Systematic inspiration for STEM

 Alexander van Hoek wants to see more children with a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). For this reason, Alex has developed Systematic, a not-for-profit initiative to help children foster an interest in STEM topics and skills, during their young and formative years.  

“The main goal of Systematic is to break the stereotype that only ‘smart’ children can be involved in STEM. Children should be encouraged to engage with STEM activities, regardless of their educational, geographical, cultural or socioeconomic background,” Alex explained. 

Alex is a UWA Fogarty Scholar studying a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Biomedical Engineering and Genetics. He has an avid interest in STEM subjects, innovations and careers and wants to share this passion with others. 

“My love of STEM was inevitable with two engineers for parents, one electrical and one chemical. As a child they made sure I always saw the fun in science, how amazing and cool it could be,” Alex explained. 

“I grew up understanding that STEM is part of our lives, it is all around us, even in areas we wouldn’t expect, and it helps us discover and understand the world around us,” Alex said. 

Systematic is a one-stop-shop for fun and engaging STEM activities. The Systematic kit contains various toys and experiments for teachers and parents to use to inspire curiosity, engagement in learning and conversations around science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Alex hopes that by providing these tools and opportunities, educators can help to build confidence in a child’s ability to understand and master STEM concepts now and into the future.  

“STEM can and will have a significant impact upon the lives and careers of all children, so why not encourage them to enjoy it from a young age, through structured play and exploratory experiences,” Alex said. 

Alex was the 2021 recipient of the Fogarty Foundation’s Jeremy Cheang Award. This annual award is presented to a UWA Fogarty Scholar to acknowledge their contribution to their chosen profession, the University and/or the wider community. Alex received the award for his creation of Systematic and has been using the funding to progress the Systematic initiative to the ‘testing’ phase, due to commence in 2022. 

“This phase is important to ensure that the kit contains toys and experiments which are practical for teachers and parents to deliver, while also being stimulating and inspiring for the children,” Alex said.  

Alex is currently working with Venture, the Student Innovation Centre supported by the UWA Student Guild. Venture provides access to expert advice, support, and guidance, to help students navigate the innovation journey and improve innovative outcomes. Guild Venture, in partnership with the UWA Grand Challenges, also offer ‘Making a Difference’ Social Innovation and Enterprise grants to the value of $5000. Alex will present Systematic at the UWA Showcase event later in the year.  

With the Foundation’s seed funding and Venture’s network, Alex is gaining support from other students and learning from entrepreneurs, including the entrepreneur in residence Josh Van Ross. 

Tell us something about your upbringing

Cultural pride and diversity have always been core principles of my upbringing. As a biracial woman, my family always taught me to embrace my culture, appreciate others and live a life of service. My most distinct memories from my upbringing are the Christmas family gatherings. For this celebration, everyone would bring a dish, often a traditional dish, that we would share whilst a multitude of many different genres of music played in the background and our elders would tell stories about their lives before their journeys moving to Australia. 

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

For as long as I can remember, my goal in life has been to positively impact the world, regardless of the career I chose. When I was younger, I wanted to be a lawyer so that I could fight for peoples’ rights and freedoms. As I got older, I became drawn to a career in healthcare, due to the unique position that healthcare workers are in. I see healthcare as a career whereby I could directly improve a person’s life due to my knowledge, being in the fortunate position to help others when they are unequipped to do so.

What did you learn about yourself in high school?

In high school, I learned the true extent of my mental toughness and determination. Throughout every stage of my high school career, I found my competitive nature drove me to achieve goals that often seemed out of reach. However, it was not until my final two years of high school that I learned the importance of self-care and cost-benefit decision-making. As I strived to be accepted into a medical course, I knew the discipline and determination that would be required. Subsequently, through trial and error, I learnt how to prioritise my time for the people and activities that brought me joy whilst never losing sight of my goals; culminating in success both in school and engagement with my community. 

Why did you apply to be a UWA Fogarty Scholar?

I applied to be a UWA Fogarty Scholar because my values aligned with the core ethos of the Fogarty Foundation and as such, I wanted to become a part of the Fogarty community. Furthermore, beyond relieving financial constraints, being a UWA Fogarty Scholar allows me to continue engaging in leadership and volunteering roles (both within UWA and the wider community), whilst opening the door to new and exciting opportunities. 

What are you studying and what do you like about the course so far?

I am currently studying Integrated Medical Sciences via the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) with an assured pathway to the Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD). Although I haven’t completed any ‘dental’ units yet, I have loved learning about the anatomy of the human body and how our various systems within the body work together to form a functioning human.

