Richard Rutherford

Results and Qualifications:

• ATAR: 99.90 (Dux Proxime, Riverview Medal for Mathematics)
• State Ranks: $4^\text{th}$ in NSW for Engineering Studies, $6^\text{th}$ in NSW for Latin Ext.
• University: The University of Sydney, Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering (Space Major)/Bachelor of Science (Mathematical Sciences)
• The University of Sydney - Dean's List of Excellence in academic performance 2019.
• HSC Subjects: Maths Ext. 1 (98/100, $2^\text{nd}$ at Riverview), Maths Ext. 2 (94/100, $1^\text{st}$ at Riverview), Engineering Studies (97/100, $1^\text{st}$ at Riverview), 92/100 in Latin Continuers ($1^\text{st}$ at Riverview), Latin Ext. (49/50, $1^\text{st}$ at Riverview), Mathematics Adv. (99/100, $2^\text{nd}$ at Riverview)

Approach to Tutoring:

Richard would be the first to attribute his success in the HSC and in university life to meticulous planning and working smarter, rather than pure natural intelligence or working long hours. He makes it his mission to pass down such organisational skills to his students since he sees this as being just as essential to academic success as having a deep conceptual understanding of subject matter.

As a tutor, Richard wants to elevate the confidence of his students and to enable them to fulfil their potential even beyond high school. He believes that tutoring should not just prepare students for their final high-school exams; instead, it should empower them to think critically and independently, a skill that he knows first-hand is vital in university and later life. His style of improving students' thinking with powerful questions is a reflection of this - he knows that students are far more likely to retain knowledge if they come to insights on their own with him as a guide.

His continued study of advanced mathematics at university has led to an unparalleled understanding of even the most complex concepts seen in high school.

Biography:

Richard grew up in Chatswood, Sydney, where he attended St Ignatius' College, Riverview from Year 7 until Year 12 where he graduated as Proxime of the school in 2018.

You need to look no further than Richard's HSC subjects and his final marks in them to see how multi-faceted his academic ability is - throughout school, it was clear that Richard could succeed in whatever discipline he put his mind to. Although he eventually settled on a more STEM-oriented career path, he also displayed a talent for the classics and study of literature, finishing first in Latin every year that he was at school. He was so spoiled for choice in terms of his subjects that he had to drop Chemistry and Studies of Religion II in Year 12 despite finishing 1st and 2nd in each subject respectively in Year 11. From this, it becomes clear that more than any one discipline, Richard just loves the feeling of improvement and learning something new.

Richard is currently in his third year studying for a combined Aerospace Engineering and Mathematics degree. Alongside tutoring, Richard is a Propulsion Engineer for the University of Sydney Rocketry Team. He is part of a research team responsible for the development of a hybrid rocket engine. He loves attending live music and tends to become obsessed with different sports, with the UFC, NBA and cricket being his current favourites.