Faculty of Science School of Botany

Prizes Funded

The Botany Foundation raises funds to endow student prizes and scholarships and to support research programs. It promotes plant science to the wider community, contributing to the development of educational material and promoting research links with industry.
Examples of student programs funded by the Foundation and School Research Funds:

The Botany Prize
Lee Ming Yeoh - $1,000

Awarded to a third year student who is proceeding to honours in a branch of Botany, with preference given to a student studying Australian flora.

E.F. Millar Second Year Exhibition
Sally Warring - $500

Awarded to the student achieving the highest results in second year Botany. A donation was made by Mr Edwin Franks Millar to establish the E.F. Millar Exhibition.

Botany Exhibition for top 3rd year botany UG student
Daniel Ohlsen - $700

Bruce Knox Honours Prize 2006
Alison Heskes - $1,200

Awarded to top student in Honours in Botany each year.  Funded by donations from family, friends and colleagues of Professor Knox who sadly passed away in 1997.

G.A.M. Scott Research Award
Helen Jolley - approx $1000

Funded by donations from family, friends and colleagues of Dr George Scott, who sadly passed away in 1998.  The award supports the research of an honours or postgraduate student in Botany that involves field work, preference given to work involving bryophytes.

Caroline Kay Scholarship
Shared betwen Madeline Mitchell and Lee Ming Yeoh - approx $1,400

Old Scholarship set up in 1894 in the will of the Reverend David Kay in memory of his daughter.
Tenurable for two years.

The MacBain Scholarship

This scholarship is open to students who are enrolled in the degree of doctor of Philosophy or the degree of Master of Science (with particular reference to Australian flora).

John S. Turner Postgraduate Scholarship
Shared betwen Shane Emmanuelle and Cristina Lomonte - approx $2000

In 1997 Botany held a function to celebrate Dr David Ashton's 51st year of association with the School and his 70th Birthday.  Dr Ashton suggested that the occasion also be used to raise funds to endow a scholarship in the name of John S. Turner - 2nd Professor of Botany.
The scholarship is open for award to a student undertaking a PhD in Botany doing research in the area of plant physiology.

Sophie Ducker Postgraduate Scholarship
David Meagher - approx $2200

In 1995 a function was held to commemorate Dr Sophie Ducker's 50 year association with the School of Botany.  This scholarship was launched at this function and donations have been received from family, friends and colleagues of Dr Ducker.
The Scholarship is awarded to a student undertaking a PhD in Botany doing research in Australian flora.

The Kingsley Rowan Marine Botany Prize
Sally Warring

Awarded to top student in third year Marine Botany in commemoration of Dr Kingsley Rowan, esteemed Plant Physiologist who worked for many years on algal plant pigments.


The Megan Klemm Postgraduate Research Award
Allison Heskes
- approx $3500

Megan Klemm, our former Electron microscopist, sadly passed away in 2002 at the young age of  41 after fighting a courageous battle against cancer.
A generous donation from Megan's estate was the basis of an endowment for a prize in her memory.
This award is given on the basis of merit and the needs of the student.

The Ethel McLennan Award
Carlie Alexander - approx $1000

Ethel McLennan was one of the first generation of Biological Sciences students to graduate under Baldwin Spencer.  She was awarded her DSc in 1927 and appointed Associate Professor in 1931.  She was acting Head of School in Botany following the death of the Foundation Professor of Botany, Alfred Ewart in 1937 until the appointment of Professor Turner in 1938.

The Gretna Weste Plant Patholgoy and Mycology Scholarship
Elizabeth Sheedy - approx $10000

This award was established in 2004 by Dr Gretna Weste, a graduate of the University who served as a demonstrator and lecturer at the University. This scholarship is funded by the inaugural donation from Dr Gretna Weste on her retirement from the School of Botany in 2003 and additional donations received from colleagues and friends plus future donations through the School of Botany Foundation. The award is open to students enrolled in a postgraduate degree by research in the School of Botany. This award is made on academic merit but financial need may be also considered in determining the recipient. The value of the scholarship is the net annual income of the fund.

