Three Van Mildert Students Awarded Transformative Opportunities Grants

Van Mildert College has awarded three students £3000 each through the Transformative Opportunities Grant, made possible by generous alumni donations. The grant supports Mildertians in pursuing ambitious, creative and life‑changing projects that have the potential to shape meaningful and fulfilling futures.

This year’s recipients — Morwenna Richards, Matteo Neri and Luke Ranasinghe — will each embark on unique academic and personal development journeys across archaeology, mountaineering and quantum engineering. 

Archaeological Fieldwork in Greece

Morwenna Richards (Classics, 2022-2026) will join the Petroto Archaeological and Palaeoenvironmental Project in Trikala. She will take part in excavations at the Bronze Age site of Petroto, dating back to around 3200 BC, followed by laboratory analysis each afternoon. The programme also includes seminars, workshops and Greek language lessons.

“As a Classics student hoping to pursue a career in ancient archaeology, this is an invaluable opportunity — one that would have been difficult to access without the support of the Transformative Opportunities Grant,” she said.

Himalayan Mountaineering Expedition

Matteo Neri (Philosophy and Psychology, 2025-2028) will travel to Nepal this autumn to attempt to summit Island Peak in the Himalayas. Having previously summited Mount Toubkal in Morocco and trekked to Everest Base Camp, he sees this as the next step in his mountaineering journey.

“Climbing Island Peak will be my first Himalayan summit and represents an exciting new challenge as I continue to build experience in the mountains,” Matteo explained.

Quantum Computing Research in Copenhagen

Luke Ranasinghe (Engineering 2024-2027) will use his grant to undertake research at the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen. Under the supervision of Professor Francesco Borsoi, he will explore experimental and theoretical aspects of quantum computing and apply machine‑learning techniques to analyse data from quantum systems.

“The project will give me the freedom to go beyond my engineering course and build connections with quantum scientists from all over the world. I am very excited by the opportunity,” Luke said.

Van Mildert College is proud to support these transformative experiences and congratulates all three recipients on their outstanding proposals. Thanks to the generosity of our alumni, these grants have opened doors for Mildertians, empowering students to pursue opportunities that shape their futures. These awards highlight the remarkable ambition and talent within the Mildert community, and we look forward to seeing the lasting impact of each student’s journey.