policy essay competition

Department of Economics

First year economics student wins the iea's monetary policy essay prize 2022.

We are very proud to announce that for the second time running, Warwick Economics student is the winner of the Monetary Policy Essay 2022 competition organised by the Institute of Economics Affairs (IEA) and the Institute of International Monetary Research (IIMR).

Guillermo Sagnier, first year BSc Economics student, took the top prize in the IEA and the IIMR essay competition 2022 which was launched in October 2021 with two questions: "Does inflation matter? And will the current inflation upturn be transitory or not?" The submissions were judged on their presentation, command of theory, the relevance of the questions and persuasiveness of the argument.

The Monetary Policy Essay Final took place in-person at the Vinson Centre (Buckingham) on 3 March 2022. Guillermo Sagnier took the first prize of £500, Irakli Imnaishvili and Aislin Rees tied in second place.

This is the second time that Warwick Economics student got the top prize in this competition. Last year the winner was Warwick Economics final year student Gustaf Dillner (BSc Economics, Politics and International Studies).

Guillermo only joined Warwick in September 2021 on the three year BSc Economics programme. He is Spanish and, for three years, he lived in Chile, which sparked his interest in economics.

We congratulate Guillermo on this fantastic achievement in his first year and wish him further successes.

We wanted to find out more about his studies here and what this achievement means to him and here is what he told us:

What made you enter this competition?

Being passionate about macroeconomics and understanding the world around us, I was curious to analyse why western economies had experienced significantly above-target inflation rates in 2021, whilst Asia had not witnessed such surge. Given supply chain disruptions and bottlenecks have affected globally, what explains such difference? When researching recent monetary trends and finding this essay competition, I decided to dive into the question.

Briefly describe the content of your essay and the arguments you used

I claimed the current inflation upturn in Europe and North America is a result of the extraordinary growth in broad money supply, caused by QE, ultra-low interest rates and the partial monetisation of fiscal deficits. The creation of excess money balances, mainly across financial institutions, has translated to a rise in asset prices (equities and real estate) and subsequently strong recovery of aggregate demand. Over time, this has led to a rapid increase in the price of goods and services, which will persist beyond 2022 (given still-high money supply growth rates and likely gains in the velocity of money) and further squeeze real incomes.

Tell us about the prize ceremony you attended?

The top ten entries from around 200 submissions were invited to the final at the Vinson Centre in Buckingham. The essay competition was open to all undergraduate and sixth form students and, remarkably, the second and third prizes were given to outstanding high school pupils. The session involved a ten-minute presentation in front of a panel of experts in monetary economics, followed by a five-minute Q&A of broad questions. It was great practice for my upcoming macroeconomics test!

What was your prize and how are you going to spend it?

I was awarded £500 and summer internships at the Institute of Economic Affairs and at the Institute of International Monetary Research. I will certainly not keep it as cash and move to inflation hedges!

What have been the highlights of your degree course at Warwick so far?

Although I am still a first-year student, my time here at Warwick has been thoroughly enjoyable. The highlights of the course would be how varied the discipline is: from economic history to statistics, you gain a wide range of skills. Campus life and societies are exceptional too and, as an international student, make up a very well-rounded experience.

What is your favourite module in Year 1 of our course?

EC108 Macroeconomics provides an overview of how national indicators such as employment, output or inflation are determined and correlate with each other. Although there are alternative models beyond mainstream economics (like the Quantity Theory of Money), the depth of the analysis and modelling has far exceeded my expectations.

What are your career plans?

I am very interested in monetary policy and would look forward to engaging with forecasting and central bank policymaking in the future. I am also curious about finance, especially asset and wealth management.

Related links:

The Institute of Economic Affairs

The Institute of International Monetary Research

Last year essay prize winner - Gustaf Dillner (March 2021)

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United States Institute of Peace

National high school essay contest.

USIP partners with the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) on the annual National High School Essay Contest. The contest each year engages high school students in learning and writing about issues of peace and conflict, encouraging appreciation for diplomacy’s role in building partnerships that can advance peacebuilding and protect national security. 

The winner of the contest receives a $2,500 cash prize, an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. to meet U.S. Department of State and USIP leadership, and a full-tuition paid voyage with Semester at Sea upon the student’s enrollment at an accredited university. The runner-up receives a $1,250 cash prize and a full scholarship to participate in the International Diplomacy Program of the National Student Leadership Conference. 

2023 National High School Essay Contest

The American Foreign Service Association’s national high school essay contest completed its twenty-third year with over 400 submissions from 44 states. Three randomized rounds of judging produced this year’s winner, Justin Ahn, a junior from Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts. In his essay, “Mending Bridges: U.S.-Vietnam Reconciliation from 1995 to Today,” Ahn focuses on the successful reconciliation efforts by the Foreign Service in transforming U.S.-Vietnam relations from post-war tension to close economic and strategic partnership.

Ahn will travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with a member of the Department of State’s leadership and receive a full tuition scholarship to an educational voyage with Semester at Sea.

Niccolo Duina was this year’s runner-up. He is currently a junior at Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas. Duina will be attending the international diplomacy program of the National Student Leadership Conference this summer.

There were eight honorable mentions:

• Santiago Castro-Luna – Chevy Chase, Maryland
• Dante Chittenden – Grimes, Iowa 
• Merle Hezel – Denver, Colorado
• Adarsh Khullar – Villa Hills, Kentucky
• Nicholas Nall – Little Rock, Arkansas
• Ashwin Telang – West Windsor, New Jersey
• Himani Yarlagadda – Northville, Michigan 
• Sophia Zhang – San Jose, California

Congratulations! We thank all students and teachers who took the time to research and become globally engaged citizens who care about diplomacy, development and peacebuilding.

2023 National High School Essay Contest Topic

In 2024, the U.S. Foreign Service will celebrate its 100th birthday. The Foreign Service is an important element of the American approach to peacebuilding around the world. Over the last century, U.S. diplomats have been involved in some of the most significant events in history — making decisions on war and peace, responding to natural disasters and pandemics, facilitating major treaties, and more.

As AFSA looks back on their century-long history, we invite you to do the same. This year, students are asked to explore a topic that touches upon this important history and sheds light on how vital it is for America to have a robust professional corps focused on diplomacy, development and peace in the national interest.

In your essay, you will select a country or region in which the U.S. Foreign Service has been involved in at any point since 1924 and describe — in 1,500 words or less — how the Foreign Service was successful or unsuccessful in advancing American foreign policy goals, including promoting peace, in this country/region and propose ways in which it might continue to improve those goals in the coming years.

Contest deadline: April 3, 2023

Download the study guide for the 2023 National High School Essay Contest. This study guide provides students with a basic introduction to the topic and some additional context that can assist them in answering the question. It includes the essay question, prizes and rules for the contest; an introduction to diplomacy and peacebuilding; key terms; topics and areas students might explore; and a list of other useful resources.

Learn more about the contest rules and how to submit your essay on the American Foreign Service Association’s contest webpage .

2022 National High School Essay Contest

Katherine Lam, a freshman from University High School in Tucson, Arizona, is the 2022 National High School Essay Contest winner. In her essay, “Competition and Coaction in Ethiopia: U.S. and Chinese Partnerships for International Stabilization,” Lam focuses on how the Foreign Service has partnered with other U.S. government agencies, nongovernmental organizations and — most notably — China to promote peace and development in Ethiopia. Lam will travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with a member of the U.S. Department of State’s leadership and gain full tuition for an educational voyage with Semester at Sea.

Olivia Paulsen was this year’s runner-up. She is a currently a junior receiving a home-schooled education in Concord, Massachusetts. Paulsen will be attending the international diplomacy program of the National Student Leadership Conference this summer.

The 2022 honorable mentions were: Josh Diaz (Little Rock, AR); Grace Hartman (Bethlehem, PA); Elena Higuchi (Irvine, CA); Ovea Kaushik (Oklahoma City, OK); Evan Lindemann (Palm Desert, CA); Percival Liu (Tokyo, Japan); Alexander Richter (San Jose, CA); and Gavin Sun (Woodbury, MN).

USIP congratulates all the winners of the 2022 National High School Essay Contest.

Partnerships for Peace in a Multipolar Era

The current multipolar era poses challenges for U.S. foreign policy but also provides new opportunities for partnership across world powers—including emerging great powers like China and Russia—to build peace in conflict-affected countries. Describe a current situation where American diplomats and peacebuilders are working with other world powers, as well as local and/or regional actors, in a conflict-affected country to champion democracy, promote human rights, and/or resolve violent conflict.    A successful essay will lay out the strategies and tactics U.S. Foreign Service Officers and American peacebuilders are employing to build successful partnerships with other world and regional powers and with local actors in the chosen current situation.  The essay will also describe specific ways that these partnerships are helping to promote stability and build peace.

Contest deadline: April 4, 2022

Download the study guide for the 2022 National High School Essay Contest. This study guide provides students with a basic introduction to the topic and some additional context that can assist them in answering the question. It includes the essay question, prizes, and rules for the contest; an introduction to diplomacy and peacebuilding; key terms; topics and areas students might explore; and a list of other useful resources.

Learn more about the contest rules and how to submit your essay on the American Foreign Service Association’s contest webpage.  

