Allison Kindig, a University of Iowa graduating senior from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been awarded a 2015 Gates Cambridge Scholarship.

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship program, which supports one of the most prestigious fellowships available to U.S. students, was established in 2001 through a $210 million donation to the University of Cambridge from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The scholarship’s rigorous application and interview process is designed to identify and reward individuals who demonstrate extraordinary intellectual ability, great leadership potential and a genuine commitment to improving the lives of others.

Kindig, a Presidential Scholar and an active member of the UI’s Honors Program, is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering, as well as a minor in business administration and a certificate in global health studies.

As an Iowa Center for Research by Undergraduates  (ICRU) Fellow, UI College of Engineering Grand Challenge Scholar, and an early recipient of a Stanley Award for International Research, Kindig conducted independent research on alternative cooking technologies in rural India and Cameroon in collaboration with H.S. Udaykumar, a UI professor of mechanical and industrial engineering.  

Udaykumar offered his perspective on Allison’s success: "She has been passionate about doing good things since her freshman year here; she went on the India Winterim trip to Rajasthan immediately after she got to Iowa. She is a highly committed, single-minded, independent and self-driven student. I am fortunate to have been part of Allison's educational experience here at Iowa. She is the type of student that makes a faculty member's job meaningful. We exist to make more Allison Kindigs possible at this University".

Kindig plans to continue her exploration of sustainable product design in the University of Cambridge's Engineering for Sustainable Development program. In response to questions about why she chose this program and how it felt to win the award, Kindig says, "I chose the MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development to learn how to integrate the principles and practices of sustainable development into my work as an engineer. My goal is to be a part of the process of developing cost-effective solutions to help communities achieve energy and food security.  I am so thankful to be a Gates Cambridge Scholar and look forward to learning from my fellow scholars and to sharing my own experiences as an inventor, designer and athlete.”

The 2015 Gates Cambridge Scholars were chosen from a field of 755 graduating seniors, graduate students, and recent alumni supported by a diverse range of public and private institutions. The 25 women and 15 men who will enter the University of Cambridge in the fall of 2015 will pursue graduate degrees from an impressive spectrum of disciplines, which includes research and coursework in Polar Studies, Biological Anthropology, Neuroscience, Pure Mathematics, World History, Public Health and Classics.

Kindig worked closely with UI Honors Program Director of Scholar Development, Kelly Thornburg, and a community of faculty and research mentors during the development of her application materials and in preparation for her finalist interview.  “We are excited for Allison and impressed by her purposeful investment in this competition.  She went looking for her next challenge and she found it.”

To view more information about the 2015 Gates Cambridge Scholars, visit the Gates Cambridge Scholars website. 

To learn more about graduate scholarship opportunities in the UK, visit the UI Honors Program fellowship website.