UAB gets its third Rhodes scholar

Mike Oliver
AL.com

He was a UAB hospital volunteer in the 10th grade. He moved on to work in the lab of a world-renowned neuroscientist. Now he's the University of Alabama at Birmingham's third-ever Rhodes scholar.

His name is Ameen Barghi, 22, an Oak Mountain High School alum.

He joins fellow UAB students Joshua Carpenter in 2012 and Neelasksh (Neel) Varshney in 2000 in achieving that coveted distinction, UAB announced today.

He will be one of 32 U.S. students going to Oxford University next fall on full scholarship for a graduate education.

"We wish Ameen every success as he pursues his Doctor of Philosophy degree in clinical neuroscience at Oxford next October," Dr. Ray Watts, president of UAB, said in the release. "He exemplifies the passion and excellence we seek from every student at UAB -- undergraduate, graduate and professional."

Barghi credits his tutelage under renowned behavioral neuroscientist Edward Taub with putting him on his latest study path.

"He just opened his door to me," Barghi said in the release. "I had the opportunity to learn clinical neuroscience at its finest. ... I'm getting experiences at UAB that kids from the best institutions around the world can't get."

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