2021 National High School Essay Contest

Mariam Parray, a sophomore from Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas, is the 2021 National High School Essay Contest winner. In her essay, “Diplomats and Peacebuilders in Tunisia: Paving the Path to Democracy,” Ms. Parray focuses on how the Foreign Service partnered with other U.S. government agencies and NGOs to effect a peaceful democratic transition in Tunisia. She emphasizes the importance of multifaceted approaches as well as the importance of bringing marginalized groups into the fold. Mariam will travel to Washington to meet with a member of the Department of State’s leadership and will also gain a full tuition to an educational voyage with Semester at Sea. Harrison McCarty was this year’s runner-up. Coincidentally, he is also a sophomore from Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas. Harrison will be attending the international diplomacy program of the National Student Leadership Conference this summer. The 2021 honorable mentions were: Louisa Eaton (Wellesley, MA); Samuel Goldston (Brooklyn, NY); Lucy King (Bainbridge Island, WA); Haan Jun Lee (Jakarta, Indonesia); Khaled Maalouf (Beirut, Lebanon); Madeleine Shaw (Bloomington, IN); Allison Srp (Austin, MN); and Daniel Zhang (Cortland, NY).

USIP congratulates all the winners of the 2021 National High School Essay Contest. 

Diplomats and Peacebuilders: Powerful Partners

What characteristics lead to a successful effort by diplomats and peacebuilders to mediate or prevent violent conflict? The United States Foreign Service—often referred to as America’s first line of defense—works to prevent conflict from breaking out abroad and threats from coming to our shores. Peacebuilders work on the ground to create the conditions for peace and resolve conflicts where they are most needed. 

Successful essays will identify, in no more than 1,250 words, a situation where diplomats worked on a peacebuilding initiative with partners from the country/region in question, nongovernmental organizations, and other parts of the U.S. government, and then go on to analyze what characteristics and approaches made the enterprise a success.  

Contest deadline: April 5, 2021

Download the study guide for the 2021 National High School Essay Contest. This study guide provides students with a basic introduction to the topic and some additional context that can assist them in answering the question. It includes key terms in conflict management and peacebuilding and examples of peacebuilding initiatives, with reflection questions for independent learners to dig more deeply or for teachers to encourage class reflection and discussion. We hope this study guide will be a useful resource for educators and students participating in this contest, and for educators who want their students to learn more about this year’s contest topic.

2020 National High School Essay Contest

Jonas Lorincz, a junior from Marriotts Ridge High School in Marriottsville, MD, is the 2020 National High School Essay Contest winner. In his essay, “Verification, Mediation, and Peacebuilding: The Many Roles of the U.S. Foreign Service in Kosovo,” Mr. Lorincz focused on the importance of interagency cooperation in mediating the crisis in Kosovo – primarily looking into how diplomats and other civilian agencies engaged in peacebuilding throughout the conflict.

Claire Burke was this year’s runner-up. She is a junior at Mill Valley High School in Shawnee, KS. 

The 2020 honorable mentions were: Grace Cifuentes (Concord, CA), Grace Lannigan (Easton, CT), Seryung Park (Tenafly, NJ), Vynateya Purimetla (Troy, MI), David Richman (Norfolk, VA), Madeleine Shaw (Bloomington, IN), Sara Smith (Fargo, ND), and Jack Viscuso (Northport, NY).  USIP congratulates all the winners of the 2020 National High School Essay Contest. 

2020 National High School Essay Contest Topic

Why Diplomacy and Peacebuilding Matter

How do members of the Foreign Service work with other civilian parts of the U.S. Government to promote peace, national security and economic prosperity?

Qualified essays focused on a specific challenge to U.S. peace and prosperity and included one example of the work of the Foreign Service and one or more examples of collaboration between America’s diplomats and other civilian (i.e. non-military) U.S. Government agencies or organizations.

2019 National High School Essay Contest

In its 21st year, the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA)’s National High School Essay Contest encouraged students to think about how and why the United States engages globally to build peace, and about the role that the Foreign Service plays in advancing U.S. national security and economic prosperity.

For the second year in a row, the National High School Essay Contest focused on an important aspect of operating in countries affected by or vulnerable to violent conflict: effective coordination of the many different foreign policy tools the United States has at its disposal. Whether you were addressing the prompt for a second year or new to the contest, the contest will have challenged you to expand your understanding of the role of the Foreign Service and other actors in foreign policy, identify case studies, and provide a sophisticated analysis in a concise manner.

The essay prompt and a helpful study guide are included below; you can find out more information about the rules and how to submit by checking out AFSA’s essay contest page .

2019 Essay Question

The United States has many tools to advance and defend its foreign policy and national security interests around the world—from diplomatic approaches pursued by members of the Foreign Service, to the range of options available to the U.S. military. In countries affected by or vulnerable to violent conflict, peacebuilding tools are important additions to the national security toolkit.

In such complex environments, cooperation across agencies and approaches is challenging, but it can also blend knowledge and skills in ways that strengthen the overall effort to establish a lasting peace. On the other hand, lack of coordination can lead to duplication of effort, inefficient use of limited resources and unintended consequences.

In a 1,000-1,250-word essay, identify two cases—one you deem successful and one you deem unsuccessful—where the U.S. pursued an integrated approach to build peace in a conflict-affected country. Analyze and compare these two cases, addressing the following questions:

• What relative strengths did members of the Foreign Service and military actors bring to the table? What peacebuilding tools were employed? Ultimately, what worked or did not work in each case?
• How was each situation relevant to U.S. national security interests?
• What lessons may be drawn from these experiences for the pursuit of U.S. foreign policy more broadly?

Download the study guide for the 2019 AFSA National High School Essay Contest

2018 National High School Essay Contest

Jennifer John from Redwood City, CA is the 2018 National High School Essay Contest winner, surpassing close to 1,000 other submissions. Her essay examined to what extent U.S. interagency efforts in Iraq and Bosnia were successful in building peace. Aislinn Niimi from Matthews, NC was the runner up.

The 2018 honorable mentions were: Alex, DiCenso (North Kingstown, RI),Alexandra Soo (Franklin, MI), Caroline Bellamy (Little Rock AR), Colin LeFerve (Indianapolis, IN), Elizabeth Kam (Burlingham, CA), Emma Singh (Tenafly NJ), Emma Chambers (Little Rock AR),  Francesca Ciampa (Brooksville, ME), Greta Bunce (Franktown, VA), Isaac Che (Mount Vernon OH), Isabel Davis (Elk River MN), Katrina Espinoza (Watsonvile, CA), Molly Ehrig (Bethlehem, PA), Payton McGoldrick (Bristow, VA), Rachel Russell (Cabin John, MD), Sarah Chapman (Tucson, AZ), Shalia Lothe (Glen Allen VA), Sohun Modha (San Jose CA), Suhan Kacholia (Chandler, AZ), Supriya Sharma (Brewster, NY), Sydney Adams (Fort Wayne, IN), Tatum Smith (Little Rock AR), and William Milne (Fort Wayne, IN).  

2017 National High School Essay Contest

Nicholas Deparle, winner of the 2017 AFSA National High School Essay Contest, comes from Sidwell Friends School in Washington DC. A rising senior at the time, Mr. Deparle covers the Internally Displaced Persons crisis in Iraq and potential ideas to help resolve the issue.  Read his winning essay here . Mr. Manuel Feigl, a graduate of Brashier Middle College Charter High School in Simpsonville, SC took second place.

This year there were twenty honorable mentions: Mohammed Abuelem ( Little Rock, Ark.), Lucas Aguayo-Garber (Worcester, Mass.), Rahul Ajmera (East Williston, N.Y.), Taylor Gregory (Lolo, Mont.), Rachel Hildebrand (Sunnyvale, Calif.), Ryan Hulbert (Midland Park, N.J.), India Kirssin (Mason, Ohio), Vaibhav Mangipudy (Plainsboro, N.J.), William Marsh (Pittsburgh, Penn.), Zahra Nasser (Chicago, Ill.), Elizabeth Nemec (Milford, N.J.), David Oks (Ardsley, N.Y.), Max Pumilia (Greenwood Village, Colo.), Nikhil Ramaswamy (Plano, Texas), Aditya Sivakumar (Beaverton, Ore.), Donovan Stuard (Bethlehem, Penn.), Rachel Tanczos (Danielsville, Penn.), Isabel Ting (San Ramon, Calif.), Kimberley Tran (Clayton, Mo.), and Chenwei Wang (Walnut, Calif.).

2017 Essay Contest Topic

According to the United Nations, 65 million people worldwide have left their homes to seek safety elsewhere due to violence, conflict, persecution, or human rights violations. The majority of these people are refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Imagine you are a member of the U.S. Foreign Service —– a diplomat working to promote peace, support prosperity, and protect American citizens while advancing the interests of the United States abroad – and are now assigned to the U.S. embassy in one of these four countries.

• Turkey (Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs)
• Kenya (Bureau of African Affairs)
• Afghanistan (Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs)
• Iraq (Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs)

Your task is to provide recommendations to address the refugee/IDP crisis facing the country in which you are now posted. Using the resources available to you as a member of the Foreign Service, write a memo to your Ambassador outlining how the United States might help address the current unprecedented levels of displacement. You may choose to address issues related to the causes of refugee crisis, or to focus on the humanitarian crisis in your host country.

A qualifying memo will be 1,000-1,250 words and will answer the following questions:

• How does the crisis challenge U.S. interests in the country you are posted and more broadly?
• Specifically outline the steps you propose the U.S. should take to tackle the roots or the consequences of the crisis, and explain how it would help solve the issue or issues you are examining. How will your efforts help build peace or enhance stability?
• How do you propose, from your embassy/post of assignment, to foster U.S. government interagency cooperation and cooperation with the host-country government to address these issues?  Among U.S. government agencies, consider U.S. Agency for International Development, the Foreign Commercial Service and the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Memo Template

TO: Ambassador ______________________

FROM: Only use your first name here

RE: Think of this as your title, make sure to include the country you are writing about

Here you want to lay out the problem, define criteria by which you will be deciding the best steps the U.S. could take, and include a short sentence or two on your final recommendation. Embassy leadership is very busy and reads many memos a day —– they should be able to get the general ““gist”” of your ideas by reading this section.