Tell us something you love about UWA.

The vibrancy of the UWA community is something that I love. On the few days that I attend campus, I often engage in various activities and events organised by different clubs and Guild Organisations. I appreciate the opportunity to meet new people and love the diversity of students that attend UWA. 

Have you enjoyed any Scholars events, if so, which event and why?

I have thoroughly enjoyed all the events organised thus far, especially the Scholars Breakfast as I was able to network with many current Scholars and Alumni.

What do you look forward to in Semester 2?

As the majority of my Semester 1 units were online, I am looking forward to commencing Semester 2 face-to-face and meeting more people. I am also looking forward to engaging in labs and workshops, for the medical science units, that will allow me to better my laboratory skills. Outside of class, I am excited to coordinate social events as a member of the Women’s Guild and facilitate the Fogarty Futures Leadership Conference.

David Scaife MLA will commence postgraduate studies at the Australian National University (ANU) in Semester 2, 2022. David will be the first UWA Fogarty Scholar to enjoy this esteemed partnership between the Fogarty Foundation, the Australian National University and the University of Western Australia. 

share a highlight of your time as a UWA Fogarty Scholar.

The leadership program run by the Fogarty Foundation was a highlight of every year. I particularly remember attending a presentation by Andrew Forrest in about 2006 or 2007 where he spoke about his vision for FMG and the iron ore industry in WA. Looking back, I didn’t realise the significance of what I was listening to at the time!

Why have you applied for a scholarship at ANU when your career is already progressing so well?

As a newly elected Member of Parliament, I have an obligation to my constituents and to the WA public more generally to do my absolute best in this role. I see further studies as one way to improve my knowledge and skills, so that I can be an effective elected representative.

What will you be studying and how will this impact your career and future?

I’ll be studying the Master of Public Policy (MPP). Navigating life as a Member of Parliament over the last year has been challenging. There are many different stakeholders with established ways of doing things, from local constituents to public servants to lobbyists. I expect the MPP will give me greater insight into how the public service works and how to influence policy outcomes in a way that is consistent with the evidence and my values. We have an opportunity in a post-COVID world to build an Australia that is more ambitious, equal, and inclusive, and I hope to be a part of that.

Do you think there is a connection between education and positive leadership? If so, please explain.

Yes, undoubtedly. I said in my first speech to Parliament that I owe my achievements to education, and particularly public education. I have had teachers and mentors both at Australind Senior High School and the University of Western Australia who saw more in me, than I did. That encouragement has led to my leadership position now. I also think that curiosity and a commitment to self-improvement, which have a natural relationship with education, are qualities of positive leadership.

How do you think our Fogarty Scholars and Alumni can have an impact on their communities, Australia and the world?

You only have to look at the work being done by current Scholars and Alumni to see the range of ways that you can have an impact on the world. We have Alumni like Naomi Altman who is a literal rocket scientist working on delivering medical supplies by drone in Ghana, and Alumni like me who are focused on things closer to home. The important part is to pursue what you’re passionate about and good at. If you do that and keep in mind the obligation that we all have to improve our communities (whether global or local), you can’t really go wrong.

“Receiving the scholarship has been a great privilege and I’m looking forward to starting in semester 2.”

David Scaife MLA

Each year, two UWA Fogarty Scholars will receive scholarships to study at ANU. These scholarships will strengthen relations with our national university, broadening opportunities for Scholars in their careers and their ability to create the next generation of growth.

The UWA Fogarty Scholars joined Kate Chaney, independent candidate for the seat of Curtin, for an informal conversation on Wednesday. Kate said she was eager to speak with young people about the issues they are interested in. 

Kate opened by explaining her background and what brought her to stand for a seat in Federal Parliament. She noted that a driving factor was her involvement on the board of Next 25, which is working to ensure that Australia maximises and shares its success across current and future generations, and her desire to play a more proactive part in addressing complex issues facing Australian society. 

Kate believes her diverse career background in management consulting, law and strategy, as well as her senior corporate and not-for-profit roles, will enable her to contribute on several complex matters. She also acknowledged that there will matters she won’t know about. In talking about her decision to take the plunge to stand for Parliament, Kate said that she realised, “you only have one wild and precious life, so just go for it.”

Kate shared her four areas of focus with the Scholars, which were often touched on during the conversation with the group. These include:

• Integrity
• Climate change
• Economic opportunities and 
• Inclusive communities.

