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Growing Excellence with the UWA Fogarty Scholarship

Celebrating our UWA Fogarty Scholars

Where does it start and where are they now?

Two decades of transformative education, unparalleled experiences, and community impact – the UWA Fogarty Scholars Program recently reached a significant milestone. As we celebrated its 20th anniversary, we reflect on the profound influence this initiative has had on the lives of aspiring scholars and the communities they serve. Join us on a journey through the history, accomplishments, and promising future of the UWA Fogarty Scholars Program.

We would like to extend our gratitude to all who attended our recent celebration breakfast at UWA on 27th September 2023. We hope everyone enjoyed the wonderful atmosphere of networking, discussions and talks from our incredible panel to mark 20 years of partnership between the Foundation and UWA on this Award.  The Fogarty Foundation looks forward to continuing its work with UWA and supporting many more bright and talented young West Australians.  

We hope you made some new connections at our celebratory breakfast. Stay connected with us through Facebook and LinkedIn, and you can find all our amazing young leaders through our NEW scholar’s database. .

The UWA Fogarty Scholars Program has produced an impressive roster of alumni who are leaders in their fields. From doctors and engineers to entrepreneurs and educators, these scholars are making waves and driving positive change worldwide. Their accomplishments stand as a testament to the power of education, leadership, and community engagement.

The impact of the UWA Fogarty Scholars extends far beyond academic achievement. Scholars are encouraged to engage with and contribute to their local and global communities actively. Whether it’s through volunteering, social entrepreneurship, or advocacy, scholars are making a tangible difference in areas such as education, healthcare, environmental conservation, and social justice.

The UWA Fogarty Scholars Program has indeed come a long way in its 20-year journey. It has transformed the lives of its scholars, inspired countless individuals, and made a lasting impact on the community. As we celebrate this milestone, we look forward to the bright future that lies ahead, guided by the program’s enduring principles of excellence, leadership, and service. Here’s to another 20 years of empowering scholars to change the world!

Creating opportunities, realising potential

The celebratory breakfast hosted by UWA and the Fogarty Foundation on 27 September champions all that has been achieved since the formation of the programme in 2003. 

20 years ago, history was made with the commencement of a partnership between the Fogarty Foundation and the University of Western Australia to establish an elite scholarship program for high achieving young Western Australians; the first ever undergraduate scholarship of its kind in Australia.  Fast-forward to September 2023 and we are delighted to be celebrating our current scholars, our alumni and our colleagues at UWA.  

The celebratory event to mark 20 years of partnership as part of the Scholarship program championed all that has been achieved since its formation in 2003.   Dr Annie Fogarty’s speech at the Breakfast gave the opportunity to reflect on the vast achievements of the Fogarty Foundation Scholars and alumni, which includes several global projects, initiatives, and partnerships.

‘These scholarships are built on the foundatiOn of excellence‘ ANNIE Fogarty, 2023

Attendees enjoyed hearing from keynote speaker Rob Scott, Managing Director and CEO of Wesfarmers, reflecting on the importance of a lifelong love for learning, something which drives his passion to continue to grow and achieve.

This celebration was an opportunity for scholars, alumni, staff, and relevant professionals to reflect on the Fogarty Foundation Scholar programme; as well as look forward to further projects, initiatives and collaborations which may grow within this ever-expanding network of notable individuals.  A quality seen in all our Scholars and alumni is the passion and drive to excel in their field and make a contribution to society. As the leaders of today – and tomorrow – we look forward to seeing the increasing impact they will make.  

This celebration exemplifies the drive by the Fogarty Foundation to drive sustainable change by helping create a brighter future through education, leadership and raising aspirations.   

We are grateful to the University of Western Australia for being such a wonderful partner over these two decades and congratulate all our Scholars, past and present, for their efforts and achievements.  As the Foundation’s logo suggests, the change we ignite is a ripple, starting with the youth of today and continuing through strong leadership for tomorrow. 

What do ballet shoes, nerf guns, dones and a tongue have in common? Well, they all had a starring role at the FameLab Academy science speaking competition held at Curtin University on 6 September.

