The C. S. Soper and Joan Rydon Scholarship

The C. S. Soper and Joan Rydon Scholarship was established in memory of Emeritus Professor Charles Samuel Soper, former Dean of the Faculty of Business & Economics, and Professor Joan Rydon, Professor in Political Science and founding member of the Australasian Political Studies Association and the Australasian Study of Parliament Group.

The scholarship supports an Honours student studying Economics who is specialising in economic theory or mathematical economics.

Application type

No application is required. You will be automatically considered for this award.

Benefit type

Single payment
Full benefit details

Citizenship requirements

Australian / domestic student
International student

Total value

up to $7,500

Applicable study areas

Commerce, economics and management

Number of scholarships awarded

1

  • Anand Bharadwaj
    "I was privileged to undertake the Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) program at the University of Melbourne in 2021, supported by the C. S. Soper and Joan Rydon Scholarship. The rigorous, intellectually stimulating academic training, coupled with the opportunity to undertake independent research, made the program an immensely enjoyable and rewarding experience. Under the guidance of my advisor, Professor Simon Loertscher, I wrote my Honours thesis on the competitive effects of vertical integration in supply chains. Motivated by the many supply chain disruptions that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, my thesis used tools from economic theory and mathematical economics to shed light on how to design supply chains to be more resilient to external shocks, particularly in environments with asymmetric information.

    The rich intellectual ambiance of the department and the outstanding mentorship of the Faculty cemented my passion for research in Economics, and it was a great privilege to graduate from the program with the William Noall and Son Prize (awarded to the top student across all disciplines of the Bachelor of Commerce Honours program) and the Jean Polglaze Memorial Prize for the best Honours thesis in Economics. The C. S. Soper and Joan Rydon Scholarship not only provided me with financial support for my degree, but receiving this award also gave me the confidence to pursue my dream of undertaking a PhD in Economics at a top US school. I am now in the second year of my Doctoral studies at the University of California, Berkeley, which has been an excellent fit for my interdisciplinary research interests. Looking back, I am immensely grateful to the donors of the C. S. Soper and Joan Rydon Scholarship for supporting my Honours studies and thereby giving me an outstanding platform from which to commence my research career."
    - Anand Bharadwaj

  • Eligibility & selection criteria

    Eligibility

    To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:

    • be commencing the Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in Economics specialising in economic theory or mathematical economics.

    Selection criteria

    The Head of Department of Economics will nominate a recipient based on all eligible student's subject choice in their Honours year (i.e. those related to mathematical economics and economics theory), thesis topic and academic merit (as determined by undergraduate results in the Bachelor of Commerce).

  • Application process

    No application is required. Students will be automatically considered for this award.

  • When will I know the outcome?

    The recipient will be notified by email.

What are the benefits?

The scholarship is valued at the Net Annual Income of the trust.

The information listed here is subject to change without notice. Where we have listed information about jointly run scholarships programs, please also see our partners' websites. Information describing the number and value of scholarships awarded is indicative.