - are sharing this year's Bill Gates Sr. Prize, nominated by their peers.
Anwesha and Stanley's work both academically and more broadly have made a big impact and both are very deserving recipients of the Bill Gates Sr. Prize. Their academic and community work is exceptional and they personify what it means to be a Gates Cambridge Scholar today.
Eilis Ferran
Two outstanding scholars who embody the mission and values of Gates Cambridge are sharing this year’s Bill Gates Sr. Prize.
Anwesha Lahiri [2021] and Stanley Onyemechalu [2021]were selected for the prize which 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 Scholarships, being a Trustee and engaging with, and inspiring, many generations of Gates Cambridge Scholars.
The award, announced at the graduation dinner on Thursday, allows Scholars to recognise the impact and contribution to the Scholar community of their peers, with particular reference to the Scholarship’s selection criteria.
Anwesha Lahiri
Anwesha’s nominees recognised her leadership both in terms of her research and her roles as Vice-President and President of the Gates Cambridge Scholars Council. One nominator spoke of how she “shines a spotlight on historically underrepresented groups and speaks directly to the Gates mission of improving lives through science and leadership”. Anwesha’s PhD in Medical Science at the MRC Epidemiology Unit explores the links between nutrition and cardiometabolic health in South Asians. She has published two articles in the Lancet since 2021 and garnered over 600 citations. She has also presented at major international conferences, including the American Heart Association. She was lead analyst on a multi-country collaboration with UNICEF, has run public health workshops in rural India and helped to coordinate an international seminar on diabetes.
Anwesha has also been recognised for her contribution to the Gates Cambridge community. She was elected Vice President of the Gates Cambridge Scholars Council in 2021 and subsequently stepped up to take over the presidency before being re-elected for the 2022-23 year, helping to steer the Council through the difficult Covid years and to rebuild a sense of community. During her time at the Council, a buddy system was initiated for new scholars, identity-based community groups were launched, the Learning for Purpose group was rebooted, a Diwali gala was added to the list of Council events and orientation training was expanded to include mental health, consent and diversity. Anwesha also led on anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies at the Council and advocated for more funding for scholars during the cost of living crisis.
In addition, Anwesha has promoted STEM subjects to underrepresented groups. She was project leader for Project EduAccess’ STEM workshops which aim to encourage students from minority groups to pursue a career in science and she has mentored students in rural India.
A nominator summed up her contribution, saying: “Anwesha has powerfully shaped the experiences of countless scholars and consistently uses her platform to drive systemic change. She exemplifies what it means to be a Gates scholar: [she is] intellectually exceptional, community-driven and impactful, while also being an approachable and kind human being.”
Stanley Onyemechalu
Stanley was nominated for his academic brilliance and community leadership. His interdisciplinary research on the cultural heritage of the Igbo and the enduring legacy of the Nigeria-Biafra war has made him a leader in the field of post-conflict heritage management in Africa. He has won many research grants, including one from the Royal Anthropological Institute, where he is a student fellow. He has published over 10 peer-reviewed articles, including three since becoming a Gates Cambridge Scholar, and has been invited to contribute to chapters in prestigious edited volumes.
Stanley founded the Legacies of Biafran Heritage Project in 2022 to encourage intergenerational dialogue and to educate people about a history which has been suppressed. This led to him being chosen as runner-up for the Cambridge Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Research Impact and Engagement in 2024 and earned him the Best Student Presentation Prize at the 2023 International Seminar on Heritage Interpretation and Presentation for Future Generations at Vrije University, Amsterdam.
At Gates Cambridge, Stanley was elected community officer of the Scholars Council. He was also President of the Cambridge University Nigerian Society and books review editor of the Archaeological Review for Cambridge [ARC] whose November 2023 volume he co-edited. He has been a guest lecturer, supervisor and teaching assistant at the University’s Department of Archaeology and a mentor on the Cambridge Africa Mentorship programme. He has also volunteered to help new Black students in Cambridge. In addition, he co-convenes the Heritage and Colonialism Discussion Group at the University and the PhD ‘Heritage Lab’.
One of his nominators said: “I fervently believe that Stanley’s extraordinary academic accomplishments, impactful leadership and fervent commitment to enhancing the lives of others make him an exemplary candidate for the Bill Gates Sr. Prize.”
Another praised his “dedication, diligence and stellar intelligence”, saying he was simply the best scholar he had ever co-authored an article with.
Eilis Ferran, Provost of the Gates Cambridge Trust, said: “Anwesha and Stanley are very deserving recipients of the Bill Gates Sr. Prize. Their academic and community work is exceptional and they personify what it means to be a Gates Cambridge Scholar today. We look forward to seeing what they will do next as we celebrate 25 years of the Gates Cambridge ripple effect.”
