StudyAdelaide names Chidozie ‘Elvis’ Chidi-Ezeama as International Student of the Year
Chidozie ‘Elvis’ is a doctor, concert violinist, inventor, community volunteer and disability carer – not to mention the top international student in the state!
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Nigerian doctor Chidozie ‘Elvis’ Chidi-Ezeama came to Adelaide to study biomedical engineering so he could design low-cost medical devices for his country’s poor.
An accomplished concert violinist, inventor, community volunteer and disability carer, the 34-year-old has been named South Australia’s international student of the year.
Mr Chidi-Ezeama said he chose to leave his homeland when he became frustrated with an inequitable availability of medical equipment.
With the help of his tutors at Flinders University’s innovation precinct at Tonsley he since has designed a 3-D printable device which can diagnose malaria.
Mr Chidi-Ezeama said he planned to make the supporting software free to enable both cheap production and operation.
He praised South Australia as a place to undertake tertiary education, saying he had immensely enjoyed his time at Flinders.
“I have received so much support it has been a wonderful place to study and learn,” he said.
“I have had a particular goal and all the staff have been happy to help me.”
Mr Chidi-Ezeama said he would recommend Adelaide to any overseas student.
“Everything is so accessible, you don’t have to travel far for anything,” he said.
“It is not as busy as big cities where it can be hard to focus on your studying.”
When he is not working towards finishing his masters degree, Mr Chidi-Ezeama plays violin for the Brighton Seventh Day Adventist Church.
He also regularly visits Kangaroo Island with other professionals including doctors, dentists, psychologists and engineers to offer free consultations to residents still recovering from devastating bushfires in early 2020.
“I first went there to help prune vineyards and we have been taking food hampers over ever since,” he said.
Mr Chidi-Ezeama said he planned to look for a full-time job in South Australia when he finished his thesis next month.
He had paid for his study through being a NDIS carer for a 36-year-old wheelchair-bound muscular dystrophy sufferer for two years.
StudyAdelaide chief executive Jane Johnston said Mr Chidi-Ezeama’s story was “truly inspiring”.
“He’s a great example of the thousands of highly talented and self-motivated international students that choose to study in Adelaide every year,” she said.
“We hope Elvis will continue to be a part of the South Australian community after he graduates as he’d be an asset to any local medical technology business and our state.”
Ms Johnston said StudyAdelaide had received 220 entries for its international student awards from 19 educational institutions, with 38 nationalities represented.
2022 STUDYADELAIDE AWARD WINNERS:
International Student – Chidozie ‘Elvis’ Chidi-Ezeama, Nigeria
Postgraduate Research – Aprille Chua Jia Qi, Singapore
Vocational Education and Training – Beatriz Vergara, Chile
Under Graduate – T.M. Reynal Adrien Jayatilake, Malaysia
Pathways – Binu Rajasuriya, Sri Lanka
Schools – Asira Suetrong, Thailand
Community Engagement – Rachel Tan Sue Win, Malaysia
Peer Support – Xusheng Li, China
Employer of the Year – Visy
Alumni – Dr Jeet B Chand, Nepal
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