13-10-2023
This week we have kicked off with our national panel interviews starting in Melbourne and continuing in Sydney until October 17. Each of the applicants who have progressed to this final stage have demonstrated excellence and an outstanding capacity for leadership. We look forward to welcoming our new 2024 Scholar cohort in the coming weeks and wish the best of luck to all those who will be interviewing. Thank you again to our esteemed panellists who make this challenging selection possible, and to the volunteers, secretariats, and hosts who have generously supported this process.
In this week’s edition, we celebrate the networks that Scholars cultivate across the world and the campaigning, research, and thought leadership they continue to demonstrate in their fields at a global level.
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Julia Gillard and Matthew Newman at the Yes23 UK launch.
Ahead of the upcoming referendum, Matthew Newman (2022 Zelman Cowen John Monash Scholar) spoke alongside former Prime Minister Julia Gillard AC last week at the campaign launch of Yes23 UK.
Over 100 Australian expats gathered outside Australia House in London to attend the launch. During his speech, Matthew told the story of Aboriginal activist Anthony Martin Fernando who campaigned outside Australia House for three years in the late 1920s, handing out flyers to highlight Indigenous injustice.
“At the same building on the Strand, we will ignite Fernando’s legacy to bring about that same change that he believed was possible,” Matthew told the crowd.
Matthew has been acting as Campaign Coordinator for about six months and studies at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.
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Michael Grebla (2016 Zelman Cowen John Monash Scholar) recently organised a gathering at the University Club in Boston for Scholars from both the American Australian Association and John Monash Foundation. Sixteen people attended in total, including John Monash Scholars Melissa-Ann Gillies (2019 Roth/Segal John Monash Harvard Scholar), Chris Raine (2023 Roth/Segal John Monash Harvard Scholar), Abi Rajkumar (2023 Rio Tinto John Monash Scholar), Karri Walker (2023 Victorian Government John Monash Scholar), Hugo Rourke (2023 Commonwealth Bank John Monash Scholar), and event organiser Michael Grebla.
The evening was an opportunity to welcome new Boston-based Scholars from both organisations and help develop networks for those who have newly arrived in the US. The American Australian Association is looking forward to continuing this event as an annual tradition.
Melissa-Ann Gillies, Michael Grebla, Chris Raine, Abi Rajkumar, Karri Walker and Hugo Rourke at the Scholar's gathering in Boston.
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Dr Sarah Bourke.
Dr Sarah Bourke (2013 BHP John Monash Scholar) has been awarded an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant for her research proposal which plans to bring life to qualitative data using Indigenous voices, helping to address a significant gap in research and policy development.
Sarah is a Research Fellow with the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health at the Australian National University and used her John Monash Scholarship to study for an MPhil in Medical Anthropology with Keble College, Oxford.
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Stephanie Pow.
Stephanie Pow (2013 NSW Premier's John Monash Scholar) is the founder and Chief Executive of Crayon, the organisation responsible for the newly released ‘State of Parental Leave in New Zealand 2023’ report, which analysed paid parental leave data from 226 employers.
Advocating for better parental leave flexibility, Stephanie has called upon decision-makers to improve conditions for couples caring for a child.
“The parent-child bond is stronger, the outcomes for the child are better, the couple is more likely to stay together, the risk of post-natal depression decreases, the unpaid work at home is divided more equitably.”
“Part of the solution is policy – both at a government and organisational level – and part of it is changing social attitudes. We need leaders at the top to take partner leave and send the signal that it’s okay.”
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Dr Johnathon Ehsani, Dr Danielle Roosa and Michael Grebla at Johnathon’s home in Washington, DC.
On October 4th, some US-based John Monash scholars enjoyed an informal get-together in Washington DC, hosted by Dr Johnathon Ehsani (2008 John Monash Scholar). Johnathon generously welcomed Dr Danielle Roosa (2004 John Monash Scholar) and Michael Grebla (2016 Zelman Cowen John Monash Scholar) to his home in the US.
“Thanks so much to Johnathon for hosting us at his house”, Danielle wrote, “the meal was delicious but of course the company was superb and it was so nice to see Johnathon again after all these years and to meet Michael and listen to one of his new compositions!”
PODCAST: Leading Change and Shaping Victoria’s Future: A Conversation with Jim Round, CEO of VicReturn
In our latest episode, we speak with Jim Round (2014 Australian Universities' John Monash Scholar) who coordinates the new Victorian Container Deposit Scheme.
Jim formerly worked as the Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister (the Hon Julia Gillard AC), Chief of Staff to the Attorney General (the Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP) and Director of Planning and Development to Former Premier Andrews.
In the media
Dr Mark Schembri (2009 John Monash Scholar) has been featured in an article showcasing his unique dual career as both a human and animal medicine practitioner. Mark’s fascinating career has led him to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing as an equine vet, working as a lecturer at the University of Sydney’s School of Veterinary Science, and his role as a practising doctor in Women’s Health at Royal North Shore Hospital.
Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service's principal managing lawyer Sarah Schwartz (2019 Roden Cutler NSW John Monash Scholar) has spoken out about the current laws that place 'blanket restrictions' on children who commit minor offences.
Author of ‘Zero-Sum Thinking, the Evolution of Effort-Suppressing Beliefs, and Economic Development’ Professor Jean-Paul Carvalho (2004 Commonwealth Bank John Monash Scholar) has had his work mentioned in an opinion article regarding the economic theory of zero-sum thinking. Jean-Paul’s paper explores what a ‘zero-sum’ attitude means in human incentivisation terms, arguing that when people view one person’s gain as another’s loss, populations are more likely to see hard work as less valuable therefore resulting in losses for the economy.