Lauren Tooker

The Trustees of the Yvonne A M Smith Charitable Trust are pleased to announce that the winner of the 2012 scholarship is Lauren Tooker.

Lauren will be studying for a PhD in International Political Economy at the University of Warwick, one of the preeminent centres for research on this subject in Europe. Lauren’s background is in politics and international development. Her doctoral research will explore the politics and ethics of international debt policy for developing countries.

Lauren received unconditional offers of admission and funding at the three British universities to which she applied. As part of the University of Warwick offer, Lauren has been given the opportunity to participate in a joint doctoral programme that Warwick runs in conjunction with a consortium of European universities. This will mean spending part of the second year of her doctoral studies at one of Warwick’s partner universities in Brussels, Geneva and Rome, leading to the award of a double degree from Warwick and the partner university.

Lauren holds a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Political Studies and French from the University of Auckland. She completed a BA(Hons) and an MA in Politics at Auckland, graduating with an A+ average and First Class Honours for both. Lauren’s MA research was awarded the prize for the best Master’s thesis in Arts at the University of Auckland.

Lauren was chosen out of 60 applicants of a very high standard to be awarded the $50,000 Yvonne A M Smith Charitable Trust Scholarship.