The Road to a Rhodes

This past fall, Megan Engel, '12 BSc, became one of 11 Canadians to receive a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford, bringing the U of A's total to 69. After finishing her master's degree in physics at the U of A this spring, the 23-year-old will begin a PhD at Oxford's Merton College, where, in addition to studying biophysics, she will be walking in the footsteps of her literary heroes.

What are you studying at the U of A right now?

I'm working on the folding processes of biological molecules. Basically, we're using lasers to force molecules to unfold and refold and unfold again, with implications for a lot of diseases of protein-folding, like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. And if we're talking about a nucleic acid, for instance, those factor in virus propagation. So understanding how those structures work could help to stem the propagation of viruses down the road.

Why did you apply for the Rhodes?

I'm a huge J.R.R. Tolkien fan, and I knew that he went to Oxford and taught at Oxford. I applied to Merton College, which is where Tolkien finished The Lord of the Rings. Also, they just started this program on quantum-inspired bio-technology - it was exactly what I was interested in.

What do you think made you stand out from the competition?

It's a scholarship that focuses on the well-rounded individual, and I was academically strong in the sciences and well-balanced in artistic elements, in music and drama, and had this volunteer background. I've played piano since fourth grade. I've always loved to read and write stories, poetry and essays. In high school, I was really involved in drama. I played Peter Pan, and Belle in Beauty and the Beast. And right now, I volunteer with the Artist on the Wards program at the University of Alberta Hospital. So having all those different elements was important.

What are you most looking forward to next year?

I would be lying if I didn't say that it was going to see all the places that were important in Tolkien's life. I think places are important and hold a certain power. Also, all the literature I read growing up was English: Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I want to go to Baker Street and see the heather on the moors, because I've been seeing this in my mind since I was a kid. I should have said "the world-class academic institution," which is true, and I'm really excited about that, too.

What do you hope to get out of the experience?

I hope to be brought to the point where I feel like I'm really a physicist. Ultimately, I would like to come back and teach at the U of A. I found out I love research, and I think the U of A is a fantastic school. I have faith in this school and this community.