Background:

This section should provide any background information about the crisis or conflict relevant to your proposed policy. Here, you should mention why the issue is important to U.S. interests, especially peace and security.

Proposed Steps:

This is where you outline your proposed policy. Be specific in describing how the U.S. might address this issue and how these steps can contribute to peace and security. Include which organizations you propose partnering with and why.

Recommendation:

This is where you write your final recommendations for embassy leadership. Think of this as a closing paragraph.

Companion Guide for the 2017 National High School Essay Contest

It is no easy task to jump into the role of a diplomat, especially when confronted by such an urgent crisis. USIP, in consultation with AFSA, developed a guide to provide a basic introduction to the topic and some additional context that can assist you in answering the question, while still challenging you to develop your own unique response. As such, this guide should be used as a starting point to your own research and as you ultimately prepare a compelling memo outlining recommendations the U.S. government should follow to respond to the refugee and IDP crisis.

In the guide you will find: insights into the role of the Foreign Service; country, organization, and key-term briefs to provide a foundational understanding; and a list of other useful resources. Download the Companion Guide for the 2017 National High School Essay Contest (.pdf).

2016 National High School Essay Contest

USIP first partnered with AFSA for the 2016 contest and was pleased to welcome winner Dylan Borne to Washington in August. His paper describes his role as an economic officer in the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance. He writes about promoting education for girls in Afghanistan through on-line courses and dispersal of laptops. Read his winning essay (.pdf).

Bennett Public Policy Prize

The Bennett Public Policy Prize 2024 is awarded by the Bennett Institute for Public Policy at the University of Cambridge and supported by  Prospect . It aims to showcase the thinking and ideas of early career policy professionals and researchers on some of the biggest challenges of our turbulent times. The Bennett Institute is committed to bringing findings and insights generated by rigorous interdisciplinary research to the attention of a wide, policy-engaged audience.

This year’s question was: How can AI be implemented to improve public services?

Congratulations to the early career policy professionals and researchers who entered the Bennett Public Policy Prize for their well-written essays. The judges commented on this year’s creative thinking and innovative ideas in answering the question, “How can AI be implemented to improve public services?”

We are pleased to announce the Prize winner and three runners-up:

Runners-up:

Congratulations to the six shortlisted entrants:

• Matthew Cleevely , Tech policy
• Stuart Mills , University of Leeds
• Luke Richards , UK Civil Service
• Louisa Shen , Australian National University
• Sarah Stearne , Local Trust
• Joshua Thorpe , UK Department for Business and Trade

This year’s judges included:

• Prof Diane Coyle, Bennett Professor of Public Policy and Co-Director of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy
• Prof Neil Lawrence, Inaugural DeepMind Professor of Machine Learning, University of Cambridge. 
• Michael McNair, Global Managing Director of the advisory team at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change 
• Alan Rusbridger, Editor, Prospect

One winner receives:

• Publication on the Bennett Institute website
• Publication in  Prospect  online
• The possibility of sharing their thinking with influential stakeholders
• Invitation to the Bennett Institute’s Annual Conference 
• A year’s subscription to  Prospect  magazine and digital access

Runners-up each receive:

• Publication on the Bennett Institute Public Policy website

Shortlisted finalists each receive:

• A year’s digital access to  Prospect  

Entry process

Entries can be in the form of a 2,500-word essay or a short film of no more than 10 minutes from any early career researcher or policy professional in their first five years, from any nationality and based anywhere in the world.

Eligibility:

• Within five years of having submitted a PhD and started a research based career OR
• Within five years of starting work in a policy focused career
• Within five years of starting work in a policy focused career but undertaking part-time postgraduate studies.
• Co-produced entries of no more than two people will be accepted subject to all parties meeting the full eligibility criteria. Please ensure all names are included on the entry form. Judging is anonymous but the number of collaborators will be disclosed to the judges.
• Previous Bennett Prospect Public Policy Prize entrants may enter
• Work must be previously unpublished and unplagiarised

The following are NOT eligible:

• Current full-time Undergraduate, Masters, PhD and DPhil students
• Holder of a tenured academic position
• Current and former affiliates of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy

2021/22 Question

“ What is a twenty-first century civil service for? “

2020/21 Question

“Is it possible to govern well in the age of populism? “

2019/20 Question

“Which single public health intervention would be most effective in the UK?”

2018/19 Question

“What kinds of policies will enable left behind places to catch-up?”

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September 13th, 2022, lseupr school essay competition 2022.

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Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Essay Questions 2022 (Choose 1 question to answer): 

1. “Russia’s war on Ukraine provides the European Union with a chance to reunite its member states.” To what extent do you agree with this claim?”

2. The outbreak of the pandemic and the escalation of geopolitical tensions have cast a shadow over the world’s economic development.   

(a) To what extent do you agree that the impending recession is inevitable and irreversible? 

(b) What policies should we adopt to address global economic problems?

Answer with reference to one question.

3. “The global balance of power is shifting from the West to the East.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

We are living in a world filled with uncertainty. Since February 2022, the Russia-Ukraine Conflict has lasted more than 6 months, bringing turbulence and destruction to the people of Ukraine. Meanwhile, the energy crisis induced by it added fuel to the global economic decline that has been going on since the beginning of the pandemic. Some viewed the current chaos as a result of the fall of U.S. hegemony, global geopolitical landscape has changed radically entering the 2020s. It is the responsibility of political scientists to help people understand this rapidly changing world. Please choose 1 question from the above to answer.

1st Place Prize:

• £100 Amazon Voucher
• Certificate signed by Cheryl Schonhardt-Bailey, Head of the LSE Department of Government
• Essay published in the LSEUPR blog
• The opportunity to attend and to present your essay at the LSEUPR Annual Conference

2nd Place Prize:

• £50 Amazon Voucher

3rd Place Prize:

• £25 Amazon Voucher

As well as the prospect of winning a prize, this competition presents a unique opportunity for:

• Exploration: this is a chance to engage with the topic and to explore your ideas and thoughts in a new way, outside the confines of academic stress from examinations and grades.
• Experience: for those of you wishing to apply to university, this essay competition is a chance to produce an evidence-based, long form piece of writing. This is exactly the kind of work you will be regularly asked to produce at university, LSE or elsewhere!
• Prestige: taking part in this competition is an achievement in itself and something that you can discuss in interviews, on your CV, and your personal statement for university.

Eligibility

• You must be yet to complete your A-Level studies, IB or equivalent, i.e., about to begin year 12 or 13 of secondary school or equivalent.
• Students from any country are allowed to enter, the competition is not limited to the UK, but is limited by level of study.

How to Enter:

To enter, fill out the form below with your personal details and please ensure to attach your essay submission as a PDF.

Click here to enter: https://forms.gle/wALoGj3EzDcWWogF9

1st October 2022, 23:59 BST

Submission Specifics:

• Must be written in English.
• The word limit is 1000 words, any submission that is longer than this will be automatically disqualified.
• Please note: any in-text citations, footnotes and headings are included in the word count, but the title, bibliography and appendix, if applicable, are not included.
• Arial font, sized 12.
• Standard 1-inch margins.
• Submit essay as a PDF.
• It is extremely important to cite your sources. You are free to use any established referencing style (APA, Chicago, Harvard), as long as its use is consistent.
• Ensure that the PDF essay entry is completely anonymised, there should not be any personal details such as name or school attended included within the PDF.
• This is an independent piece of work. While you are free to discuss the topic with your peers/teacher, the final submission ultimately needs to be your own work. Plagiarism is a serious case of academic misconduct and will be met with disqualification.
• Essays should be concise, analytical, imaginative, and impartial.
• Submissions that are explicitly biased, agenda-fuelled, or without strong supporting evidence, are discouraged – scholarly essays are not columnist opinion pieces.

Essay Writing: 

• General guidance on academic essay writing: https://info.lse.ac.uk/current-students/lse-life/resources/podcasts/academic-writing-basic-principles
• Developing your essay thesis: https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/developing-thesis

Structuring your essay:

• https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/essay-structure
• https://info.lse.ac.uk/current-students/lse-life/resources/podcasts/essay-writing-planning-and-structure

Writing a clear introduction:

• https://info.lse.ac.uk/current-students/lse-life/resources/podcasts/essay-writing-the-introduction

Ensuring your essay is clear and easy to follow:

• https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/topic-sentences-and-signposting
• https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/transitioning-beware-velcro

Writing an impactful conclusion:

• https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/ending-essay-conclusions

Editing your essay:

• https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/editing-essay-part-one
• https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/editing-essay-part-tw
• https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/developing-thesis

Referencing your Essay

General overview:   https://student.unsw.edu.au/referencing

• Chicago: Chicago Manual of Style (17th Edition): https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/chicago_manual_of_style_17th_edition.html
• APA: APA Style (6th Edition):
• https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_a
• https://student.unsw.edu.au/apa
• Harvard : Harvard style https://student.unsw.edu.au/harvard-referencing
• Footnotes & bibliographies: https://student.unsw.edu.au/footnote-bibliography-or-oxford-referencing-system

Topic Specific Resources:

Some of these readings will be quite challenging but they reflect the sort of things you will be expected to read at LSE. If you have any trouble understanding do not worry and please email any queries or questions to [email protected].

