Science and Technology Australia is pleased to congratulate 12 brilliant and diverse new STEM leaders on winning a prestigious scholarship to meet with Parliament in 2022.
These scholarships have been awarded in six categories this year: First Nations, LGBTI +, Rural and Remote, Disability, Neurodivergent and Technology.
Scholarships are generously sponsored by the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, the Australian Technology Network of Universities, the Australian Academy of Sciences, the Center for Excellence of the Australian Research Council on Quantum Engineering Systems (EQUS), UNSW Sydney and New Edprobel, CropLife Australia.
Scholars ’judges said it was incredibly difficult to choose from an exceptional field – and thanked all the contenders for their STEM leadership.
These scholarships allow a diverse cohort of new STEM leaders across Australia to participate, reflecting STA’s leadership as a champion of fairness, diversity and inclusiveness.
Scholarships include full access Science meets parliament program of the event from February 28, meeting with parliamentarian and national gala dinner on June 2.
This year is inspiring Scholarship of the First Nations the winners were India Shackleford and Susan Bitson. First Nations Fellowships are sponsored by the Australian Academy of Sciences and EQUS – the Center of Excellence of the Australian Research Council for Quantum Engineering Systems.
Mrs. Shackleford is a Ngarringeri and Kaurna woman and a graduate student, passionate about improving access to health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait residents. She is investigating the synthesis of new drugs to treat cancer by inhibiting the gateways that allow cancer cells to grow.
Mrs. Betson is a Ngemba and Wiradjuri woman and PhD who explores Aboriginal design techniques in computing as well as the role of technology in improving the lives of Indigenous people. She enjoys decolonizing the collection of indigenous knowledge and finding ways to use technology to continue ancestral knowledge and consolidate modern knowledge.
Dr. Maria del Rocio Camacho Morales is our excellent recipient of our new Neurodiverse Scholarshipgenerously sponsored by UNSW Sydney.
Dr. Camacho Morales is a PhD student in physics in nanophotonics and was part of the team who developed a nanocrystal 500 times smaller than human hair that can be used to create light night vision goggles.
Ours Rural and distance scholarships awarded to STEM professionals living 150 km or more from major Australian cities. Dr. Peter Harris and Mr. Tyruchenduran Somasundaram were awarded scholarships sponsored by CropLife Australia and New Edge Microbials. Dr. Stephanie Godrich was awarded by Fr. Rural and distance scholarship sponsored by New Edge Microbials.
Dr. Harris collaborates with the Australian Regional Councils on the disposal of organic waste from landfills, and implements energy and sustainability projects in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. He has also worked on emissions monitoring in Germany and Australia and has co-authored technical reports for the International Energy Agency.
Dr. Godrich is a Senior Lecturer at Edith Cowen University, specializing in Food Safety and Diet Quality in Australia. It explores ways to improve food security and analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on local food supply chains.
Mr. Somasundaram is studying for a Ph.D. in smart climate farming, in particular using seaweed to increase the nutritional value of raw materials in the iconic dairy industry in West Victoria. He has represented Sri Lanka at seminars on food safety and nutrition in Rome and Bergen, and is pleased to find local solutions to global problems.
This year we are happy to award two Disability Scholarships. Isabel Warner and Erusha Mater receive scholarships sponsored by UNSW Sydney.
Isabel Warner research involves the targeted development of drugs to combat the world’s most common post-antibiotic infections. It seeks to understand the diversity of genes designed to develop drugs in different strains of Escherichia coli. She is also fascinated by scientific diplomacy and accessibility for people with disabilities.
Erusha Mathers is a graduate student who examines barriers to exercise in adults with cerebral palsy. She is Australia’s first graduate student in medical science with experience of cerebral palsy. She is committed to creating positive change for students with disabilities who wish to pursue a career in STEM, and she is working with the Australian Medical Association to change the selection criteria for future medical students with disabilities.
Ours Technology Scholarships awarded to Dr. Jody Avery and Dr. Dana McKay, two incredible STEM experts. Technology Fellowships are generously sponsored by the Australian University Technology Network and the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.
Dr. Avery is a senior researcher and program manager working to make endometriosis treatment cheaper, less invasive and more affordable. Dr. Avery is also investigating the impact on the mental and wider health of people living with chronic reproductive health diseases.
Dr. Dana McKay is a Senior Lecturer in Innovative Interactive Technology at RMIT with a deep research interest in how technology is misused in domestic violence. She is working on three major projects that address the role of technology in how views are formed and changed, violence from intimate partners and information viewing systems.
Ours LGBTQIA + scholarships in 2022 awarded Dr. Monica Cation and Johan Jafrani. These fellowships are wonderfully sponsored by the Center for Excellence of the Australian Research Council for Quantum Engineering Systems (EQUS).
Dr. Monica Cation is a senior researcher at Flinders University working to improve the provision of mental health services in nursing care. She is a registrar of clinical psychology and epidemiologist working to maximize the availability, quality and safety of care for older Australians, and is the founder and co-chair of the SA of Queers in Science.
Johan Jafrani is a PhD at the Mater Research Institute in Queensland, working on new techniques to understand how gene expression and DNA availability change over time. The development of such methods can detect epigenetic changes that lead to cell development, differentiation and disease progression. This research can have profound implications for understanding, managing, and treating genetic diseases.
STA warmly congratulates all the fellows – and we can’t wait to meet you at Science meets parliament in 2022.
https://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/smp2022-is-thrilled-to-welcome-a-record-12-scholarship-winners/
