20- 01- 2023

We are thrilled to welcome back our John Monash community in 2023 for another year together, celebrating opportunities to connect people and inspire possibility. 

This year marks a significant milestone for the General Sir John Monash Foundation as we celebrate 20 years of awarding scholarships to the nation’s best and brightest. We have many exciting events across the world planned this year, including our Symposium, which will take place between 11-13 December in Sydney. We look forward to sharing what promises to be a fantastic year ahead with you all.

While some enjoyed a restful break, many of our John Monash Scholars have been busy contributing to society and making a difference across a wide range of global issues. Read on to discover how our Scholars are continuing to shape the nation. 

Over the past 15 years, Emily Ragus has made an active contribution to the health and wellbeing of people around the world. The recipient of the 2021 Judith Neilson Foundation John Monash Scholar ‘Cross Sectoral' Emily has provided management to the Jordanian Civil Defence, performing health assessments on bomb-affected hospitals in Azerbaijan, working in a refugee camp in Borneo, and recently project managed the implementation of an ambulance service in Ukraine. On top of this, she’s also set up a surgical camp in the remote Ugandan village of Jinja, which is currently impacted by Ebola.

We continue to be in awe of her capabilities, and with such a list of ongoing accolades it is not surprising that she is a John Monash Scholarship recipient. Emily is studying her PhD at the University of Amsterdam. Read more here.

A new paper published in Nature Cell Biology  by researchers at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre has challenged previous thinking about human cells, opening new treatment options for the immune system to recognise and attack cancer.

2006 John Monash Scholar, Professor Mark Dawson is the Associate Director for Research Translation and Consultant Haematologist at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Professor Dawson said patients with lymphoma and lung cancer could be among the first to benefit from the findings.

“Our research discovery has major implications for many different fields of research because we need to understand how cells make decisions and change the way they act in order to find new ways to treat cancer,” Professor Dawson said. Read more here.

PODCAST: Playing for the Wallabies with Tomas Robertson

In this special premiere episode, we speak to 2023 Tim Fischer John Monash Scholar and professional rugby union player, Tomas Robertson.

Tomas has a decorated career as a rugby player having been capped for Australia and played more than 80 Super Rugby matches. He has also completed a Master of Public Health and a Master of Philosophy at Sydney University and plans to complete a Master of International Health and Tropical Medicine at Oxford University as part of his John Monash Scholarship. Listen here.

A group of John Monash Scholars based in London spent their Christmas a little differently this year. 

Lieutenant Matthew Newman, 2022 Zelman Cowen John Monash Scholar, alongside fellow Scholars in London, over Christmas supported people suffering homelessness in their local area by making bacon and egg rolls and handing out chocolates. 

An act of generosity and kindness by our Scholars, acknowledging there are a lot of people doing it tough. This small gesture will have given many people in need a reason to smile over the holidays and our Scholars hope this is the start of a tradition that will continue for years to come.

^{L-R: Lieutenant Matthew Newman, 2022 Zelman Cowen John Monash Scholar; Dr Xin Zhang, 2022 Susan and Isaac Wakil John Monash Scholar and her partner.}

Heart attack symptoms in women – what are the signs?

Coronary heart disease is a leading cause of mortality in Australian women with over 6,000 deaths each year, but research to date has primarily focused on men’s heart health. While men may suffer more traditional symptoms, in women the signs are more subtle, often being ignored or misdiagnosed.

2010 John Monash Scholar, Dr Nikki Bart is a leading clinical and research cardiologist. Nikki spoke to ABC Radio to unpack how regular physical exercise, particularly hiking and fitness can be a preventative measure for health in women. Listen here.

Working with the Australian Government to achieve gender equality

Last December Freya Jansens, 2019 Roden Cutler NSW John Monash Scholar, represented Australia at the OECD for the Gender Mainstreaming and Governance working group. 

The Working Party on Gender Mainstreaming and Governance (GMG) is the decision-making body within the OECD that brings together senior officials from gender equality institutions across OECD member and partner countries. It aims to strengthen the capacity of governments at large and gender institutions to design and deliver effective strategies for closing gender gaps, building on the OECD analysis, data, recommendations, policy tools and implementation support. 

As their London based advisor, Freya spoke about Australia's implementation of gender impact assessments and gender responsive budgeting which together reinforce the Government's commitment to achieving gender equality.

Art Giving a new perspective to Smart Communities

In this episode of the Smart Community Podcast, Jessica Coldrey - the 2021 Victorian Government John Monash Scholar, talks about how art can shape the future of Smart Communities. 

With her John Monash Scholarship, she is currently undertaking a Master of Humanitarian Engineering with Management at Warwick University, focusing on sustainable infrastructure. Listen here 

Christmas celebrations in London

On 16 December, John Monash Scholars from around the United Kingdom came together for a Christmas celebration in London. The event provided an opportunity for scholars and their families to come together in an informal setting and prompted several valuable discussions on current research and professional projects, particularly with the 2022 cohort. 

In his capacity as London SAC Representative Hugh Utting (2019 Ian Potter Foundation John Monash Scholar) thanked everyone for their engagement throughout the year and provided details on a number of initiatives planned for 2023. 

^{(L-R Standing): Dr Xin Zhang, 2022 Susan and Isaac Wakil John Monash Scholar; Dr Steven Ettema, 2018 Woodside John Monash Scholar; Hugh Utting, 2019 Ian Potter Foundation John Monash Scholar; Dr Georgia Behrens, 2022 Roden Cutler NSW John Monash Scholar; Ahmad Shah Idil, 2018 Australian Universities' John Monash Scholar
(L-R Sitting): Dr Isabel Hanson, 2022 BHP John Monash Scholar; Lieutenant Matthew Newman, 2022 Zelman Cowen John Monash Scholar; Lauren Bennett, 2021 Judith Neilson Foundation John Monash Scholar ‘Sustainable Futures’.}

Seeking support for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Laptop Program

Dr William Mitchell - the 2019 Chairman’s Circle John Monash Scholar, in association with the University of Adelaide, has established a Laptop Program which provides Indigenous healthcare students with laptop packages to reduce the financial burden of studying so they can attain careers in Australian healthcare. 

Since its inception, the Laptop Program has provided 21 laptop packages, valued at $500 each to students at the University of Adelaide, studying Psychology (x8), Medicine (x6), Nursing (x4) and Dentistry (x3). 

William is currently seeking donations towards the program to continue to support students and promote the retention for future learning. Donations can be made here.

Updates from the General Sir John Monash Foundation HQ!

We start this year with two new team members and are delighted to introduce you to our Executive Director – Partnerships, Katharine Dix Corke (left) which is a new role and our new Scholarships Manager, Anna Bailey (right). 

Katharine has over 15 years’ experience working in stakeholder engagement, business development and marketing strategy. Katharine’s experience in the not-for-profit sector includes working for the World Food Programme in resource procurement and extensive volunteering with The Song Room. She has held senior positions in marketing, customer strategy and key account engagement. 

Anna has had varied experience in the Australian tertiary sector, primarily at the University of Melbourne and La Trobe University, where she managed programs which enhance students’ engagement and success. During her time at the University of Melbourne, she also managed study abroad programs and coordinated students’ engagement with overseas prestigious scholarships such as the John Monash.

IN THE MEDIA

Sarah Schwartz, 2019 Roden Cutler NSW John Monash Scholar, was featured in the Brisbane Times discussing how staffing in Victoria’s prison systems are falling short due to overcrowding. 

Dr Gemma Sharp, 2007 John Monash Scholar, wrote a feature article for Monash University which unpacks the connection between cosmetic surgery and mental health.