Rice students named Truman Scholars

Rice University students Benjamin Chou and Rahul Rekhi have been named Truman Scholars for 2012.

Both Chou and Rekhi will receive a $30,000 scholarship for their outstanding leadership potential and communication skills. To earn this honor, students must also be within the top quarter of their class and be committed to careers in government or the nonprofit sector.

Benjamin Chou is a junior from Sugar Land interested in global environmental improvement and is pursuing majors in political science, Asian studies and energy policy.

Chou's accomplishments include examining Chinese energy policy under the direction of Baker Institute researcher Steven Lewis, interning at the Center for Houston's Future, the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai and volunteering for several congressional campaigns. He is also the chair of the Rice Undergraduate Research Symposium and has taught English in Taiwan.

Rahul Rekhi, from Houston, is also a junior. He is double majoring in bioengineering and economics. Rekhi is a Barry M. Goldwater Scholar and has researched computer modeling of aniogenesis under the direction of professor Amina Qutub. Other accomplishments include serving as an editor of the Rice undergraduate science journal and working on a design team to build a cellphone-based bilirubinometer.

Rekhi also distributed health care materials to more than 300,000 college seniors with the help of the nonprofit organization Young Invincibles, and won a Rice Envision Grant and a Community Service Grant to create the Research Mentorship Initiative.

Both scholars will receive their awards at a ceremony in the Truman Library in Independence, Mo. Chou and Rekhi will also receive priority admission at certain graduate schools, career counseling, leadership training and special internship opportunities with the government.