3 Gates scholars to study at Cambridge Judge this year

The 3 new Gates scholars at Cambridge Judge hail from India, Nigeria and the US, and have backgrounds ranging from publishing to clean energy to computer science.

From Mumbai, to London, to Cambridge: exploring innovation and strategy

Aashka Tank (MPhil in Innovation, Strategy and Organisation 2024)

Aashka Tank from India will be studying for an MPhil in Innovation, Strategy and Organisation. She just finished Philosophy, Politics and Economics studies at King’s College London, and is currently working for Penguin Random House publishers.

“Being in such an entrepreneurial city as London and participating in research fellowships that naturally introduced me to organisational theory led me towards my MPhil studies,” she says. “The questions of how to organise verticals within the publishing company, creating long-term strategies for acquisitions and innovation in terms of hardback-to-paperback conversions are all illuminated by management research and rigorous academic thought. I’m very excited to approach the book business after being trained to view the world with these 3 powerful lenses.” 

After a stint in politics – from interning at the Indian Parliament to working on a recent election campaign, Aashka developed an interest in public service and leadership. She hopes that Gates Cambridge workshops and lectures will help to “deepen my understanding of the notion and to view leadership not as a role, but as a responsibility”.

Where intellectual zeal meets perfect environment

Aashka says she was always drawn to the ‘Silicon Fen’ as the ideal place to explore innovation and strategy. She attended Enterprise Tuesday talks at Cambridge Judge and had a chance to wander around just before the event to overhear a range of conversations. “I loved the intellectual zeal in the air as well the marzipan-like brightness of the building,” Aashka says. “The talk itself only confirmed this view and paved the way for interactions with founders in incredibly dynamic spaces. After that evening, I was certain that I’d like to spend a year in this environment where theory was constantly cross-referenced with reality and moulded into a form that could maximise impact.”

Aashka’s area of interest is scaling SME businesses, and she has already talked with Cambridge Judge Professors Michael Barrett (Professor of Information Systems and Innovation Studies) and Matthew Grimes (Professor of Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Futures) about information systems, entrepreneurial markets and other topics.

Passion for innovation and technology born in Nigeria

Uchechukwu Ogechulwu (MPhil in Technology Policy 2024)

Uchechukwu (Uche) Ogechulwu from Nigeria will be studying for an MPhil in Technology Policy. In 2018 he pursued undergraduate studies in Geography at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and, more recently, Environment and Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

During studies in his homeland Uche co-founded solar energy company Greenage Technologies. The firm is manufacturing and selling solar inverters, solar generators, and other clean energy solutions.

“My passion for innovation and technology has seen me support and grow a few climate tech solutions in Nigeria through the Hardware Garage, a Hardware Innovation Lab I co-founded,” he says.

Fostering sustainable development in Africa

Talking about the Gates Cambridge scholarship, Uche says it’s an incredible opportunity to further his education and impact in the field of renewable energy and sustainability at a business school.

Uche comments: “The scholarship not only provides financial support but also connects me with a community of like-minded scholars and professionals dedicated to making a difference in the world. This aligns perfectly with my personal and professional goals of driving sustainable development and innovation in Africa. The Business School’s reputation for academic excellence, combined with its commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, makes it the ideal place for me to pursue my MPhil in Technology Policy.”

Through the studies at Cambridge Judge Uche hopes to acquire advanced knowledge and skills that will help grow Greenage Technologies: “I look forward to engaging with a diverse cohort of students and faculty, exchanging ideas, and building a network that will support my long-term goals of fostering sustainable development and creating job opportunities in the renewable energy sector.”

How robots and AI can help vulnerable communities

Sadhana Lolla (MPhil in Technology Policy 2024)

Sadhana Lolla from the US will be studying for an MPhil in Technology Policy. She just finished Computer Science studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she was working on making robots more intelligent and adaptable in the real world, curbing bias in artificial intelligence (AI), and building and deploying trustworthy AI models for safety-critical applications.

“My background as a machine learning researcher and roboticist has enabled me to deeply appreciate the transformative power of technology, while also recognising that technologists and governments must work together to ensure that cutting-edge artificial intelligence is fair and bias-free.”

How interdisciplinary expertise can help with AI regulations

Sadhana is hoping her studies in Cambridge will help make positive changes in the sector:

“I applied for the scholarship because I wanted to become part of a close-knit community of people who are interested in leveraging their incredibly varied knowledge and expertise to change the world for the better.”

Sadhana adds: “I’m really excited to meet scholars whose academic interests are so different from mine, and to collaborate with the most talented people in their fields to make a difference. Through pursuing an MPhil in Technology Policy, I hope to take the first steps of bridging the gap between academics, scientists, technology innovators, and policymakers.

Looking ahead she’s interested in developing AI regulations that spur safety and robustness without sacrificing innovation and competitiveness, and wants to work on democratising access to AI and robotics technologies.

Gates Cambridge scholarships – for people changing the world

Kamiar Mohaddes, Associate Professor in Economics and Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School, has been sitting on the interview panel for Gates Cambridge scholarships for many years, and is impressed by this year’s cohort.

This year we have admitted 3 brilliant scholars from India, Nigeria and the US to Cambridge Judge Business School, and we are really excited to welcome them to the growing Gates-Cambridge Judge family. We look forward to teaching them, and in return to learn from their diverse experiences.

Dr Kamiar Mohaddes

Gates Cambridge is a postgraduate scholarship programme for outstanding scholars outside the UK. Every year around 80 scholarships are awarded for individuals to pursue a postgraduate degree at the University of Cambridge.

The programme was established in 2000 by an historic donation of US$210m from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with the first scholars arriving in October 2001. Since then, more than 2,000 scholarships have been awarded to scholars from around 100 countries.

Next year Gates Cambridge will be awarding 25 additional scholarships (for entry in October 2025) in celebration of their 25th anniversary.

Gates and Cambridge Judge Business School

Dr Kamiar Mohaddes is a Gates Cambridge scholar himself – he arrived in 2005 to study for a PhD in Economics at St John’s College and has stayed in Cambridge since then. He says the scholarship was transformational, without it he would not have been able to conduct cutting-edge research for wider societal benefit, and to meet inspiring people which lead to establishing climaTRACES Lab, an interdisciplinary research initiative at the University of Cambridge focusing on climate, nature, and sustainability research, with fellow Gates scholar Ramit Debnath.

Some other notable Gates Cambridge scholars and alumni with connections to Cambridge Judge include: