Westpac Scholarships recipients, passionate about research

Meet Westpac Future Leader Scholar Alex Schumann-Gillett - who has a goal for a better Australia

Alex is in her third year of her computational chemistry PhD at ANU. Her research focuses on how proteins in our bodies interact with cell membranes, and looking at how this affects disease.

"My goal is that all Australians feel the benefit of and value science, technology, mathematics and engineering".

Being a 2016 recipient of the Westpac Future Leaders scholarship enabled Alex to come to ANU.

"When I was finishing Honours, a mentor sent me an email about the (then) new Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship... and encouraged me to apply."

Alex believes that the Leadership Development Program is what she has benefited from the most.

"During the program, my fellow scholars and I investigated who we were, what our motivators were, and why our cause matters to us."

So what has she learned through her time as a Westpac Future Leader?

"People all around Australia care. Westpac scholars care about their cause, and their passion drives them to do something about it. The next person these scholarships support could be you. I can only imagine the things that people will create, and the better Australia they will shape".

Meet Westpac Research Fellow Associate Professor Antonio Tricoli - who is looking to prevent fatal melanomas

Antonio's research focuses on developing wearable technology to help lower the risk of melanoma amongst Australian's. "Growing up in Europe with dark olive skin, I didn't truly realise the power of UV rays until I moved to Australia". Receiving a 2016 Westpac Research Fellowship has enabled Antonio to work on developing low-cost, wearable technology to enable Australians to easily monitor UV light exposure and prevent potentially fatal melanomas.

"Australia has one of the highest UV ratings in the world with melanoma accounting for more than 1,500 deaths."

This research is leading the way globally, "My research is at the forefront of using wearable nanosensors for melanoma prevention, leading the way for other countries which have not begun research in this area to develop innovative and vital solutions to skin protection from UV light".

Find out more about how you can apply for one of these scholarships.