On Tuesday 17th May, Graduate Women WA held its annual Scholar’s Presentation evening. This event showcases the research projects of the GW WA scholarship and bursary winners. The three women PhD candidates, who had been awarded their prizes in 2015, joined with GW WA members and guests at St Catherine’s College, Crawley, for an evening that is not only an academic exchange but also an entertaining social evening.
GW WA president, Jenny Jones, said that ‘the event is special because we see the results of the hard work and determination of these women researchers. And we are reminded of why we are motivated to give much needed financial support to assist them in completing their research. This year was particularly interesting because all three of the research projects related to an area of social or community importance, as well as adding to the body of knowledge.’
From left, Ailsa Grieve, Simone Strydom, Alice Farcas.
The three scholarship winners who presented their research are Alice Farcas, from Curtin University, Simone Strydom, from Edith Cowan University, and Ailsa Grieve, from Curtin University.
Alice, a Psychology PhD student, is investigating cultural aspects of mental health treatment to improve our understanding of underutilisation of services by particular immigrant groups. Ailsa, a Landscape Architect PhD student, is exploring how indigenous cultural heritage can inform today’s land and environmental stewardship. Simone, a Marine Science PhD student, is researching the poorly understood effect on seagrasses of activities such as dredging, which reduce the intensity and colour range of light that reaches them.
The 2016 round of Graduate Women WA’s scholarships and bursaries is now open. In 2016, 4 awards with a combined value of up to $15,000 will be available. There are different eligibility criteria for different awards. Detailed information is available on this website.