The Scholars raised a wide range of topics important to them, spanning the implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and how to achieve climate change through the creation of economic opportunities, to the provision of greater funding for sports beyond those with a high profile, the structural re-adjustment of industries, addressing and reducing the incidence of sexual harassment and gender inequality, to food and water security and homelessness.

How to find candidates aligned with Scholars’ individual values was also explored, and it was suggested that sites such as Vote Compass could be helpful in this regard. Kate also mentioned the site, They Vote for You which allows one to see how your electorate’s representative – or any member of Parliament – voted on various matters. Kate explained that only 0.4% of the population is a member of a political party and 50% of members of Parliament have only ever worked in politics.

The role of independents in Parliament was also explored, and Kate was asked what she hoped might result in 15 years. Three options she suggested were:

1. Independents could cause the major parties to re-think their approach to various policies and their electorate.
2. There could be a critical mass of independents, allowing them to work in different coalitions on various topics of interest. She noted whilst this could be logistically ‘messier’ than the two-party system, it could allow the larger, more complex issues to be dealt with more effectively (noting most of the matters before Federal Parliament are complex issues by their very nature); or
3. The emergence of new parties, providing a viable alternative to the current ‘red’ vs ‘blue’ team, two party model.

The closing discussion centred on how young people could become more involved, with Kate providing several pointers. Whilst not suggesting that young people head straight for parliament, she stressed that, at a minimum, everyone should be thoughtful about their vote, because every vote counts.

Many thanks to Kate for addressing the group, and for Georgie Carey, Fogarty Scholar (2014) and now Deputy Mayor of the Mosman Park Town Council for being facilitator.

The UWA Fogarty Scholars and Alumni enjoyed an evening of canapés and music on Thursday, as they celebrated another inspiring year of learning, leadership and collective accomplishment. InspirED is the final event of the year for the Leadership and Enterprise program where UWA executive and staff, past speakers and friends of the Scholarship Program are invited to see and celebrate the achievement s of the Scholars.

Here to Help – Perth’s Charity Band, founded by UWA Fogarty Scholar Michael Hooper, provided a warm welcome to guests including past and present Fogarty Scholars, Professor Amit Chakma, Vice Chancellor of UWA, Annie Fogarty, Executive Chairperson of the Fogarty Foundation and special guests.

Professor Amit Chakma spoke about the significance of the scholarship program and congratulated the Scholars and Alumni for their committed commitment to education, excellence and achieving wonderful things all over the world. 

Fogarty Scholars Ellen Smith and Josh Peckover shared anecdotes about their recent adventures co-convening the Fogarty Futures Leadership Conference, while Luke Thomas shared his experiences working for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet in Canberra. Guests were also inspired by the leadership efforts of Michael Hooper for creating Here to Help – Perth’s Charity Band, and Rachel Tantular as she spoke about her upcoming charity Indo-Pacific Traditional Music Concert.

Alexander van Hoek was announced as the 2021 recipient of the Jeremy Cheang Award.  This award is presented to a Scholars to acknowledge their contribution to their chosen profession, the University and/or the wider community and to support them in their initiative.  Alex received the award for his creation of Systematic, an aspiring not-for-profit initiative to help children foster a passion for STEM topics and skills. 

Thank you to everyone who attended this InspirED event. It was a wonderful opportunity to hear from UWA Fogarty Scholars who are working towards and/or acting as leaders in our community and beyond.  

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The UWA Fogarty Scholars hosted the 2021 Fogarty Futures Leadership Conference earlier this month. Forty-five impressive and motivated young West Australian’s were invited to join the Scholars for a four-day conference at the Bickley Outdoor Recreation Camp, where they were inspired to explore leadership and entrepreneurial opportunities in their schools and local communities.  

Participants took part in a variety of workshops including Purposeful with Liz Knight, Interview Skills with Connor McLaughlin, Dr Yes and Man Up. Conference facilitators (UWA Fogarty Scholars and Alumni) mentored the group as they spoke about the importance of having cultural awareness in leadership; acted as member states of the United Nations, using problem solving, diplomacy and communication skills to respond to an international crisis; and spoke with current Scholars about leadership, university and raising their educational aspirations.

At the Politicians Panel, three levels of government were represented by an impressive line-up of guest speakers. Georgie Carey – Town of Mosman Park Councillor, Shane Love MLA, David Scaife MLA, Senator Dean Smith, Dr Katrina Stratton MLA and Rhys Williams – Mandurah Mayor, spoke to the group about various societal challenges, being a leader in the community and how they, even as young students, can have a positive and wide-reaching impact.  

