Four students from the Faculty of Veterinary Science are the recipients of a new rural scholarship, which has been established to assist students from regional and remote areas of Australia.

The Noble Stewart-Hamilton scholarship, named in honour of Joyce Agnes Stewart-Hamilton (nee Noble), who had always aspired to be a vet, will help to reduce the financial burden on students during the course.

Recipients will be awarded $5,000 per annum for the duration of their enrolment in the Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc) degree. This year, the scholarship was provided to a student in each year of the four-year BVSc program.

The students awarded scholarships were: Katherine Adams, Melissa Whitehead, Kate Gordon, and Paula Bennell. Scholarship winner, Katherine Adams commented: “The grant will make a huge difference in helping to fulfil my dream to become a veterinarian. It will allow me to participate in a wider range of work placements, and to concentrate on studying rather than having to take up a full-time job during the holidays.”

Dean of the Faculty, Professor Ken Hinchcliff said: “We are indebted to Mrs Stewart-Hamilton, who donated generously through her estate, so that this vital scholarship could be created. Rural students face considerable barriers in taking up tertiary education, and the scholarship will assist students with accommodation, living and travel costs whilst they gain a world-class veterinary education.”

As from 2009, the newly created scholarship will be awarded annually to a first-year Veterinary Science student for the duration of the four-year course. Full details can be viewed at www.vet.unimelb.edu.au.

Photo:  Paula Bennett (final year), Kate Gordon (3rd year), Katherine Adams (1st year) and Melissa Whitehead (2nd year).

Contact: Andrea Jones

Phone: 8344 7844

A second-year PhD student from the Faculty of Veterinary Science has been awarded a prestigious $5,000 travelling scholarship, which will enable him to expand his knowledge of a group of genetic muscle diseases that cause progressive muscle weakness – muscular dystrophies (MDs).

Kitipong Uaesoontrachoon, 25, originally from Thailand, is the third student to receive the Dr Sue Newton Travelling Scholarship, which celebrates the life and work of Dr Sue Newton, who was a visiting research fellow at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, and a highly respected and internationally recognised research scientist.

The scholarship recognises scientific excellence in the research arena, and is awarded on an annual basis to a PhD student in the Faculty of Veterinary Science.

Kitipong’s research project is centred around Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), which is the most common form of MD, and primarily affects boys. He is trying to understand the function of the structural protein, osteopontin, and the role it plays in repairing damaged skeletal muscle.

“Being awarded such a prestigious scholarship has provided me with the fantastic opportunity to visit the Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Center in Washington, DC, where I had access to flash frozen muscle biopsies from muscular dystrophy patients,” said the PhD student.

“Access to these samples enabled me to relate my in vivo mouse model results to the human disease, enabling me to further my knowledge and understanding of the pathology of DMD.

“I also presented my research at the ‘New Directions in Biology and Disease of Skeletal Muscle’ conference in New Orleans in April, which was a great networking opportunity.”

Professor Ken Hinchliff, Dean of the Faculty presented Kitipong with his award, at a special presentation lunch held on Wednesday 16 January at the University of Melbourne.

Photo from left: Adrian Newton, Gordon Edwards, Geoff Edwards, Kitipong Uaesoontrachoon, receiver of the Sue Newton travelling scholarship, and Professor Ken Hinchcliff, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science.

Contact: Andrea Jones

Phone: 8344 7844