Awarding the Margaret Pratt Scholarship

Irene Popan, Year 11

The Margaret Pratt Scholarship is awarded to a Year 11 student who possesses a very high level of ability in Science and who is planning to undertake a career in Scientific/Medical Research. The scholarship is designed to recognise, reward and encourage a student who is seeking to contribute in this field and is someone who is eager to raise awareness of the work of the Margaret Pratt Foundation Heart Lung Transplant Trust now part of the Lungitude Foundation.

In 2020, this scholarship has been awarded to Irene Popan. Irene is currently completing her Year 11 VCE studies. Based on near perfect scores in 2019, Irene convinced the Deputy Principal - Director of Studies that she was ready and able to undertake two Year 12 studies this year in both Mathematical Methods and Biology. In addition to excelling in both of her Year 12 studies this year so far, Irene is also studying; Year 11; Chemistry, Specialist Mathematics, Legal Studies and English. Irene has expressed a strong desire to pursue Biomedicine at Melbourne University, a dream she has held for a number of years. Irene possesses a natural curiosity and a love of learning and relishes the opportunity for personal challenge. As a strong advocate for the Sciences, Irene is looking forward to supporting the work of the Lungitude Foundation over the coming years and is delighted to be the recipient of this years’ Margaret Pratt Science Scholarship.

I feel so incredibly grateful to have been granted the Margaret Pratt Science Scholarship. I’m so lucky to be at a school that offers such amazing opportunities for students such as myself.

"I feel so incredibly grateful to have been granted the Margaret Pratt Science Scholarship. I’m so lucky to be at a school that offers such amazing opportunities for students such as myself. The sciences have always been a strong passion of mine and the fact that I have been given this scholarship is just indescribable. I will definitely try my best to raise awareness for the Lungitude Foundation and the awe-inspiring Margaret Pratt, who dedicated her own life to improving survival rates for lung transplants. I think we can all try to be more like her and I hope I can live up to her legacy."