LSE Russia-Ukraine Dialogue Series 

• https://www.lse.ac.uk/ideas/podcasts/russia-ukraine-dialogues

LSE Expertise: Ukraine and the global response: 

• https://www.lse.ac.uk/Research/ukraine-lse-research-and-commentary
• https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2022/03/14/russias-invasion-of-ukraine-signals-new-beginnings-and-new-conflicts-for-the-european-union/
• https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/medialse/2022/03/18/russia-ukraine-war-who-is-winning-the-info-war/

Background on Economic Declines: 

• Energy Crisis (EU and Global)
• https://www.ft.com/content/49552516-0788-46a1-9c0a-d906fd8d6388
• https://www.ft.com/content/f7990162-395f-488e-9d23-13f3cce83e24
• https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/08/30/europe-energy-crisis-bad-winter-russia-ukraine-gas/
• https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-27/global-energy-crisis-spurs-a-revival-of-nuclear-power-in-asia
• Inflation and Recession
• https://www.ft.com/content/6f7ea222-f21c-4879-8787-5188b93c129c
• https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/ukraine-war-niesr/
• https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/businessreview/2022/09/06/reforming-pensions-to-protect-adequate-and-sustainable-benefits/
• https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/businessreview/2022/09/02/sunak-truss-what-should-the-next-uk-prime-minister-do/

Global Balance of Power/Geopolitics

• https://www.ft.com/content/004f0d5a-0eca-4ea0-a423-0184481d033c
• https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/cff/2022/08/02/pelosi-lands-in-taiwan-a-cross-strait-crisis-or-continuation/
• https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202209/1274707.shtml
• https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202209/1274690.shtml
• https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/2022/08/19/will-academic-cooperation-facilitate-frances-new-deal-with-african-countries/
• https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/the-boons-of-the-rcep-for-china-the-statesman

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The Annual Monetary Policy Competition

The monetary policy essay prize 2023-4..

By the Institute of Economic Affairs, the Institute of International Monetary Research, and the Vinson Centre

What causes high inflation, and is the Bank of England responsible for the current inflation episode? If so, how would you make it more accountable?

The Submission and Style Requirements

Entries should be no longer than 2,500 words long. Entries should include a bibliography and Harvard style referencing. References will count towards the word total, but the bibliography will not. The text should be double spaced, on A4 pages, in Arial size 12 font.

How to Enter

This year, the Monetary Policy Essay Prize will be divided into two separate competitions, the first for sixth formers , the second for  undergraduates .

The competitions are  free  to enter, and open to both  UK and non-UK  residents. However, all entrants  must  be able to attend the semi-finals and final in person in order to compete.

All entries should be submitted and in the inbox by  23.59.59  on  Friday 26th January 2024 . They should be submitted  in PDF form  to  [email protected]

• Entrant name and contact details should be clear in the subject of the email but not on the essay attachment itself (it is important you  do not  include your name or contact details within the attachment).
• In the email text, please include whether you are applying for the sixth form or undergraduate competition, as well as your institution name.

The entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges, and the top entries will be invited to semi-finals at the Vinson Centre at the University of Buckingham in February 2024. The top participants from the semi-finals will then be invited to the final at the Institute of Economic Affairs in London in March 2024.

For Sixth Form competition, £1,000 will be awarded to first prize, and £500 each to two runners up.

For the Undergraduate competition, £2,000 will be awarded to first prize, and £1,000 each to two runners up.

The entries will be judged on the criteria of knowledge and understanding of the economic issues raised by the challenge, use of resources, the quality and clarity of the argument and analysis presented, and the degree of originality and insight displayed. They will not be judged on the basis of adherence to a particular perspective regardless of quality or the other considerations set out.

The purpose of the Institute of International Monetary Research is to demonstrate and bring to public attention the strong relationship between the quantity of money on the one hand, and the levels of national income and expenditure on the other. The Institute – which is associated with the University of Buckingham in England – was set up in 2014, in the aftermath of the Great Financial Crisis (a.k.a., “the Great Recession”) of 2007 – 2009. It is an educational charity.

The IEA is the UK’s original free-market think-tank, founded in 1955. Our mission is to improve understanding of the fundamental institutions of a free society by analysing and expounding the role of markets in solving economic and social problems. As part of this, the IEA runs an extensive student outreach programme including internships, summer schools, seminars and competitions. The IEA is an educational charity (No CC 235 351) and independent research institute limited by guarantee. Ideas and policies produced by the Institute are freely available from our website. The Institute is entirely independent of any political party or group, and is entirely funded by voluntary donations from individuals, companies and foundations.

About the Vinson Centre

The Vinson Centre for the public understanding of economics and entrepreneurship is a space for research and knowledge exchange at the University of Buckingham where individuals and teams come together to pursue exciting projects in novel ways.

2023 Winners

On 22nd March 2023 we ran the final for the fifth year of our Monetary Policy Essay Prize in conjunction with the Institute of International Monetary Research and the Vinson Centre. The competition was won by Rory Middlemiss of Abingdon School. Guari Khanna and David Zhan Zou came in as the two runners up.

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Rethinking Economic Policy

2017 global essay competition supported by the institute for new economic thinking’s young scholars initiative.

Winning Essays

• Back to the Future? Populism and Spatial Inequality by George Bauer
• The Leontief Strategy of Trade Negotiation by Andrea Andrenelli
• Fossil Fuels – The Case for Ending Producer Subsidies by Tim Pfefferle

Essay Competition

In this writing competition we invited students and early career professionals of ages 30 years and under to submit an original article in which they identify an issue that calls for a new perspective in economic policy and outline an innovative solution.

The three winners were awarded cash prizes and were invited to Berlin to present their ideas at a discussion event with invited experts on 15 February 2018.

The essays were judged by an expert panel consisting of Professor Sergei Guriev (Sciences Po Paris School of International Affairs), Professor Vera Chiodi (New Sorbonne University), and Professor Philipp Lepenies (Free University of Berlin).

Award Ceremony

A recorded live stream of the award ceremony event is available on Facebook  and the full panel discussion is available as a Podcast on our website and on iTunes .

The discussion featured first winner George Bauer , third winner Tim Pfefferle , Anna Cavazzini , Advisor for Sustainable Development Goals at Bread for the World Tyson Barker , Aspen Institute Germany, Program Director Digital Program Prof. Rajshri Jayaraman , PhD, Associate Professor of Economics and Faculty Lead, European School of Management and Technology Berlin Prof. Dr. Philipp Lepenies , Head of the Environmental Policy Research Center FFU and Visiting Professor for Comparative Politics, Freie Universität Berlin.

Over 60 guests discussed which economic approaches can help us to achieve a human-centered focus in policymaking, why it is important for economic policy to center on the human being, to what extent do standard economic approaches fail to do this and what current policy approaches exemplify this today.

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Discourse, debate, and analysis

Cambridge re:think essay competition 2024.

Competition Opens: 15th January, 2024

Essay Submission Deadline: 10th May, 2024 Result Announcement: 20th June, 2024 Award Ceremony and Dinner at the University of Cambridge: 30th July, 2024

We welcome talented high school students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives to the competition.

Entry to the competition is free.

About the Competition

The spirit of the Re:think essay competition is to encourage critical thinking and exploration of a wide range of thought-provoking and often controversial topics. The competition covers a diverse array of subjects, from historical and present issues to speculative future scenarios. Participants are invited to engage deeply with these topics, critically analysing their various facets and implications. It promotes intellectual exploration and encourages participants to challenge established norms and beliefs, presenting opportunities to envision alternative futures, consider the consequences of new technologies, and reevaluate longstanding traditions. 

Ultimately, our aim is to create a platform for students and scholars to share their perspectives on pressing issues of the past and future, with the hope of broadening our collective understanding and generating innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. This year’s competition aims to underscore the importance of discourse, debate, and critical analysis in addressing complex societal issues in nine areas, including:

Religion and Politics

Political science and law, linguistics, environment, sociology and philosophy, business and investment, public health and sustainability, biotechonology.

Artificial Intelligence 

Neuroengineering

2024 essay prompts.

This year, the essay prompts are contributed by distinguished professors from Harvard, Brown, UC Berkeley, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT.

Essay Guidelines and Judging Criteria

Review general guidelines, format guidelines, eligibility, judging criteria.

Awards and Award Ceremony

Award winners will be invited to attend the Award Ceremony and Dinner hosted at the King’s College, University of Cambridge. The Dinner is free of charge for select award recipients.

Registration and Submission

Register a participant account today and submit your essay before the deadline.

Advisory Committee and Judging Panel

The Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition is guided by an esteemed Advisory Committee comprising distinguished academics and experts from elite universities worldwide. These committee members, drawn from prestigious institutions, such as Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT, bring diverse expertise in various disciplines.

They play a pivotal role in shaping the competition, contributing their insights to curate the themes and framework. Their collective knowledge and scholarly guidance ensure the competition’s relevance, academic rigour, and intellectual depth, setting the stage for aspiring minds to engage with thought-provoking topics and ideas.

We are honoured to invite the following distinguished professors to contribute to this year’s competition.

The judging panel of the competition comprises leading researchers and professors from Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Cambridge, and Oxford, engaging in a strictly double blind review process.

Keynote Speeches by 10 Nobel Laureates

We are beyond excited to announce that multiple Nobel laureates have confirmed to attend and speak at this year’s ceremony on 30th July, 2024 .

They will each be delivering a keynote speech to the attendees. Some of them distinguished speakers will speak virtually, while others will attend and present in person and attend the Reception at Cambridge.

Why has religion remained a force in a secular world? 

