Scholarship to commemorate former student

Amy Li was born in China but attended school in the UK, and won a place to study Chemical Engineering at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. 

After graduating in 2010 she took up a post as safety engineer with DNV GL, a leading organization in the maritime, oil and gas, and energy industries.  She died only three years later, whilst working in Aberdeen.

Her colleagues at DNV GL determined to remember her by establishing a scholarship that will enable international students to follow in her footsteps at Cambridge.

The first recipient of the Amy Li Scholarship is Jiaqi Liu (pictured central with Helen Pennant, of the Cambridge Trust right, and Lorraine Headen, Senior Associate Director, Principal Gifts).

Jiaqi, from North Eastern China,  who won her scholarship to attend boarding school in the UK, has just started her BA in Mathematics at Newnham College. She said she was honoured to become the very first Amy Li scholar at Cambridge.

"Coming to Cambridge has been a long-held dream of mine and this scholarship has enabled me to do this. It sounds like Amy was an amazing person and I am happy that we can remember her in this way ."

The scholarship is jointly funded by the donation from DNV GL and by an award from the Cambridge Commonwealth, European & International Trust, which exists to support outstanding international students at the University.

The scholarships will be awarded to undergraduates from any country outside the EU, and will be available to outstanding applicants in Mathematics, Physics, Engineering or Chemical Engineering.

Selected scholars will benefit from interaction with the staff of DNV GL, including possible summer vacation placements.

Dr Patrick Barrie, Director of Teaching in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, was Amy Li's Director of Studies while she was at Cambridge. He said “I remember interviewing Amy for admission and supervising her.  I was deeply saddened by the tragic news of her death last year at such an early stage of her life and career. The establishment of these scholarships, aimed at helping students like Amy, mean that her name will be remembered.”

Gary Tomlin, Vice-President for Safety and Risk at DNV GL, said: “Amy had an outstanding attitude, charisma and spirit for everything she did, both at work and in her own leisure time.”