Audience members enjoyed hearing talented Year 9 students from across Western Australia compete in the event. The FameLab competition sees 14 to 15 year olds encouraged to hone their communication skills by giving a three minute talk about a topic of interest in the area of science. The topics are chosen by students and their presentations are judged by three professionals skilled in the area of science communication on the Content, Clarity and Charisma of their presentations (known as FameLab’s three C’s).

At the 2023 awards, presentations from the 12 finalists included:

It was particularly pleasing to see Cunderdin District High School make it through to the finals; congratulations Charli Hansen for your talk on “The Advances in DNA Interpretation in Forensics throughout the years” together with Anastasia Husk from Fogarty EDvance alumni school Aveley Secondary College. Anastasia educated us about biomechanics with her presentation “Injury-Proof and On Point – a Dance through Science”.

The Foundation wishes to thank the science teachers, parents, guardians and others who supported competition participants through the year. We congratulate all 12 schools and students who made it into the final and encourage all schools that participated this year to do so again in 2024.

Fogarty Foundation is proud to be a sponsor of the Next Gen Western Australia Showcase Event, an opportunity to recognise young people and educators from across WA working to develop their skills, bring their ideas to life, and get a headstart on their chosen pathway.


The Next Gen Western Australia Showcase Event will see us recognising the top three finalists for six award categories centred around entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership, and we will be celebrating the West Australian winner for each category.


Entries for these awards are open to all young West Australians and their educators until the 19th of September 2023, with a special prize giving ceremony held in Perth in November.


Make sure to nominate yourself or someone you know today. For more information, head to: www.bopindustries.com/next-gen-wa

The Fogarty UWA Scholars enjoyed learning about life as a diplomat when they had the benefit of listening to US Consul General Ms Siriana Nair at their most recent ‘In Conversation’ event held on 30 August.

The Scholars learned that, over her 20 year career, Ms Nair has served in India, the Philippines, Morocco, Washington, Indonesia, Brazil and now in Australia where she is committed to growing U.S. partnerships.  She is also impressively skilled in foreign languages, speaking six in total (Indonesian, French, Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese and English)!

On the evening, Scholars heard about some remarkable achievements including her work in Brazil, India and Indonesia, ranging from foreign policy to democracy and human rights, military and security cooperation, and the South China Sea.

Most impressive was Ms Nair’s recount of working closely with the Moroccan authorities to encourage reform of their prisons, which included by hosting a field trip to see how the US run their prisons which enabled some significant improvements to be adopted, that are still in place today.

So how does someone get to hold a role like Consul General?  Ms. Nair has a Master’s degree in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, as well as degrees in Political Science and Biology from Wellesley College.   

Something some attendees did not know is that Ms Nair’s husband is also in the foreign service and it was interesting to hear her views on making life work when a couple – and parents – are both diplomats.  We thank Ms Nair for her time and know our Scholars and alumni found it a valuable event.

Fogarty Foundation was a proud partner of TedX Kings Park Youth for its annual event held on Saturday 29 July at the State Theatre in Perth’s CBD. The jam packed event featured several inspiring young speakers, a 30 second idea challenge, talented singers and two short films, including one that was entirely AI generated.

Our wonderful UWA Fogarty Scholars manned our display as part of the Activation Zone, with a four part challenge – created by our Scholars – to complete for those eager to try their hand at spinning the wheel for a prize.

Many thanks to our helpers, Caleb Adams, Mariya Faisal, Lucius Beh, Jake Mawson, Juliet Roux and Jade Wallwork, who shared information with attendees about the upcoming Fogarty Futures Leadership Conference and our UWA Fogarty Scholarships. We were also pleased to promote BOP Industries’ Next Gen Awards 2023, for which the Foundation is sponsoring the six Awards for Western Australia’s youth and educators.