Professor Commentary:

Arguably, the developed world has become more secular in the last century or so. The influence of Christianity, e.g. has diminished and people’s life worlds are less shaped by faith and allegiance to Churches. Conversely, arguments have persisted that hold that we live in a post-secular world. After all, religion – be it in terms of faith, transcendence, or meaning – may be seen as an alternative to a disenchanted world ruled by entirely profane criteria such as economic rationality, progressivism, or science. Is the revival of religion a pale reminder of a by-gone past or does it provide sources of hope for the future?

‘Religion in the Public Sphere’ by Jürgen Habermas (European Journal of Philosophy, 2006)

In this paper, philosopher Jürgen Habermas discusses the limits of church-state separation, emphasizing the significant contribution of religion to public discourse when translated into publicly accessible reasons.

‘Public Religions in the Modern World’ by José Casanova (University Of Chicago Press, 1994)

Sociologist José Casanova explores the global emergence of public religion, analyzing case studies from Catholicism and Protestantism in Spain, Poland, Brazil, and the USA, challenging traditional theories of secularization.

‘The Power of Religion in the Public Sphere’ by Judith Butler, Jürgen Habermas, Charles Taylor, and Cornel West (Edited by Eduardo Mendieta and Jonathan VanAntwerpen, Columbia University Press, 2011)

This collection features dialogues by prominent intellectuals on the role of religion in the public sphere, examining various approaches and their impacts on cultural, social, and political debates.

‘Rethinking Secularism’ by Craig Calhoun, Mark Juergensmeyer, and Jonathan VanAntwerpen (Oxford University Press, 2011)

An interdisciplinary examination of secularism, this book challenges traditional views, highlighting the complex relationship between religion and secularism in contemporary global politics.

‘God is Back: How the Global Rise of Faith is Changing the World’ by John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge (Penguin, 2010)

Micklethwait and Wooldridge argue for the coexistence of religion and modernity, suggesting that religious beliefs can contribute to a more open, tolerant, and peaceful modern world.

‘Multiculturalism’ by Tariq Modood (Polity Press, 2013)

Sociologist Tariq Modood emphasizes the importance of multiculturalism in integrating diverse identities, particularly in post-immigration contexts, and its role in shaping democratic citizenship.

‘God’s Agents: Biblical Publicity in Contemporary England’ by Matthew Engelke (University of California Press, 2013)

In this ethnographic study, Matthew Engelke explores how a group in England seeks to expand the role of religion in the public sphere, challenging perceptions of religion in post-secular England.

Gene therapy is a medical approach that treats or prevents disease by correcting the underlying genetic problem. Is gene therapy better than traditional medicines? What are the pros and cons of using gene therapy as a medicine? Is gene therapy justifiable?

Especially after Covid-19 mRNA vaccines, gene therapy is getting more and more interesting approach to cure. That’s why that could be interesting to think about. I believe that students will enjoy and learn a lot while they are investigating this topic.

The Hall at King’s College, Cambridge

The Hall was designed by William Wilkins in the 1820s and is considered one of the most magnificent halls of its era. The first High Table dinner in the Hall was held in February 1828, and ever since then, the splendid Hall has been where members of the college eat and where formal dinners have been held for centuries.

The Award Ceremony and Dinner will be held in the Hall in the evening of  30th July, 2024.

Stretching out down to the River Cam, the Back Lawn has one of the most iconic backdrop of King’s College Chapel. 

The early evening reception will be hosted on the Back Lawn with the iconic Chapel in the background (weather permitting). 

King’s College Chapel

With construction started in 1446 by Henry VI and took over a century to build, King’s College Chapel is one of the most iconic buildings in the world, and is a splendid example of late Gothic architecture. 

Attendees are also granted complimentary access to the King’s College Chapel before and during the event. 

Confirmed Nobel Laureates

Dr Thomas R. Cech

The nobel prize in chemistry 1989 , for the discovery of catalytic properties of rna.

Thomas Robert Cech is an American chemist who shared the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Sidney Altman, for their discovery of the catalytic properties of RNA. Cech discovered that RNA could itself cut strands of RNA, suggesting that life might have started as RNA. He found that RNA can not only transmit instructions, but also that it can speed up the necessary reactions.

He also studied telomeres, and his lab discovered an enzyme, TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase), which is part of the process of restoring telomeres after they are shortened during cell division.

As president of Howard Hughes Medical Institute, he promoted science education, and he teaches an undergraduate chemistry course at the University of Colorado

Sir Richard J. Roberts

The nobel prize in medicine 1993 .

F or the discovery of split genes

During 1969–1972, Sir Richard J. Roberts did postdoctoral research at Harvard University before moving to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he was hired by James Dewey Watson, a co-discoverer of the structure of DNA and a fellow Nobel laureate. In this period he also visited the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology for the first time, working alongside Fred Sanger. In 1977, he published his discovery of RNA splicing. In 1992, he moved to New England Biolabs. The following year, he shared a Nobel Prize with his former colleague at Cold Spring Harbor Phillip Allen Sharp.

His discovery of the alternative splicing of genes, in particular, has had a profound impact on the study and applications of molecular biology. The realisation that individual genes could exist as separate, disconnected segments within longer strands of DNA first arose in his 1977 study of adenovirus, one of the viruses responsible for causing the common cold. Robert’s research in this field resulted in a fundamental shift in our understanding of genetics, and has led to the discovery of split genes in higher organisms, including human beings.

Dr Aaron Ciechanover

The nobel prize in chemistry 2004 .

F or the discovery of ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation

Aaron Ciechanover is one of Israel’s first Nobel Laureates in science, earning his Nobel Prize in 2004 for his work in ubiquitination. He is honored for playing a central role in the history of Israel and in the history of the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

Dr Ciechanover is currently a Technion Distinguished Research Professor in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute at the Technion. He is a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the Russian Academy of Sciences and is a foreign associate of the United States National Academy of Sciences. In 2008, he was a visiting Distinguished Chair Professor at NCKU, Taiwan. As part of Shenzhen’s 13th Five-Year Plan funding research in emerging technologies and opening “Nobel laureate research labs”, in 2018 he opened the Ciechanover Institute of Precision and Regenerative Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen campus.

Dr Robert Lefkowitz

The nobel prize in chemistry 2012 .

F or the discovery of G protein-coupled receptors

Robert Joseph Lefkowitz is an American physician (internist and cardiologist) and biochemist. He is best known for his discoveries that reveal the inner workings of an important family G protein-coupled receptors, for which he was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Chemistry with Brian Kobilka. He is currently an Investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute as well as a James B. Duke Professor of Medicine and Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry at Duke University.

Dr Lefkowitz made a remarkable contribution in the mid-1980s when he and his colleagues cloned the gene first for the β-adrenergic receptor, and then rapidly thereafter, for a total of 8 adrenergic receptors (receptors for adrenaline and noradrenaline). This led to the seminal discovery that all GPCRs (which include the β-adrenergic receptor) have a very similar molecular structure. The structure is defined by an amino acid sequence which weaves its way back and forth across the plasma membrane seven times. Today we know that about 1,000 receptors in the human body belong to this same family. The importance of this is that all of these receptors use the same basic mechanisms so that pharmaceutical researchers now understand how to effectively target the largest receptor family in the human body. Today, as many as 30 to 50 percent of all prescription drugs are designed to “fit” like keys into the similarly structured locks of Dr Lefkowitz’ receptors—everything from anti-histamines to ulcer drugs to beta blockers that help relieve hypertension, angina and coronary disease.

Dr Lefkowitz is among the most highly cited researchers in the fields of biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical medicine according to Thomson-ISI.

Dr Joachim Frank

The nobel prize in chemistry 2017 .

F or developing cryo-electron microscopy

Joachim Frank is a German-American biophysicist at Columbia University and a Nobel laureate. He is regarded as the founder of single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2017 with Jacques Dubochet and Richard Henderson. He also made significant contributions to structure and function of the ribosome from bacteria and eukaryotes.

In 1975, Dr Frank was offered a position of senior research scientist in the Division of Laboratories and Research (now Wadsworth Center), New York State Department of Health,where he started working on single-particle approaches in electron microscopy. In 1985 he was appointed associate and then (1986) full professor at the newly formed Department of Biomedical Sciences of the University at Albany, State University of New York. In 1987 and 1994, he went on sabbaticals in Europe, one to work with Richard Henderson, Laboratory of Molecular Biology Medical Research Council in Cambridge and the other as a Humboldt Research Award winner with Kenneth C. Holmes, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg. In 1998, Dr Frank was appointed investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Since 2003 he was also lecturer at Columbia University, and he joined Columbia University in 2008 as professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and of biological sciences.

Dr Barry C. Barish

The nobel prize in physics 2017 .

For the decisive contributions to the detection of gravitational waves

Dr Barry Clark Barish is an American experimental physicist and Nobel Laureate. He is a Linde Professor of Physics, emeritus at California Institute of Technology and a leading expert on gravitational waves.

In 2017, Barish was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics along with Rainer Weiss and Kip Thorne “for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves”. He said, “I didn’t know if I would succeed. I was afraid I would fail, but because I tried, I had a breakthrough.”

In 2018, he joined the faculty at University of California, Riverside, becoming the university’s second Nobel Prize winner on the faculty.

In the fall of 2023, he joined Stony Brook University as the inaugural President’s Distinguished Endowed Chair in Physics.

In 2023, Dr Barish was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Biden in a White House ceremony.

Dr Harvey J. Alter

The nobel prize in medicine 2020 .

