Oreska ('07) named Gates Cambridge Scholar; 3rd for W&M
(Williamsburg, Va.) – A College of William and Mary alumnus was
recently named among the 2008 Gates Cambridge Scholars. Matthew Oreska
(’07), currently a substitute teacher at the Maggie L. Walker
Governor’s School in Richmond, Va., is the third William and Mary
graduate to receive the scholarship.
“I am extremely honored to be a recipient of a Gates Cambridge Scholarship,” Oreska said in an e-mail.
Established in 2001, the Gates Cambridge Scholar program enables
outstanding graduate students from outside the United Kingdom to study
at the University of Cambridge. According to the Web site, scholars are
chosen based on their intellectual ability, leadership capacity and
desire to use their knowledge to contribute to society throughout the
world by providing service to their communities and applying their
talents and knowledge to improve the lives of others.
Oreska graduated from William and Mary as a double major in geology and
economics. During his time at the College, he was involved in several
organizations including the Geology Club and the Student Environmental
Action Coalition. Oreska said that several William and Mary professors
influenced his interests, including Greg Hancock, associate professor
of geology, and John Swaddle, associate professor of biology. He also
said that his experience working on Chesapeake Bay mollusks with Rowan
Lockwood, associate professor of geology of William and Mary, inspired
him to apply for the biology program at Cambridge to study molluscan
ecosystems.
Next month, Oreska will begin an internship at the Smithsonian
Environmental Research Center on the Chesapeake Bay where he will study
invasive species ecology. He leaves for his year-long term at Cambridge
in October of this year. During his time at Cambridge, he will pursue a
Masters of Philosophy degree in biological science.
“Gaining prerequisite biology experience through a Masters of
Philosophy funded by the Gates Scholarship will allow me to pursue my
intermediate goal of studying ecology at the doctoral level,” he said.
While pursuing his degree at Cambridge, Oreska will investigate the
effects of stream diversion on aquatic ecosystems and the impact of
human-resource demands on ecosystems.
“Mitigating adverse effects will require an interdisciplinary approach
and the cooperation of public, private, and research entities,” he
said. “My experience at Cambridge will hopefully instruct me as to the
direction from which I should address ecosystem impact problems. In
addition, I am anxious to know just how human activities are affecting
the aquatic ecosystems I will be studying.”
Oreska was among 45 people awarded Gates Cambridge Scholarships in the
United States this year. He follows William and Mary graduates Eric
Koskinen and Ian Ralby who received the scholarship last year.
For more information on the Gates Cambridge program, visit www.gatesscholar.org.
Media contact
Erin Zagursky
757.221.1020
