Tauranga's Jonathan Barnard is one of four young Kiwi graduates to be awarded a Woolf Fisher scholarship, valued at $300,000.

The scholarships are awarded to graduates who have the potential to become future leaders in their field to enable them to undertake doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge in England.

2017 Woolf Fisher Scholar Jonathan Barnard with Woolf Fisher Trust chair Sir Noel Robinson. Supplied Photo.

Funded by the Woolf Fisher Trust and supported by the Cambridge Trust, the scholarships covers students' study and living costs while at Cambridge.

Jonathan, a former Aquinas College student who graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours majoring in Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering from Massey University, will now undertake a PhD in Chemical Engineering at Cambridge in 2017.

Woolf Fisher Trust chairman Sir Noel Robinson says four of the seven shortlisted candidates were of such a high and equal standard that the panel agreed to offer scholarships to all four.

'We are delighted that we have had such a strong field shortlisted for this year's scholarships. They each bring a range of strengths and research interests.

'And most importantly, they embody the characteristics envisaged by Sir Woolf when he established the scholarship. We will follow their progress with great pride and great interest.”

Jonathan's PhD research at Cambridge will involve investigating the dynamics and reactivity of underwater methane plumes from deep sea methane hydrate deposits, which will contribute towards solving global warming and the energy crisis.

In the past the 22-year-old has held a number of leadership roles including captaining the Aquinas 1st XI football team, and last year was the National Chair of Student Engineers New Zealand, reporting to the CEO of the Institute of Professional Engineers.

He is currently employed as a safety and risk engineer by New Plymouth engineering firm WorleyParsons.

The other three scholarship recipients are: Amy Hill from the University of Canterbury; Liam Jolliffe from Victoria University of Wellington; and Tessa Morgan from the University of Auckland.

Sir Woolf Fisher, who co-founded Fisher and Paykel, set up his trust in 1960 to recognise and reward excellence in education. The scholarship selects young New Zealanders based on their outstanding academic ability, leadership potential as well as their integrity, vision and capacity for work.

The 2017 Woolf Fisher Scholars, from left: Jonathan Barnard, Liam Jolliffe, Tessa Morgan and Amy Hill with Woolf Fisher Trust chair Sir Noel Robinson. Supplied Photo.