Alexander Guttenplan (born 8 June 1990) is a former student primarily known as the captain of the team from Emmanuel College, Cambridge that won the University Challenge TV quiz show in 2010, scoring 315 points to 100 against St John's College, Oxford, in the final. His performance in this has been compared with that of Gail Trimble. He also "got the better" of presenter Jeremy Paxman, in an exchange which became an Internet sensation.[1]
Alexander Guttenplan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 June 1990 |
| Nationality | |
| Education | |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge (PhD) |
| Known for | University Challenge (2010) |
| Parents |
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Guttenplan also took part in a special edition of Only Connect, leading a team from University Challenge against the champions of the first series of Only Connect, the Crossworders.[2] In September 2017, Guttenplan appeared as part of "Team Emma" on Eggheads.
Guttenplan is of Jewish and Greek ancestry.[3] His father, D. D. Guttenplan of U.S. Jewish origin, and mother, Maria Margaronis from Greece, are both writers. He has two siblings. He was educated at the Hall School Hampstead and Westminster School, where he showed prodigious talent in a school quiz at the age of eleven.[4] He was chairbeing of the Cambridge University Science Fiction Society.[5] He has a PhD in smart nanomaterials from repeat proteins and amyloid fibrils from the University of Cambridge.
References
edit- ^ "Jeremy Paxman clash student in University Challenge win". BBC News. Archived from the original on 8 April 2010. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
- ^ "University Challenge Special". Only Connect. BBC Four. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
- ^ Elgot, Jessica (16 February 2010). "University Challenge: Guttenplan vs Amit". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
- ^ Ed Cumming (4 April 2011). "Alexander Guttenplan envy: I could have been a contender". The Daily Telegraph. London.
- ^ Peck, Tom (3 April 2010). "Your starter for 10...Where is the student who taught politicians how to handle Paxman?". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 6 April 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2011.