Parvinder Thiara of Rochelle Township High School in Rockford, Ill. was recently named a Rhodes scholar and intends to study water.
According to Rockford Register Star, Thiara will attend Oxford University in England, where he will explore ways to cleanse and protect the world’s water supplies.
Thiara’s grandfather died from a waterborne disease in India, which lead to Thiara’s interest in cleansing the world’s water.
The prestigious Rhodes scholarship is given to 32 college students across the company each year. The scholars are rewarded for high grades, motivation, leadership skills and passion. Thiara is one of three students chosen from Illinois.
At Oxford, Thiara will work towards two master’s degrees, on in theoretical chemistry, and one in water science policy. Thiara told Rockford Register Star that he hopes these degrees will give him solid grounding to develop modern methods for water disinfection.
Source: Rockford Register Star