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Konrad Pilch

• Adelaide Undergraduate Scholarship

My family is from Poland, which is where I was born. Moving to Adelaide in 1994, my parents and my brother took no time to get completely immersed in our new culture. I have been a city boy essentially all my life and attended St Martin's School very briefly, followed by St Andrew's School for my primary education and St Peter's College for my secondary education. It was at St Peter's College where I established and developed many of my passions, which include mathematics, physics, volleyball and basketball as well as public speaking and computing.

While at school I regularly took part in academic competitions having success in mathematical, science, history and English competitions at the school, state, national and international levels.  Most notably achieving a bronze and silver medal in the International Mathematical Olympiad in 2005 and 2006. Additionally, I took part in many other extracurricular activities such as debating and public speaking, while maintaining a very intense sporting regime and juggling this with many leadership activities as I was a School Prefect, House Captain, Volleyball Captain, Computer Society President and Scientific Society Vice-President.

My passion for mathematics and physics was the reason I decided to study a double degree of a Bachelor of Mechatronic Engineering and a Bachelor of Mathematical and Computer Science. I was first drawn to this course by a fellow former Australian Mathematical Olympiad Team Member Justin Ghan, who graduated with first class honours in this degree in 2002. The project he designed for his honours project blew me away and any hesitations I had for this course. It is in my mind a perfect balance of mathematics and physics as well as throwing in a few random surprises such as chemistry and computing. Other bonuses of this course include the proximity of the University of Adelaide to home and the reputation of the university.

I am privileged to have won an Adelaide Undergraduate Scholarship, which has allowed me to be financially independent and pursue my studies without any financial burdens.

A double degree of Mechatronic Engineering and Mathematical and Computer Science allows me to undertake further studies in mathematics. I aspire to obtain a PhD in the United States of America and return to Australia and continue studying and teaching as a Professor of Mathematics.