To find out more, visit:

Fogarty Futures Leadership Conference is at : https://fogartyfutures.org/

UWA Fogarty Scholarships can be found at: https://scholars.fogartyfoundation.org.au/ and https://www.scholarships.uwa.edu.au/futurestudents/uwa-fogarty-foundation

Next Gen Awards 2023 info is at: https://www.bopindustries.com/next-gen

TedX Kings Park Youth: https://tedxkingspark.org/event/youth23/

The Menzies Foundation is delighted to announce a collaboration with Global Voices, a non-partisan, youth-led, Australian not-for-profit organisation, committed to developing the next generation of leaders by providing practical experience in policymaking, international relations, and diplomacy.

This partnership will assist in extending the Global Voices reach to a National scholarship program and offer two additional scholarships to exceptional 18-30 year old Australians. Menzies Foundation is thrilled to announce the support of two positions at highly influential forums—the IMF and World Bank Annual Meeting delegation, and the Commission on the Status of Women delegation.

🌎 Applications are open for the IMF & World Bank Annual Meetings to be held in Marrakech, Morocco from the 9th – 15th of October 2023. Follow this link to see if you’re eligible and to apply: https://lnkd.in/g4nTgFC6

♀ Applications are open for the UN Commission on the Status of Women to be held in NYC, USA from the 11th – 22nd March 2024. Follow this link to see if you’re eligible and to apply: https://lnkd.in/gBrBsfpA

❓ Want to know more? Then registers for one of our three information sessions next week through this link: https://lnkd.in/gtbmwk5x

⏰ Applications are open until Sunday 6 August at 11:59pm AEST. Visit the delegation pages on our website for more information. 👉https://lnkd.in/gUabEUGS

#opportunity#youth#emerging#leaders#leadership#purpose#greatergood#nfp#expression#delegation#applications

The Next Gen Awards are here!  Fogarty Foundation is pleased to announce it has partnered with BOP Industries to be the WA State Sponsor of BOP’s six Next Generation Awards for 2023.   This means that there will be a WA-only pool for all six categories of Awards on offer, namely:

Nominations close on 21 August.  Visit BOP at bopindustries.com to learn more about each category, to nominate, or even to nominate someone talented that you know!

Also, make sure you look out for our WA Masterclass to be held online on 10 August from 3.15-4.15pm!  Registration will be possible soon via the BOP Industries website.  If you haven’t found BOP Industries before, we encourage you to visit their website as they offer lots of other great events and opportunities.

The Fogarty Literary Award has emerged as an important component of Western Australia’s literary landscape, fostering the growth of talented emerging writers and establishing itself as a platform for emerging voices. Building on its remarkable success to date, the Award is thrilled to announce an extension of its partnership for another six years, encompassing three additional award cycles. Designed specifically for residents aged 18 to 35, the Fogarty Literary Award opens doors to invaluable opportunities, including a generous cash prize of $20,000 and a coveted publishing contract with Fremantle Press. Over the past six years The Fogarty Literary Award has fostered a strong community and holds great value for young writers, with the potential to represent a significant milestone in their literary careers.

 One such transformative example is the story of Brooke Dunnell, a previous winner of the Fogarty Literary Award.  In her own words, winning the Fogarty Literary Award had a profound impact on her life, providing her with confidence, a stronger connection to the literary community, and numerous industry opportunities. The Award serves as a catalyst for writers, solidifying their identities and propelling them towards future success.

The Fogarty Literary Award also goes beyond providing financial support and enabling the publication of new works by fostering collaboration and mentorship opportunities.  Shortlisted authors and winners receive mentoring and guidance from publishers at Fremantle Press, enabling them to further develop their manuscripts and refine their craft. 

The Award also encourages winners to become ambassadors for writing in WA, promoting the growth of the literary community and providing mentorship to aspiring writers.  This emphasis on collaboration and mentorship strengthens the literary community, creating a supportive environment for emerging authors.