For the discovery of Hepatitis C virus

Dr Harvey J. Alter is an American medical researcher, virologist, physician and Nobel Prize laureate, who is best known for his work that led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus. Alter is the former chief of the infectious disease section and the associate director for research of the Department of Transfusion Medicine at the Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. In the mid-1970s, Alter and his research team demonstrated that most post-transfusion hepatitis cases were not due to hepatitis A or hepatitis B viruses. Working independently, Alter and Edward Tabor, a scientist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, proved through transmission studies in chimpanzees that a new form of hepatitis, initially called “non-A, non-B hepatitis” caused the infections, and that the causative agent was probably a virus. This work eventually led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus in 1988, for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2020 along with Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice.

Dr Alter has received recognition for the research leading to the discovery of the virus that causes hepatitis C. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the highest award conferred to civilians in United States government public health service, and the 2000 Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research.

Dr Ardem Patapoutian

The nobel prize in medicine 2021 .

For discovering how pressure is translated into nerve impulses

Dr Ardem Patapoutian is an Lebanese-American molecular biologist, neuroscientist, and Nobel Prize laureate of Armenian descent. He is known for his work in characterising the PIEZO1, PIEZO2, and TRPM8 receptors that detect pressure, menthol, and temperature. Dr Patapoutian is a neuroscience professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California. In 2021, he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly with David Julius.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I participate in the Re:think essay competition? 

The Re:think Essay competition is meant to serve as fertile ground for honing writing skills, fostering critical thinking, and refining communication abilities. Winning or participating in reputable contests can lead to recognition, awards, scholarships, or even publication opportunities, elevating your academic profile for college applications and future endeavours. Moreover, these competitions facilitate intellectual growth by encouraging exploration of diverse topics, while also providing networking opportunities and exposure to peers, educators, and professionals. Beyond accolades, they instil confidence, prepare for higher education demands, and often allow you to contribute meaningfully to societal conversations or causes, making an impact with your ideas.

Who is eligible to enter the Re:think essay competition?  

As long as you’re currently attending high school, regardless of your location or background, you’re eligible to participate. We welcome students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives to the competition.

Is there any entry fee for the competition? 

There is no entry fee for the competition. Waiving the entry fee for our essay competition demonstrates CCIR’s dedication to equity. CCIR believes everyone should have an equal chance to participate and showcase their talents, regardless of financial circumstances. Removing this barrier ensures a diverse pool of participants and emphasises merit and creativity over economic capacity, fostering a fair and inclusive environment for all contributors.

Subscribe for Competition Updates

If you are interested to receive latest information and updates of this year’s competition, please sign up here.

By submitting your essay, you give the Berkeley Prize the nonexclusive, perpetual right to reproduce the essay or any part of the essay, in any and all media at the Berkeley Prize’s discretion.  A “nonexclusive” right means you are not restricted from publishing your paper elsewhere if you use the following attribution that must appear in that new placement: “First submitted to and/or published by the international Berkeley Undergraduate Prize for Architectural Design Excellence ( www.BerkeleyPrize.org ) in competition year 20(--) (and if applicable) and winner of that year’s (First, Second, Third…) Essay prize.” Finally, you warrant the essay does not violate any intellectual property rights of others and indemnify the BERKELEY PRIZE against any costs, loss, or expense arising out of a violation of this warranty.

Registration and Submission

You (and your teammate if you have one) will be asked to complete a short registration form which will not be seen by members of the Berkeley Prize Committee or Jury.

REGISTER HERE.

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David McCullough Essay Prizes

Programs & events, student opportunities.

David McCullough at Trinity School in Manhattan, October 15, 2019

The Gilder Lehrman Institute is now accepting submissions for the 2024 David McCullough Essay Prizes. The contest has been recently overhauled, and will recognize fourteen outstanding high school student research and interpretive essays with cash prizes of up to $5,000. This contest is named in memory of David McCullough (1933–2022)—a Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and Gilder Lehrman Life Trustee—and honors his career telling America’s stories and examining its histories. Learn more about his life and legacy here .

High school students attending schools in our Affiliate School Program are eligible and encouraged to participate. (Email [email protected] if you are not sure whether your school is an Affiliate School.) They are invited to submit an original essay, written independently or for a 2023–2024 class, that has been revised, expanded, and adapted to conform with the new McCullough Prize specifications. The two essay categories are as follows:

Research Essay: Students are invited to submit a research essay incorporating primary and secondary sources on a topic in American history from 1491 to 2001.

Interpretive Essay: Students are invited to submit an interpretive essay focusing on close reading and analysis of one primary source from American history, 1491 to 2001, in the Gilder Lehrman Collection of more than 85,000 historical documents.

More requirements for both essay categories can be found in these updated David McCullough Essay Prizes 2024 Rubrics .

All participants will receive a certificate of participation suitable for framing. Prize winners in each of our two categories—research essays and a new interpretive essay category—will receive cash awards as follows:

• 1st Prize: $5,000 (plus a $500 prize awarded to the school)
• 2nd Prize: $1,500 (plus a $500 prize awarded to the school)
• Five 3rd Prizes: $500 each

To be considered for the David McCullough Essay Prizes, students, or their teachers or parents, can submit the student entry by 8:00 p.m. ET on Friday, June 28, 2024 . A panel of Gilder Lehrman master teachers will choose the pool of finalists, from which a jury of eminent historians will choose the winners. Essays will be evaluated for their historical rigor, the clarity and correctness of their style, their use of evidence, and their qualities of empathy and imagination. Winners will be notified and announced no later than Friday, September 13, 2024.

Submit Essay

General Requirements

Font and Page Style: Papers should be submitted in 12-point, Times New Roman font with one-inch margins at the top, bottom, and sides. Essays should be free of teacher commentary or other notes.

Organization: Top essays have an introduction, body, and conclusion and a clearly stated, well-developed thesis statement with supportive historical evidence.

Essay Topics: Essays can be on any topic related to American history from 1491 to 2001. Essays in the interpretative category must feature a primary source (letter, broadside, art, political cartoon, speech, etc.) from the Gilder Lehrman Collection .

Past Winners

Read the winning essays submitted by previous years’ contestants.

2023 Contest Winners 2022 Contest Winners 2021 Contest Winners 2020 Contest Winners

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National Sports Law Student Writing Competition The goal of the National Sports Law Student Writing Competition is to encourage law student scholarship on current topics in sports law. Check the link for updated topics and deadlines.

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This year’s topic is Varietal Honeys. What makes a varietal honey? What are some unique varietals? How are some of the valuable varietals confirmed to be authentic (e.g., Manuka honey UMF and MGO)? What are some culturally or economically important varietals and why are they important?

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China Brief: China-Philippines Tensions Heat Up

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China-Philippines Tensions Heat Up

Saber-rattling in the south china sea comes as manila builds alliances in washington and beyond..

• James Palmer

Welcome to  Foreign Policy ’s China Brief.

The highlights this week:  China-Philippines tensions rise around a flash point in the South China Sea, Beijing’s growing academic isolation raises concerns among Chinese scholars, and a Chinese disinformation network shifts toward pro-Trump content.

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Tensions rise in south china sea.

China’s saber-rattling against the Philippines in the South China Sea heated up last month, in a seeming attempt to intimidate Manila into backing off from closer ties with Washington.

The current flash point is the BRP Sierra Madre , a World War II-era landing ship that the Philippines deliberately grounded on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal (or Ren’ai Jiao), a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands, in 1999 and now serves as an outpost. On March 23, China used a water cannon against a Philippine boat on a resupply mission to the Sierra Madre .

The Spratly Islands sit between the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia. The islands, cays, and reefs within the archipelago are subject to many overlapping territorial claims and include some of the most southern points of China’s expansive nine-dash line . Although they have little value in themselves, they sit on a critical trade and supply route.

The Sierra Madre ’s history is a microcosm of Asia’s wars . Built by the United States for World War II’s Pacific theater in 1944, the ship was also used extensively during the Vietnam War, transferred to the South Vietnamese navy in 1970, and acquired by the Philippines in 1976 after the fall of Saigon. China has built up its own outpost on nearby Mischief Reef , part of its extensive sand-dredging operations in the South China Sea.

The Philippines keeps a permanent detachment of around two dozen marines on the Sierra Madre , serving short rotations. That demands a constant resupply process, which is often disrupted by Chinese harassment. The 80-year-old ship is also on the brink of collapse, and the refitting process has become urgent, making clashes between the resupply boats and Chinese boats more frequent.

However, there are bigger forces at play. China has long-running maritime disputes with the Philippines. In 2016, Beijing refused to attend or recognize a U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea tribunal that ruled largely in Manila’s favor. But from then onward, China had then-Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in its pocket ; his pro-China views clashed with the military’s focus on Beijing as the biggest threat to the nation.

Toward the end of his tenure, Duterte was inching away from China, in part because some of its investment promises never materialized . Current President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, the son of the Philippines’ former dictator, has taken a more traditional pro-U.S. line . Washington has been eager to reciprocate , quietly ignoring U.S. court rulings that his father’s estate owes hundreds of millions of dollars to victims of the regime in the 1970s and 1980s.

Marcos’s attempts to build alliances go beyond the Philippines’ tighter relationship with the United States. He has reached out to several possible partners, including Vietnam (a fellow target of Chinese maritime aggression), Australia , and Japan . China—by far the largest power involved in the disputes—dislikes such efforts: In the last decade, it has emphasized keeping South China Sea disputes bilateral and accused outside powers of interfering.

Marcos faces opposition from a truculent Duterte, who has called for independence for his home region of Mindanao—despite his daughter currently serving as vice president. That could be one reason for Beijing turning the screws in the South China Sea now, hoping to weaken Marcos.

