Two Rhodes Scholars with Chicago ties named

Samuel Greene, a senior at the University of Chicago, and Vinay Nayak (inset, left) , an Oak Brook resident who attends Yale University, are among the 32 American winners of the highly competitive Rhodes Scholarship selected Saturday. ((University of Chicago/Yale University) / )

Two college students with Chicago ties are among 32 American winners of the highly competitive Rhodes Scholarship selected Saturday.

Samuel M. Greene, a senior at the University of Chicago from Spring Green, Wis., and Vinay Nayak, a senior at Yale University from west suburban Oak Brook, will have their expenses covered for the next several years as they pursue advanced degrees at the University of Oxford in England, the Rhodes Trust said Sunday in a press release.

Greene, an aspiring chemist, has conducted research that explores how to convert organic material to biofuel. He has also done research for the U.S. Department of Energy relating to uncertainties in quantities of radioactive materials. According to the Rhodes Trust, he hopes to develop innovative renewal energy technology and inspire others to reduce emissions.

Nayak, a political science major, has focused his studies on how the Internet can be used to enhance citizen engagement in elections, government and policymaking, the Rhodes Trust said. He has applied these interests to political campaigns, including the 2012 Obama re-election campaign where he managed many national digital programs and social media accounts. Nayak also interned for the White House Office on Digital Strategy and managed the social media presence for Sandy Hook Elementary School parents whose children lost their lives.

Elliot F. Gerson, American Secretary of the Rhodes Trust, called the Rhodes Scholarships 'the oldest and best known award for international study, and arguably the most famous academic award available to American college graduates.'

Approximately 80 Rhodes scholars are selected worldwide each year. In addition to 32 Americans, scholars also hail from Australia, Bermuda, Canada, the nations of the Commonwealth Caribbean, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

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