Get Connected

InspirED 2023 honours our graduating Fogarty UWA Scholars

Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders: Highlights from the InspirED 2023 event by the Fogarty Foundation

On 26 October 2023, the Fogarty Foundation’s annual InspirED event took place.  As always, it was a remarkable occasion as it provided a wonderful showcase of the achievements and potential of the University of Western Australia (UWA) Fogarty Scholars.  It featured presentations and discussions on a wide array of topics, including entrepreneurial ventures, social impact initiatives, and inspiring personal journeys.  The event also highlighted the Foundation’s commitment to nurturing young talent by empowering Scholars to reach their full potential and so make a positive impact on our society. 

A major highlight at the InspirED event was hearing the insights of the UWA Fogarty Scholars. These talented young minds seized their Scholarships as a launchpad for personal and academic growth, with the event providing a platform for them to showcase their accomplishments. From Caleb McKenna who has been awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship for Western Australia in 2024; to Nicholas Ellison and Lydia Almeida, new medical graduates who aspire to work in regional, rural and remote medicine; and Luke Osborne whose overseas internships helped him find his passion in mathematical finance and financial technology.  The talented Emily Roberts and Racheline Tantular round out our six graduates, Emily with her Master of Professional Engineering (Mech Eng) and Racheline with a Bachelor of Philosophy in Music and Asian Studies.

A compelling narrative was skillfully crafted throughout the evening by Caleb Adams, the event’s MC and Vice President of the Fogarty Scholars Association.  In his address to the audience, he urged us to reflect on the idea that each person carries their own unique story, which collectively weaves into the broader narrative of our shared history and culture. He left the audience with a thought-provoking question to ponder throughout the evening: “What kind of legacy do you aspire to leave behind?”   

Attendees were inspired by keynote speaker Kyle Hoath, who shared his journey from medicine to entrepreneurship. He began by showcasing the positive impact of his project, Oqea, in the field of mental health. Kyle stressed the importance of teamwork and having a support system. When reflecting on legacy in light of Caleb’s question, Kyle concluded that legacies take time to build, and achievements often unfold in surprising ways.

Guests were also fortunate to connect virtually with Lachie McDonald, a Scholar who is now pursuing postgraduate studies at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, as part of a special scholarship opportunity uniquely for UWA Fogarty Scholars.  Lachie shared his insightful reflections on his journey as a Fogarty Scholar, emphasising the critical importance of developing digital skills for the future and driving progress in artificial intelligence. He delved into the philosophical underpinnings of AI which served as a compelling reminder to the audience that the intelligence of digital systems is fundamentally shaped by real-world actions and decisions. Lachie’s message concluded with a resounding call to action, highlighting the urgency of our role as active participants in shaping the future. Here again we were reminded of Caleb’s question; “What kind of legacy do you aspire to leave behind?”. 

In a special moment during the event, the Jeremy Cheang Award was presented to Shantelle Jeyakumar for her exceptional achievements and her commitment to making a positive impact on her community. Shantelle won the award for her innovative project centered on an educational platform that integrates dental health, women’s health, and financial literacy. What makes this recognition even more special is that Shantelle will receive mentorship from Dr. Marcus Tan, a leading expert in the field. Shantelle’s work steps toward one legacy that she may leave behind; by leveraging emerging digital tools to create equality of information and access.  

Thank you to all who attended the InspirED 2023 event, a photo gallery of which is available here. We also encourage you to investigate Kyle’s Oqea and other Scholars’ initiatives.  

The UWA Fogarty Scholars program is one of the Foundation’s flagship programs.  This program has been instrumental in identifying, supporting, and nurturing exceptional students from various fields. With 10 selected each year and an alumni of over 120 Scholars, this group represents a diverse range of talents, ambitions, and backgrounds, and an inspiring group to follow.  To learn more about our Scholars and alumni, visit them here. 

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

A recording of the breakfast celebration is available here.

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. 

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.

We hope you made some new connections at our celebratory breakfast. Stay in touch with us through Facebook, LinkedIn and X; and you can also find all our amazing young leaders through our NEW scholar’s database. Please also enjoy our two latest films, one that promotes our Scholarship program and another that provides some insights into the paths of our alumni, which features six of our Scholars who are now living and working elsewhere in the world. Below is a photo gallery from the celebration breakfast.

Improving curriculum planning should be a national priority given the urgent challenges in Australian school education.  This approach takes the lottery out of learning, because it guarantees that all students receive common, high- quality teaching that supports them to build knowledge and skills through their school years.   The benefits of adopting a whole school curriculum can be significant.  As one Serpentine Primary School literacy leader said “We don’t miss students. You know you’re not going to get students in Year 3 that can’t read. We have high expectations, we want all kids to be at grade level.” (page 25).

Tackling this problem will require action from school leaders and teachers, as well as governments, and Catholic and independent school sector leaders.  Grattan’s 2022 report, Ending the lesson lottery: How to improve curriculum planning in schools, sets out what governments and sector leaders should do to help tackle this problem.

School leaders should not wait, however, for government action.  The new Grattan Guide (insert link to PDF) sets out practical steps they can take now to establish an effective whole-school approach to curriculum planning.  

The Guide draws on lessons Grattan learnt studying five schools across Australia that have embraced a whole-school approach to curriculum, the two of which from WA are both Fogarty EDvance schools – Serpentine Primary School and Aveley Secondary College.

The paper presents the six key features of a whole-school curriculum approach:

This helpful report also provides links to materials prepared by other schools to help exemplify what this looks like in practice – and can provide a fast-track way to get started. 

Grattan is also hosting an online event series with school leaders from two of the case study schools in our Guide. You can register for these events here:

Annie Fogarty has been announced as the 2020 West Australian of the Year for her exceptional work in education advocacy.

Annie founded the Fogarty Foundation in 2000 to help advance education, support young people to reach their full potential and build stronger communities.

Under Annie’s leadership, the Foundation identifies areas of need, supports partner organisations with philanthropic funds, connections and knowledge, and develops initiatives that deliver educational opportunities, inspire community leadership and enrich lives.

Mrs Fogarty is also involved with several boards and committees to help foster innovation and creativity in young people, and is committed to ensuring excellent education and learning for all.

Each year, the Australian of the Year awards celebrate the achievements and contributions of eminent Australians by profiling leading citizens who are role models for us all.

Also receiving the prestigious award are fellow West Australians Professor John Newnham AM, a world-leading authority in modern obstetrics; Yarlalu Thomas, a medical student and Precision Public Health Fellow in genetic and rare diseases; and science educator (and Fogarty EDfutures Catalyst) Suzy Urbaniak.

Annie will join award recipients from all over Australia for the national awards ceremony at the National Arboretum in Canberra on 25 January 2020 – the 60th anniversary of the awards.

Congratulations Annie!!

How can we get the best education for our children? How can schools better support students to provide an environment that allows them to flourish, regardless of family, wealth and social disadvantage?

In this talk, Annie notes the essential role that education plays in society. She also argues that schools should function as a community hub whose role extends beyond simply teaching, as well as providing practical tips on how we all can get involved in improving our education system.

Watch Annie Fogarty’s TEDx talk in full here: Let’s create the educational village