Back in November Ukie ran its annual Ukie Student Game Jam, this year titled Green Game Jam, with a focus on the environment. Ukie was very fortunate to have the support of a scholarship fund that looks to help support students studying video games related courses.
About The Rabin Ezra Scholarship Trust
The scholarship was set up by Rabin' parents. Solomon and Uma Ezra. Uma passed away four years ago. It was set up in memory of Rabin who passed away at the very early age of 37 years in June 2005. Rabin was awarded the Ph.D. in 1994. His thesis was: AN ADAPTIVE METHOD FOR RENDERING OF CURVED SURFACES.
The Rabin Ezra Scholarship was set up to provide bursaries for postgraduate scholars working in the fields of Computer Science and Computer Graphics. Recently the scope of the trust has taken on a wider remit. You have received a 'donation' as a result of the wider scope.
There are, currently, eight trustees and they might have another one very soon. One of our trustees is the very first recipient of the bursary who got her PhD and is now a lecturer in Goldsmiths College.
Current trustees:
- Solomon Ezra (Chair)
- Paul Davison
- Yinnon Ezra
- David Reeves
- Sarah Lemarié
- Richard Matthews
- Dr Sylvia Xueni Pan
- Richard Parr
They are a registered charity and have to, as usual, report to the Charities Commission annually. Our Charity Number is - 1116049. They have, also, awarded bursaries to scholars involved in the medical fields.
This Trust was set up, with help from Sony, in memory of Dr Rabin Ezra. Rabin, who was a superb programmer, and, according to Sony and Canon, a genius. Rabin did a great deal of work for the Sony PlayStation. He was working on emulations for PS2 games to be played on PS3 and to be played on other platforms. There were only a handful of engineers, internationally, who could do that.
Once a year the trust sends out information, nationally, to the relevant departments of universities inviting applications for the bursaries.
Along with their board of trustees, the trust has a selection committee that looks at the applications and forms a shortlist. The short-listed applicants are asked to make a presentation to the selection committee. The presentation can be made in person in a room in University College or Via Skype or a video. There is a limit the bursaries to about £10,000 - perhaps a little more if the funds are available. The successful applicant(s) are then given a bursary from within the £10,000.
So far, the trust has given bursaries to 16 scholars. The donation given to 'ukie' is to help with the publicity of the TRUST and to widen our remit - as mentioned above.
Solomon Ezra is the chairperson of the trust.
Find out more about the trust and the wonderful work they do here.