About Will:

What course are you studying and what level?

DPhil English – Project Titled ‘The Medium of Writing in the Age of AI’

Why did you chose that course?

Fascination with how AI affects human authorship. I’m passionate about advancing fields of literary and philosophical studies to understand the emergence of modern language generation technology.

When, where and why did you start rowing? And what do you love about the sport?

I started rowing in October 2023 at St Edmund Hall boat club. I love pushing physical performance boundaries and getting faster, so I was drawn to the intense training and testing regimes that come alongside rowing.

What was your first rowing club and coach?

St Edmund Hall Boat Club. Tom Symington and Marie-Claire Jalaguier.

What or who was the earliest sporting inspiration you remember as a child?

Dean Karnazes, an American ultramarathon runner. I read his book ‘Run’, and was inspired by his willingness to embrace difficulty and discomfort in extreme sport.

How has rowing and being part of the Boat Race squad impacted your life?

Preparing for the Boat Race requires you to orient everything in life around your training – working, studying, and socialising have to be fit in around twice-daily sessions. This lifestyle, and the people you meet whilst you’re involved with it, gives you so much momentum. You can’t stop for a moment to worry about an assignment or getting up for a shift – you just get on with it and get it done. Everyone at OUBC has a ‘can-do’ attitude which I really respect and aspire to.

If you weren’t a rower, what sport do you think you’d excel at?

Long-distance cycling.

What is your favourite non-academic book?

In Search of Lost Time – Marcel Proust.

Find out more about Will from:

• Instagram