Chinese nationalists like former Global Times editor Hu Xijin have engaged in aggressive rhetoric , such as calling for Philippine ships to be “riddled with bullets.” But such figures don’t necessarily represent Chinese policy or fully believe their own rhetoric. The Chinese public widely mocked Hu’s bombastic threats that China would shoot down then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s plane during her visit to Taiwan in 2022.

Any conflict between China and the Philippines would be especially dangerous: Manila could invoke its mutual defense treaty with Washington. There are, of course, many steps between coast guard clashes in the Spratly Islands and World War III. Yet the possibility of fatalities, or even the sinking of a vessel, remains real. It would create a major crisis that would necessitate rapid de-escalation efforts between China and the United States.

What We’re Following

Declining academic ties. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a massive downturn in intellectual exchange between the United States and China, starting with students. There are many Chinese students in the United States— roughly 290,000 —but that is still a more than 20 percent decline from 2019. By contrast, the number of U.S. students in China during the 2022-2023 academic year was just around 350 , down from 15,000 a decade ago.

A recent study from the Center for Strategic and International Studies offers useful perspectives on just how bad things have gotten, decrying U.S. securitization as well as a much more extensive set of ideological controls from China. A surprisingly blunt essay from distinguished Chinese scholar Wang Jisi in the report notes how dominant Xi Jinping Thought has become, leading to demands placed on academics that go beyond traditional Marxist-Leninist restrictions.

“Issues such as the geographic origins of the earliest human beings are not important to traditional Marxists, but they are touchy and essential to China’s ideological workers,” Wang writes, referring to nationalist (and racist) claims that humans first emerged in China, not Africa.

Wang can write like this relatively safely because he’s 76 years old and has long-standing ties to the Chinese diplomatic and intelligence apparatus. But some top Chinese international relations scholars have become very concerned about China’s academic isolation: Yan Xuetong , also writing from a relatively safe position, recently called for more “opening up” and has decried the turn toward nationalism and conspiracy theories among young people in China.

Xi-Biden call. U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping had their first of what is hoped to be a regular series of phone calls on Tuesday, following a face-to-face meeting last November that has led to a slow normalization of bilateral exchange. Little has emerged from the call, which covered well-trodden ground, such as Taiwan and the sensitivities around next month’s presidential inauguration there.

However, this kind of undramatic regular contact adds much-needed ballast back to a dangerously unstable relationship.

Tech and Business

Propaganda turns toward Trump. A long-running Chinese disinformation network devoted largely to straightforward pro-Beijing content—and named Spamouflage by researchers—appears to have shifted gears. It is now producing content supportive of former U.S. President Donald Trump in a seeming attempt to worsen divisions and influence the U.S. election, taking cues from previous Russian efforts.

As researcher Elise Thomas noted , Spamouflage is “infamous among researchers for two things: its enormous scale, and its almost complete ineffectiveness.” (China has had less apparent success planting false stories in U.S. media than in Taiwanese media , for example.) Online trolling is hardly a new or powerful tool, but it may indicate what Beijing wants.

However, it is also possible that the network is also producing pro-Biden content that hasn’t been noticed—or that Chinese content tends to focus on attacking whoever holds power in the United States.

Coffee wars. Chinese coffee chain Luckin is facing a price challenge from competitor Cotti Coffee, which was started by Luckin’s own founders, Lu Zhengyao and Qian Zhiya. Both companies’ prices are already cheap, each offering a range of 9.9 yuan ($1.37) options on their delivery app. The Starbucks menu in China starts at 27 yuan ($3.73) for a small Americano.

It remains strange that Luckin survived revelations of massive fraud in 2020—and that Lu and Qian managed to stay out of jail and come back with funding for another cheap coffee venture. Both companies operate on a vast scale: Luckin has 18,257 stores, nearly three times as many outlets as Starbucks in China, while Cotti has 6,570 stores within two years of its founding.

Luckin now reports record profitability , perhaps aided by the turn toward penny-pinching among Chinese consumers. I would love to see a breakdown of how a delivery model offering coffee for less than $2 works for either company—even with Chinese cities’ poorly paid and overworked delivery workers.

FP’s Most Read This Week

• Is This a Revolution? Or Are People Just Very Ticked Off? by Michael Hirsh
• Why Biden Can’t Force a Truce on Israel—or Won’t by Aaron David Miller and Adam Israelevitz
• Whatever Happened to Biden’s Iran Policy? by Danielle Pletka

A Bit of Culture

In the poem below, the lines about the reclusive poet Tao Yuanming’s “little lane” and his “friends’ carriages” are a persistent point of disagreement for readers and commentators.

A straight reading of the lines, as adopted here—literally, “[my] narrow lane is far from deep ruts / and tends to [cause to] return friends’ carriages”—has Tao observe that he won’t be troubled by any surprise visits as he turns his attention to his reading.

In another interpretation, the second part of the line is read as “and tends to cause friends’ carriages to return,” which makes sense if the reader assumes that the remoteness of Tao’s home was a draw. Some commentators have even suggested that the lines are an interpolation.

True lovers of reading will recognize the accuracy of my mental image: Tao settling down comfortably with a few prized and hand-copied books, including The Classic of Mountains and Seas , a geographic fantasia, for some alone time and reflecting that friends probably won’t come, but smiling at the thought that someone might.— Brendan O’Kane, translator

Reading the Book of Mountains and Seas by Tao Yuanming, (365-427)

The first month of summer: everything is growing, and the trees around my cottage have all filled in;

Flocks of birds are exulting in their new lodgings, and I the fonder of my little home;

And the ploughing is done, and the planting is all finished— and now it’s the season for reading my books again.

My little lane is far off the beaten track, and tends to turn friends’ carriages away.

There’s a spring in my step as I pour a cup of homebrew and pick some vegetables from the patch,

And a fine rain coming in from the east, in the company of a pleasant breeze.

I browse through The Voyages of the King of Zhou, cast my gaze over the Book of Mountains and Seas,

One sweep and I’ve covered the entire universe. If that’s not joy, then I don’t know what is.

James Palmer is a deputy editor at Foreign Policy . Twitter:  @BeijingPalmer

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Pulling together: how Cambridge came to dominate the Boat Race – a photo essay

The race along the River Thames between England’s two greatest universities spans 195 years of rivalry and is now one of the world’s oldest and most famous amateur sporting events. Our photographer has been spending time with the Cambridge University Boat Club over the past few months as they prepare for 2024’s races

T he idea of a Boat Race between the two universities dates back to 1829, sparked into life by a conversation between Old Harrovian schoolfriends Charles Merivale, a student at the time at St John’s College Cambridge, and Charles Wordsworth who was at Christ Church Oxford. On 12 March that year, following a meeting of the newly formed Cambridge University Boat Club, a letter was sent to Oxford.

The University of Cambridge hereby challenge the University of Oxford to row a match at or near London each in an eight-oar boat during the Easter vacation.

From then, the Cambridge University Boat Club has existed to win just one race against just one opponent, something Cambridge has got very good at recently. Last year the Light Blues won every race: the open-weight men’s and women’s races, both reserve races, plus both lightweight races – six victories, no losses, an unprecedented clean sweep. Cambridge women’s open-weight boat, or blue boat, has won the last six Boat Races while the men’s equivalent have won five out of the last seven. In such an unpredictable race, where external factors can play a large part, this dominance is startling.

Thames trials

Rough water as the two women’s boats make their way along the River Thames near Putney Embankment during the Cambridge University Boat Race trials.

It’s a mid-December day by the River Thames. The sky and water merge together in a uniform battleship grey and the bitter north wind whips the tops off the waves. Outside a Putney boathouse two groups of tense-looking women dressed in duck-egg blue tops and black leggings with festive antlers in their hair are huddling together, perhaps for warmth, maybe for solidarity. The odd nervous bout of laughter breaks out. For some of them this is about to be their first experience of rowing on the Tideway, a baptism of fire on the famous stretch of London water where the Boat Race takes place. “Perfect conditions,” remarks Paddy Ryan, the head coach for Cambridge University women, for this is trial eights day, when friends in different boats duel for coveted spots in the top boat.

A couple of hours later these women along with their male equivalents will have pushed themselves to the absolute limit, so much so that several of the men are seen trying to throw up over the side of their boats at the finish under Chiswick Bridge. This may be brutal but it’s just the start. For these students the next few months are going to be incredibly tough, balancing academic work with training like a professional athlete. Through the harshest months of the year they will be focused on preparing for the end of March and a very simple goal: beating Oxford in the Boat Race.

Agony for one of the men’s boats after the finish of the race near Chiswick Bridge during the Cambridge University Boat Race trials.

Ely early mornings

Two of the women’s boats head out in the early morning for a training session on the Great Ouse.

Early winter mornings on the banks of the Great Ouse, well before the sun has risen, can be pretty bleak. In the pitch black a batch of light blue minivans drop off the men and women rowers together at the sleek Ely boathouse that was opened in 2016 at the cost of £4.9m – it’s here that all Cambridge’s on-water training takes place. Very soon a fleet of boats carrying all the teams takes to the water for a training session that may last a couple of hours. Then it’s a quick change, a lift to the train station and back to Cambridge for morning lectures.

The women’s squad head into the Ely boathouse after a 6am drop-off.

As a rower descends the stairs to the bays where the boats are stored, there is a clear indication of why it was built and why they are there. “This is where we prepare to win Boat Races,” a sign says. Since this boathouse was built, Cambridge have won 30 of the 37 races across all categories.

Top: The men’s squad stretch in the boathouse before an early morning training session and a member of the men’s blue boat descends the stairs into where the boats are kept. Below: One of the men’s teams set off for early morning training and the women’s blue boat rows past the women’s lightweight crew during a training session.