“Our UWA Fogarty Scholars are an outstanding group of young people and the Fogarty Futures Conference highlights how exceptional they are –, organising speakers and workshop leads running a four-day conference,  when they have only just started university themselves.”

Annie Fogarty AM, Executive Chairperson of the Fogarty Foundation.

“The Scholars have highlighted that when provided the opportunity, their strong leadership qualities truly shine, empowering them to make a difference to the lives of others.  This really is the ripple effect in action” she said.

The Fogarty Futures Leadership Conference was initiated by the Fogarty Scholars’ Association in 2013 and has been convened by first year Fogarty Scholars every year since. 

You can find out more about Fogarty Foundation and the UWA Fogarty Scholars by visiting https://fogartyfoundation.org.au/. 

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UWA Fogarty Scholars participate in a range of programs, conversations and events to develop leadership skills and encourage enterprising mindsets.

On Thursday 23 September, the Foundation hosted an Innovation Panel with Danail Obreschkow, Astrophysicist and Head of the International Space Centre UWA, Olivia Humphrey, Founder and former CEO of Kanopy, and Brodie McCulloch, Founder of Spacecubed. The purpose was to encourage Scholars to have an enterprising mindset and see opportunities rather than barriers, learnings rather than failures and make the most of their experiences and connections.

Danail Obreschkow spoke about his journey, including his experiences at Oxford University and his love of Astrophysics. He encouraged the Scholars to take chances, fuel their minds with inspiration and learn from others through positive connections and conversations. 

Olivia encouraged the Scholars to have a challenge mindset; that is, a mindset that encourages inspiration and excitement when faced with a challenge. She spoke about building strong networks and the importance of having enterprising friends and/or peers to workshop and develop business ideas. 

Brodie shared his experiences as Founder and CEO of Spacecubed. He explained how the organisation was supporting entrepreneurs and innovators with enterprise skill development, peer support networks, innovation workshops and spaces to develop a business. He encouraged the group to try out their ideas, talk to people and make the most of assets like Bloom.

Many thanks to Conor McLaughlin, Fogarty Scholar and young entrepreneur, for moderating this inspiring panel.

The UWA Fogarty Scholars and Alumni had the wonderful opportunity to share a conversation with Iain Grandage, composer, conductor and Artistic Director of Perth Festival, at a recent Leadership Series event.

Iain is the first Perth-raised Artistic Director of the Festival in its 68-year history and spoke of how following his passion enabled him to work on the world stage.

Iain spoke with the Scholars about the arts, our community, Western Australia, Perth Festival, the celebration of stories, being connected, leadership and the importance of listening.

He shared his thoughts on leadership and whilst he had experienced many missteps throughout his career, he encouraged the students to always strive to enact positive change if (and when) they find themselves in a position to do so.

“Never presume you know. Always listen with open ears. That is where you will find the understanding and connection you need to move forward,” Iain said.

Iain is one of Australia’s most highly regarded collaborative artists, having won Helpmann Awards for his compositions for theatre, dance, opera, silent film and as a music director.

He has received Victorian Green Room Awards, the prestigious Sidney Myer Performance Arts Award for an individual and the APRA/AMC award for Vocal Work of the Year. He has curated the chamber music program for the Adelaide Festival and been the Artistic Director of the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival.

Iain has been composer-in-residence with the WA Symphony Orchestra and has an extensive track record of collaboration with Indigenous artists across the country. He explained to the Scholars that he had always been excited about the possibilities inherent in being Perth Festival’s Artistic Director because of the ability of the arts to change perceptions – of people, places and our history.

Ten of the State’s highest achieving and most inspirational young people have accepted UWA Fogarty Scholarships, including this year’s Beazley Medallist, Josh Green (Christ Church Grammar School).  

UWA Fogarty Scholarships offer the State’s brightest and most committed students a full scholarship for the entirety of their undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Scholars are selected on their academic excellence and outstanding achievements in leadership, community involvement, enterprise, the arts and/or sport.  

Winners of this year’s prestigious scholarships are Heather Bytheway (St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School), Ella Dickie (Mount Lawley Senior High School), Josh Green (CCGS), Isabelle Hamer (Presbyterian Ladies’ College), Jason Lu (CCGS), Ella Miels (PLC), Joshua Peckover (Mandurah Baptist College), Ellen Smith (All Saints’ College), Emma Tinley (Bunbury Senior High School) and Sam Wake (Scotch College). 

