WELCOME
From the Vice-Chancellor While COVID-19 made 2021 a challenging year for many, it was also one that reminded us perhaps more than ever what a difference philanthropy makes. It impacts both the lives of individual students and the work the University does to make a difference here in Tasmania and around the world. We know that providing access to the life-transforming power of education lies at the heart of our mission. So when we discovered at the start of 2021 that there were around 1000 Tasmanians who couldn’t come to the University because of their financial circumstances, we set out to totally transform our scholarship approach. We wanted to make it easier and more targeted, offering assistance with finance, relocation and accommodation. Since launching a little over three months ago, the Support to Study Scholarship Package has attracted more than 2000 applications.
We are very grateful to everyone who supports scholarship efforts and it is a pleasure in this magazine to have alumna Professor Emily Hilder explain her reasons for establishing a scholarship, and the impact she hopes it will have for recipients. We also share the story of how the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Springboard to Higher Education Bursary is changing the lives of young scholars in Hobart. The donor-funded Green Family Architectural Design Studio Award for Tasmanian History is helping preserve the State’s rich built heritage, allowing a School of Architecture and Design class to undertake an immersive study tour of historic properties in Richmond, Oatlands and Longford, accompanied by architects involved in current restoration projects. Our research is making a positive contribution right here at home, where Grace Russell is investigating ways the Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) is able to evade detection by the animal’s immune system. Grace’s work – which involves training a machine learning algorithm on a computer – is offering hope for a much-loved native species. The impact of our work reaches beyond our shores and important international projects couldn’t occur without the philanthropic support they receive. Examples include Dr Jennifer Lavers’ vital research into the global problem of plastics in seabirds which is strongly assisted by Penny Clive who is also a great supporter of the Tasmanian arts community. Thank you for your support of the University, our students and our work. Professor Rufus Black Vice-Chancellor
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