It’s a far cry from the old tin sheds with barely any heating and no showers. These current facilities are impressive, enabling the entire men’s and women’s squads to be there at the same time and get boats out.

Top: The men’s blue boat prepare to derig their boat at their Ely training site. Above: The women’s blue boat put their vessel back in the boathouse after a training session on the Great Ouse.

But it’s not just the boathouse that has contributed so much, it’s also the stretch of water they train on. In a year when floods have affected so many parts of the country it has really come into its own. Paddy Ryan, the chief women’s coach, explains: “Along this stretch the river is actually higher than the surrounding land. The water levels are carefully managed by dikes and pumps. As a result we haven’t lost a single session to flooding. That’s not the case for Oxford. I believe their boathouse has been flooded multiple times this year, unable to get to their boats. We’ve had multiple storms but we’ve been able to row through them all.”

The men’s third boat practises on the Great Ouse.

It’s a flat, unforgiving landscape, especially in midwinter, definitely not the prettiest stretch of water, but Cambridge don’t care. Ryan says: “It might be a little dull on the viewing perspective but we could row on for 27km before needing to turn round. We have a 5km stretch that is marked out every 250m. We are lucky to have it.”

The men’s blue boat practise their starts on the long straight on the Great Ouse.

The sweat box

Members of the men’s squad check on their technique with the use of a mirror at the Goldie boathouse.

The old-fashioned Goldie boathouse is right in the centre of Cambridge perched on the banks of the River Cam. Built in 1873, its delicate exterior belies what goes on inside. This is the boat club’s pain cave, where the rowers sweat buckets, pushing themselves over and over again; it’s a good job the floor is rubberised and easy to wipe clean.

A wreath to Charles Merivale, the founder of the Boat Race, and wood panelling in the upstairs room at the Goldie boathouse which commemorates Cambridge crews that have competed in the Boat Race from 1829.

(Top) Seb Benzecry, men’s president of the Cambridge University Boat Club, and (above) Martin Amethier, a member of the reserve Goldie crew, sweat during sessions on ergo machines.

Iris Powell of the women’s blue boat (above) performs pull-ups during a training session.

Above left: Hannah Murphy, the cox of the women’s blue boat, urges on four of her crew (left to right) Gemma King, Megan Lee, Jenna Armstrong and Clare Hole, as they undertake a long session on the ergo machines. Above right: Kenny Coplan, a member of the men’s blue boat crew, looks exhausted then writes in his times after his session on an ergo machine (below).

Brutal sessions on the various ergo machines, where thousands of metres are clocked and recorded, are a staple of the training regime set in place. If there is any slacking off the students just need to look up at one of the walls where a map of the Boat Race course hangs. The “S” shape of the Thames has been carefully coloured in the correct shade of blue and record timings for various key points on the course have been written in for both men and women. All but one record, and that one is shared, is held by Cambridge.

Paddy Ryan, the women’s chief coach, talks to the women’s blue boat during a training session on the River Great Ouse in February.

A key ingredient in any successful team is the coaching. Cambridge’s setup is stable and well established. Paddy Ryan is the chief women’s coach, a genial, tall Australian, he has been part of the women’s coaching team since 2013. The care and devotion to his squad is perfectly clear. “I have my notebook next to my bed so I can jot things down. I wake up in the middle of the night going: am I making the right decisions? I care about them as people and I need to manage them … We joke as coaches that we are teaching some of the smartest people on the planet how to pull on a stick.”

Rob Baker, the chief men’s coach, has Cambridge rowing in the blood. Born and bred in the city, his father was a university boatman for 25 years. He even married into the sport – his wife, Hayley, rowed for Cambridge as a lightweight – so it was no surprise that he became part of the coaching setup way back in 2001. He was the first full-time women’s coach in 2015 then moved to take over the men in 2018.

Rob Baker, the men’s chief coach, talks to his blue boat at their Ely training site.

Apart from an obvious role in the development of rowing skills, a key part of their job is making sure there is a balance for their student athletes. They understand they have to juggle training needs. “Every week we have a general plan,” says Baker, “but then someone might have an extra class or supervision they’ve got to do so we have to move around it. They are studying at one of the most competitive universities in the world with the highest standards so you’ve got to give them space to do that properly.” He goes on: “But when they get on the start line for their race, they’ll be just as competitive as if they were professionals.”

The presidents

Jenna Armstrong and Seb Benzecry discuss their plans in the Great Hall at Jesus College.

Every year one man and one woman are elected presidents to represent Cambridge University Boat Club. They are the captains and leaders, not only responsible for helping design the training programme in conjunction with the coaches but also making budgetary and tactical decisions along the way. This year both of them, Jenna Armstrong and Seb Benzecry, are from the same college, Jesus, which helps the communication between the two of them. They share ideas and knowledge, thoughts and worries. Their lives, for these intense few months, are a juggling act.

Armstrong is a 30-year-old from New Jersey, and doing a PhD in physiology. Once a very keen competitive junior skier she was forced to abandon her hopes of a career on the slopes after a number of serious knee injuries. She only started rowing in 2011 and only became aware of the Boat Race when she saw it on TV a couple of years later.

Jenna Armstrong, cycling down the Chimney, the grand entrance to Jesus College, to go to the other side of the city to carry out more of her PhD research at the department of physiology, development and neuroscience.

The research she carries out at the university labs could be turn out to be life-saving. “I study mitochondrial function in placentas from women from all over the world to learn how genetic and environmental factors during pregnancy can influence placental metabolism and impact the health of both mother and baby. I’m particularly interested in growth restriction which affects about 10% of babies worldwide. That can have lifelong implications for these babies and currently we don’t have any treatment for this.”

Benzecry, 27, is studying for a PhD in film and screen studies, and comes from a completely different rowing background. He grew up just a stone’s throw from the Boat Race course and went to a school on the banks of the Thames. This will be his 14th year of competitive rowing but his fourth and last Boat Race.

“ I remember one year my birthday fell on race day and we watched after my birthday party. Because we live fairly close to the course, I’ve always felt connected to the race.”

Seb Benzecry stands next to an Antony Gormley statue in the Quincentenary Library at Jesus College as he conducts research for his dissertation which forms part of his PhD in film and screen studies.

Talking about how hard it is to get the right balance between academic student life and rowing, Benzecry says: “I guess you have to accept there are many, many things you can’t do, you just don’t have time for during the season. You have to put the blinkers on.”

Armstrong says: “I have to be very prepared, very strategic and organised. I pack everything the night before, and then once I leave my room in the morning, I don’t go back. That allows me to go to training, go to the lab, go to training again. It’s surreal actually, to come to a place like Cambridge, have one of the best educations in the world on top of the most incredible rowing experiences in the world. We have a thing now in the boat, when we are doing something incredibly hard, I say this is my ideal Saturday, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. I would rather be here than in bed or on a date. And I make everyone else say it with me too. I’d rather be nowhere else.”

Benzecry states: “When it’s really bad, when training is so hard, we say Oxford aren’t doing this, they could never do this. It’s an incredibly powerful thing to be thinking we work harder than them, our culture is better than them. They don’t want to go hard as we do – they might think they do but they don’t, they just don’t have it.”

Integration

The men’s and women’s blue boats during a training session on the River Great Ouse in February.

Until 1 August 2020, there were three separate university boat clubs in Cambridge: one for open-weight men, one for lightweight men, and one for open-weight and lightweight women. Since they merged to become one club, it has undoubtedly helped with everyone sharing the same resources and motivating and inspiring one another. No one is more important and everyone has a key part to play in the result. This year, Oxford have followed suit.

Baker says: “I definitely feel, for the athletes themselves, it makes a big difference. They all feel like they’re contributing to one common goal. Every cog in the wheel has to do its job but for sure it feels like one big team on a mission.”

Benzecry explains: “We’re seeing each other train, we’re all out on the water at the same time, we’re supporting each other throughout the season, building a sense of momentum for the whole club towards the races. Everyone’s just inspiring each other all the time and I think that’s been such a sort of cultural shift for Cambridge.”

The men’s blue boat pack their craft on to a trailer at their Ely training site ready for the trip down to London for the Boat Race.

Siobhan Cassidy, the chair of the Boat Race, knows from first-hand how the integration has helped. She rowed for the Light Blues in 1995 and had a key role in the transition. “We could see the advantages of working together, collaborating as a bigger team, the positive impact we felt that could have on performance. But not just the output, actually the whole experience for the young people taking part.”

Siobhan Cassidy, the chair of the Boat Race, pictured at the Thames Rowing Club at Putney Embankment.

This Saturday, if the weather holds, an estimated 250,000 people, the vast majority of whom have no allegiance to one shade of blue or the other, will pack the banks of the Thames to see these races. It’s one of the largest free events in Britain. Broadcast live on BBC One, the race is also beamed to 200 countries across the world.

The starting stone for the University Boat Race and pavement inscription: “The best leveller is the river we have in common” at Putney Embankment.

A map of the Boat Race course at the Goldie boathouse, with the Thames coloured in Cambridge blue and record timings written in for men and women showing almost total Cambridge dominance.

A sporting pinnacle being contested on a fast-flowing, unpredictable river by two teams of university students – it’s pretty bizarre. But maybe it’s that quirkiness that keeps the race, after almost two hundred years, still going strong. And even more bizarre to think that Cambridge, the current dominant force in the Boat Race, a sporting event that can’t shrug off its elitist stereotype, owes so much of that success to such egalitarian principles.

• The Guardian picture essay
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