Mechanical engineer and alternative energy advocator Orian Welling has been awarded a full scholarship for graduate study at the University of Cambridge by the Gates Cambridge Trust. The American is currently biking from South Africa to England.
A previous 15,000 mile biking expedition led Welling to create a bike-powered laptop that could be made available to developing countries. Last year, Welling and five teammates won the MIT IDEAS Competition Yunus Challenge Award for a portable solar cooker intended to withstand the high winds on the plateau of western China. The dish and reflector are formed by mylar sewn into a yak-wool canvas base.
MIT students have been awarded 15 of the Gates scholarships since the creation of the program in 2000 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The scholarships cover tuition, room, board, travel, and a stipend for study at Cambridge.