The Klemperer-Ducker Scholarship

Daniel Ohlsen approx $3000

A generous gift was received from the Estate of the late Dr Sophie Ducker AM to endow the Klemperer-Ducker Scholarship for research in indigenous Australian Flora. Awarded to a student who is an Australian citizen, who has qualified part-time or full-time to study and is enrolled for a BSc (Hons) or an equivalent degree.  The prize should provide encouragement and support to a student on the threshold of graduate research who intends to focus on the study of native vegetation. 

Alfred Nicholas Fellowship

This Fellowship is rotated on an annual basis between the departments of Botany, Genetics and Zoology.

The David Ashton Scholarship
Chris Jones - $4000

The David Ashton Travel Award
Shared between Jose Tonatiuh Palacios andVictoria Hemming - $1000

These prizes are established by a donation from the late Dr David Ashton, one of Australia's most eminent botanists and a highly regarded plant ecologist, who spent 29 years of his academic career with the School of Botany.

Travel Fellowships

The Foundation also awards travel fellowships to support many of our postgraduate students to attend conferences or visit laboratories overseas.

2008 Recipients

Helen Jolley $1000

The Megan Klemm Postgraduate Research Award
Shared between Tracy Rout and Samantha Gutierrez
- approx $3000

Megan Klemm, our former Electron microscopist, sadly passed away in 2002 at the young age of  41 after fighting a courageous battle against cancer.
A generous donation from Megan's estate was the basis of an endowment for a prize in her memory.
This award is given on the basis of merit and the needs of the student.

The Ethel McLennan Award
Chrissy Czembor - approx $1000

Ethel McLennan was one of the first generation of Biological Sciences students to graduate under Baldwin Spencer.  She was awarded her DSc in 1927 and appointed Associate Professor in 1931.  She was acting Head of School in Botany following the death of the Foundation Professor of Botany, Alfred Ewart in 1937 until the appointment of Professor Turner in 1938.

The Gretna Weste Plant Patholgoy and Mycology Scholarship
Shared between James McKenna Steve Van Sluyter - approx $10000

This award was established in 2004 by Dr Gretna Weste, a graduate of the University who served as a demonstrator and lecturer at the University. This scholarship is funded by the inaugural donation from Dr Gretna Weste on her retirement from the School of Botany in 2003 and additional donations received from colleagues and friends plus future donations through the School of Botany Foundation. The award is open to students enrolled in a postgraduate degree by research in the School of Botany. This award is made on academic merit but financial need may be also considered in determining the recipient. The value of the scholarship is the net annual income of the fund.

The Klemperer-Ducker Scholarship

James Kidman approx $2500

A generous gift was received from the Estate of the late Dr Sophie Ducker AM to endow the Klemperer-Ducker Scholarship for research in indigenous Australian Flora. Awarded to a student who is an Australian citizen, who has qualified part-time or full-time to study and is enrolled for a BSc (Hons) or an equivalent degree.  The prize should provide encouragement and support to a student on the threshold of graduate research who intends to focus on the study of native vegetation. 

Alfred Nicholas Fellowship

This Fellowship is rotated on an annual basis between the departments of Botany, Genetics and Zoology.

The David Ashton Scholarship
Shared between Briony Norton and Sacha Jellinek - $3000

The David Ashton Travel Award
Victor Kabay- $500

These prizes are established by a donation from the late Dr David Ashton, one of Australia's most eminent botanists and a highly regarded plant ecologist, who spent 29 years of his academic career with the School of Botany.

Travel Fellowships

The Foundation also awards travel fellowships to support many of our postgraduate students to attend conferences or visit laboratories overseas.

2007 Recipients

Stuart Gardner $1250
Emma Lewis $1000
Christina Lomonte $1250
Marissa McBride $1250
Alana Moore $1000
Elizabeth Neilsen $1250
Robert Piccinin $1250
Kerryn Popa  $650
Sushma Ramesh  $1250
Cassia Read $1250
Steven Van Sluyter  $1250
Andrea White $1250

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