Eighteen exceptional Australians named 2025 John Monash Scholars
An aerospace engineer passionate about addressing skills gaps in Australia’s space industry, a photonics and nanotechnology researcher committed to understanding Alzheimer’s disease and an emerging leader in quantum physics are among eighteen exceptional Australians awarded John Monash Scholarships for 2025.
The prestigious postgraduate scholarships, named in honour of revered Australian leader General Sir John Monash, are awarded annually following a highly competitive nationwide selection process. The 2025 Scholars were selected from a record number of applicants for their academic excellence, leadership potential and commitment to public service. They plan to study at highly ranked institutions in China, Germany, England, Scotland and the US.
This year’s cohort includes the 2025 Geoff Gallop John Monash Scholar, awarded for the first time after the Western Australian Government joined the New South Wales, Queensland and Victorian governments in providing a perpetual scholarship to support graduates from WA universities.
The 2025 Scholars will study in a range of fields of critical importance to Australia’s future, including engineering, physics, artificial intelligence, photonics, defence, public policy, medicine, law, sign language and linguistics, education, conservation and sustainability.
Apart from the collective knowledge within the group, the 2025 cohort of John Monash Scholars is noteworthy because of:
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The success of women in STEM.
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The number of scholars who have benefited from the New Colombo Plan.
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The emergence of dual master’s degrees, allowing study across different cultures.
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Pathway support at an undergraduate level from foundations such as Fogarty, Andrew N. Liveris and Tuckwell.
Professor Paul Wellings CBE, Chairman of the National Selection Panel, said:
“The 2025 scholars are an outstanding group of Australians. They stood out as leaders in their fields, and we look forward to seeing what they will achieve during and after their studies. It was especially rewarding to see the emergence of so many exceptional women in STEM.”
Jillian Segal AO, Chairman of the General Sir John Monash Foundation, said:
“The scholars join a thriving community of John Monash Scholars contributing to critical issues in Australia and globally. Thank you to all our funding partners for making these scholarships possible. We are delighted that the Western Australian Government has joined us as a perpetual funder.”
Paul Ramadge, Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, said: “We are confident that the 2025 John Monash Scholars will be key influencers and changemakers for the nation, in their chosen fields and more broadly. This announcement brings the number of Australians who have been awarded a John Monash Scholarship to 282, all of whom will benefit from being part of the John Monash Leadership Academy, our initiative to support scholars throughout their careers.”
The John Monash Scholarships are supported by Australian governments, companies, universities, trusts, foundations and individuals, including the Australian Universities’ Consortium, the John and Anna Belfer Trust, BHP, the Commonwealth Bank, the Commonwealth Government, Tim Fairfax AC, Helen and Michael Gannon, Lee Liberman Charitable Foundation, the New South Wales Government, John Roth and Jillian Segal AO, the Queensland Government, Rio Tinto, the Victorian Government, the Susan and Isaac Wakil Foundation, Wesfarmers and the Western Australian Government.