Current Scholars

SIR ROBERT MENZIES MEMORIAL RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP
IN THE ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES

This research scholarship, which is valued at $27,500 per annum for each of two years, is open to graduates in any of the health sciences who have enrolled for a PhD in an Australian University and who have completed the first stage of their doctoral program.

The Foundation is grateful for the support of the final selection committee and the assessors who are nominated by the respective disciplines to grade the applications in terms of topic, relevance and methodology.

In 2009 the scholarship attracted a field of 24 candidates and the disciplines included physiotherapy, speech pathology, nutrition and dietetics, podiatry and orthoptics. In addition to grading by the discipline assessors, the academic and publication record of each candidate and the scientific validity of the various projects were carefully considered.

Interviews were held at Clarendon Terrace, East Melbourne on 18 August, 2009. The interview panel was chaired by Professor John Mathews (Executive Director, The Menzies Foundation) and consisted of Professor Alison Perry (La Trobe University), Assoc Professor Linda Denehy (University of Melbourne) and Dr Deborah Walsh (University of Queensland and previous Menzies Scholar). The Foundation's General Manager, Sandra Mackenzie was in attendance.

The Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Research Scholarships in the Allied Health Sciences for 2010-2011 have been awarded to Ms Leanne Hall and Ms Jane McCormack.

SIR ROBERT MENZIES MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS IN ENGINEERING

The Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Trust, with the financial support of the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and of the Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Foundation in Australia, offers to Australians one post-graduate scholarship in engineering for tenure at universities in the United Kingdom for either one, two or three academic years.

In 2009, five applicants were invited for interview in Melbourne on 12 June. The Selection Committee was Professor Graham Hutchinson (Professor of Civil Engineering, The University of Melbourne), Dr Andrew Whiting (previous Menzies Scholar) and Ms Tracy Harris (representing DEEWR Australian Education International). Professor John Mathews (Executive Director, Menzies Foundation) and Ms Sandra Mackenzie (General Manager, Menzies Foundation) were also in attendance.

The Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Scholarship in Engineering for 2009 was awarded to Miss Alisa Selimovic.

SIR ROBERT MENZIES MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS IN LAW

The Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Trust, with the financial support of the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and of the Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Foundation in Australia, offers to Australians post-graduate scholarships in law for tenure at universities in the United Kingdom.

There were 34 applications for the single law scholarship that was available for 2010.  The six most highly ranked candidates were invited for interview in East Melbourne on 16 October, 2009.

The Selection Committee was the Hon Sir Guy Green (Chairman), Professor Michael Bryan (University of Melbourne), Mr Mark Darian-Smith (previous Menzies Scholar), Mr Brian Doyle (Deputy Chairman, the Menzies Foundation) and Ms Preween Savage (representing the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations).  The Foundation's Executive Director, Prof John Mathews, and its General Manager, Ms Sandra Mackenzie, were in attendance.

The Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Scholarship in Law for 2010 was awarded to Mr Sebastian Hartford Davis.

R G MENZIES FELLOWSHIP

The Foundation in 1996 made the inaugural contribution to the National Health and Medical Research Council's (NH MRC) CJ Martin/Neil Hamilton Fairley Fellowships with one of the Fellowships to be named the NH MRC/RG Menzies Fellowship. The aim of the Fellowships is to support outstanding Australian health and medical researchers early in their career so that they can:
• Conduct research that is internationally competitive;
• Develop a capacity for original independent research;
• Develop leadership skills in research; and
• Establish themselves as independent, self-directed health and medical researchers.

These Fellowships are available for postgraduate medical study at approved overseas institutions with tenure for up to four years. Two years are spent in the overseas country followed by two years back in Australia. The Foundation has made available a supplementation of $5,000 for each of the four years of the award for activities associated with the NH MRC/RG Menzies Fellowship, eg conference travel.

ROBERT GORDON MENZIES SCHOLARSHIP TO HARVARD UNIVERSITY

The Robert Gordon Menzies Scholarship to Harvard University is jointly sponsored by The Harvard Club of Australia, the Australian National University and the Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Foundation and is administered by the ANU. The scholarship is awarded to scholars on the basis of their potential for making a significant contribution to Australia and their intellectual ability, leadership qualities and breadth of vision. The Menzies Foundation was represented in the selection process by Ms Edwina Menzies.

The recipients of the scholarship for 2010 are Dr Gregory Keane and Dr Lakshmi Nayana Vootakuru.