“I applied to be a UWA Fogarty Scholar because I saw it as a way to join a group of passionate, inspired and driven people,” said Jason Lu, 2021 UWA Fogarty Scholar. 

“I want a career where I’m working towards positive change in the world and I saw the community of Fogarty Scholars as a group of like-minded people, actively driving these changes,” he said. 

“I also saw the leadership development program as an opportunity to develop the skills that will allow me to achieve this ambition.” 

In addition to financial support, the Scholars participate in a tailored leadership program, academic mentoring, leadership opportunities, support for their initiatives and are part of the Scholars and Alumni network. 

“Current Scholars refer to each other as being more like family than colleagues, and this chance to build strong relationships and connections that will last for many years, is an incredibly attractive element of the program,” said Ella Dickie, 2021 UWA Fogarty Scholar. 

“I’m looking forward to challenging myself in the company of many inspirational figures and to hopefully draw on their great knowledge and experience,” she said.  

Annie Fogarty AM, Executive Chairperson of the Fogarty Foundation said, “We believe that through empowering young people with potential, they will provide vision and direction to enable positive change to benefit the community.”

“We need people to lead – in education and in life – which is why the UWA Fogarty Scholarships continue to be a key element of the Foundation,” Mrs Fogarty said.  

Through the Leadership and Enterprise Program, the Foundation hopes to empower young people to be problem solvers and entrepreneurial creators. Many Scholars have started enterprises and not-for-profit organisations which the Foundation supports. They have now established the Scholars Enterprise Investment Fund to help the Scholar’s enterprises grow the next generation of businesses.  

“The Enterprise Investment Fund will support the Scholars and build their networks, while enhancing WA-wide support for the next generation of enterprises, growing the number of jobs and diversity of businesses across WA and Australia,” Mrs Fogarty said. 

Since 2004, the scholarships have educated and supported 166 outstanding young people. It is one of Australia’s premier scholarship programs. You can read about some of the exceptional Scholars at fogartyfoundation.org.au. 

Rachel Tantular is passionate about creating stronger ties between Australia and our Southeast Asian neighbours. As a result of this passion, Rachel will be hosting a concert featuring music by Asian and/or Asian-Australian composers, and traditional music from around the Indo-Pacific region, along with a gamelan workshop.

“Music has been a big part of my life since I was a child. I have performed across Europe and continue to perform with the Western Australian Wind Symphony,” Rachel said.

“This concert and workshop will engage attendees in experiencing and learning about the rich and diverse cultural heritage of traditional music and instruments from around Asia. It will also provide performers and composers of Asian descent a platform to share their craft, promoting cross-cultural understanding and people-to-people connections.”

“My hope is that this will inspire musicians and composers to perform and write music featuring elements of traditional music or instruments from around their region,” she said.

Rachel is a UWA Fogarty Scholar, studying Asian Studies and Music under a Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours), and 2020 recipient of the Fogarty Foundation’s Jeremy Cheang Award. Awarded in memory of Jeremy Cheang, former UWA Fogarty Scholar, the prize was presented to Rachel for the contribution she has made to her community through building greater knowledge of other cultures and stronger links with Asian communities. Rachel is currently leading the conceptualisation and delivery of the inaugural Indo-Pacific Future Leaders Programme, convened from July to November 2020 in Western Australia.

Rachel is the inaugural Perth Hub Manager of the ASEAN-Australian Strategic Youth Partnership (AASYP), President of the St Catherine’s College Golden Zonta Club, providing birthing kits for women in disadvantaged communities, and Secretary of the Australia-China Youth Association (UWA).

“Uniting my two areas of study, Music and Asian Studies, this project stems from the observation that the music I have studied and performed is primarily Western Art Music of European composers, and that having moved to Australia from a very young age myself, I have had limited opportunities to engage with the music of my own cultural heritage,” Rachel said.

“Only 6% of professional orchestral programming features work by composers of underrepresented racial, ethnic and cultural heritages. While there has been a growing focus on works by Australian composers, music written by composers of Asian descent is rarely programmed, despite a growing population of second and third-generation Asian-Australians and over 3 million Asian-born people in Australia.”

“This initiative is also inspired by my work with the ASEAN-Australia Strategic Youth Partnership (AASYP) and I plan to collaborate with AASYP, the UWA Conservatorium of Music, UWA Music Students’ Society and Australia-China Youth Association, to present these events in 2021.”