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Tuesday, 20 May 2003

A University of Adelaide Masters student has become the first student from outside the United States to receive a special award from one of the US's biggest universities, the University of Texas.

Dr Derek Rogers, who works at Motorola as a Senior Staff Engineer and Product Engineer, is completing his Master of Science and Technology Commercialisation (MTSC) at Adelaide. Part of the course involves an international component delivered in conjunction with the University of Texas (Austin campus).

Dr Rogers received a special leadership award from Texas earlier this month for not only his results in the course, but his advice, help and leadership given to fellow students, as well as lecturers. The award has never been given to a non-US student, and is very rarely given at all.

"I'm very pleased, it's a great honour and I definitely thank my team mates and lecturers who were a part of this", Dr Rogers says. "Hopefully this gives people inspiration in what they can do, be that it in study or business, either here in Australia or overseas."

Dr Rogers already holds three qualifications from the University of Adelaide: a Bachelor of Engineering (Electronic and Electrical) with First Class Honours, a Bachelor of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, and a PhD in Engineering.

Academic Director of the MSTC program at Adelaide, Mr Antonio Dottore, says Dr Rogers' award was thoroughly deserved.

"He is a credit to himself and the University," Mr Dottore says. "To receive such an award speaks volumes about how he is respected by his fellow students and also his lecturers.

"It also attests to the quality of the University of Adelaide's MTSC program, and the quality of students it attracts. These are the sorts of people who will make significant contributions to the State's economic wellbeing and the University of Adelaide is delighted to be playing such a pivotal role in this area."