The 2023 winner of the Fogarty Literary Award, Katherine Allum, also represents a case study in the power of the Award to draw great writers to WA. Allum’s winning manuscript, “The Skeleton House,” showcases her literary prowess and unique storytelling abilities. Her journey as a writer, began as a self-described “weird home-schooled kid”, to completing her MA in Literary Novels at City University London, before joining fellow writer and Husband Michael Burrows back in Perth, as he entered the Fogarty Literary Award.  A story in itself; Burrows was shortlisted for the Award in 2019 which led to Fremantle Press later publishing his debut novel, “Where the Line Breaks” in 2021.  This resulted in Burrows being named one of the Age / Sydney Morning Herald’s Best Young Australian Novelists in 2022. This journey in part spurred on our 2023 winner and Katherine’s recent success serves as an inspiration for aspiring writers and demonstrates the impact of the award on their careers.

Josh Kemp is another shining example. Shortlisted in the same year as Michael Burrows, his novel “Banjawarn” was co-winner of the 2021 Dorothy Hewett Award and won the 2022 Ned Kelly Award for Best Debut Crime Fiction.  More recently Josh’s novel has been shortlisted for the 2023 WA Premier’s Prize for an Emerging Writer and he was again shortlisted for the 2023 Fogarty Literary Award for his manuscript “Jasper Cliff” which the Fremantle Press will be developing with the aim of publishing.

The Fogarty Literary Award has also contributed significantly to the literary fabric of Western Australia by providing a platform for diverse voices and narratives. The shortlisted authors for the 2023 Award reflect this diversity, with manuscripts spanning various genres, including literary fiction, crime, young adult fiction, fantasy and historical romance. This diverse representation enriches the literary landscape and attracts more readers and writers with varied interests.  2023 also saw the number of shortlisted entries double to a notable total of six manuscripts, which are all deserving of future publishing.

The ongoing success of the Fogarty Literary Award suggests a bright future for the Western Australian literary scene. With each iteration of the Award, more talented writers are discovered, and their stories are shared with a broader audience. The impact of the Award extends beyond individual winners, as seen in the accomplishments of previous winners like Josh Kemp and Michael Burrows, both of whom went on to achieve national recognition and acclaim.

The Fogarty Literary Award has emerged as a vital force in cultivating a strong community of writers in Western Australia and the Foundation looks forward to seeing what talent will be fostered during its next six years of sponsoring the biennial Award.

We proudly celebrate the outstanding achievements of Ingrid Sealey, the former Director of the Fogarty Foundation’s EDvance program, whose remarkable work in the field of education has been widely recognized. With an unwavering commitment to improving educational outcomes for children in challenging communities in Western Australia, Ingrid’s dedication and expertise have made a significant and positive impact in the region.

Following her tenure at EDvance, Ingrid’s passion for transforming education led her to establish Teach Well. This remarkable platform is dedicated to providing high-impact teaching training to schools across Australia, with a focus on bridging the educational gap faced by students in low socio-economic communities. Sealey’s experience gained from her time at EDvance have played an important role in the development and success of Teach Well.

Ingrid’s commitment to education have already yielded remarkable results. Through Teach Well, she has provided training to thousands of teachers and leaders, positively impacting the lives of over 80,000 students. Notably, Teach Well has extended its reach to serve regional and remote areas, where it has achieved a threefold representation of indigenous students compared to the national average. Sealey’s expertise and dedication have enabled Teach Well to deliver substantial improvements in student engagement, participation, and overall learning outcomes.

As director and founder of Teach Well, Ingrid and her team were recently recognised with the first-place award for the Oceania region in the prestigious Cartier Women’s Initiative, which is a testament to the importance and effectiveness of her work. This remarkable accolade not only highlights Sealey’s passion and dedication but also provides invaluable support and resources to further develop and expand Teach Well’s mission. The grant funding of USD $100,000 will undoubtedly contribute to the continued growth and impact of Teach Well, ensuring that more teachers and schools across Australia can benefit from their evidence-based practices.

Through Ingrid’s work, she has empowered teachers, enhanced classroom practices, and positively impacted the lives of thousands of students across Australia. The recognition and support garnered through the Cartier Women’s Initiative award stand as a testament to Sealey’s excellent contributions to the field of education. With Ingrid Sealey at the helm, Teach Well continues to drive positive change and transform educational outcomes, promising a brighter and more inclusive future for students in challenging communities.