The Sir Roland Wilson Foundation (SRW) officially welcomed new Sir Roland Wilson and Pat Turner Scholars at the 2022 Commencement Dinner this week.

In 2022, five Sir Roland Wilson and three Pat Turner scholars commence their studies and research at The Australian National University, including:

• Lyndon Ang, Sir Roland Wilson scholar from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, doing a PhD on Methods for maximising the value of administrative and big data to produce statistics at ANU College of Business and Economics
• Natalie Bryant, Sir Roland Wilson Pat Turner scholar from the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, doing a PhD on Equity and methods for calculating Indigenous adjustments for resource allocation in hospital-based healthcare at ANU Centre for Aboriginal and Economic Policy Research
• Nikolai Drahos, Sir Roland Wilson scholar from the Climate Change Authority, doing a PhD on Governing gas in a world transitioning to net zero: from natural to sustainable gas at ANU School of Regulation and Global Governance
• James Gaetani, Sir Roland Wilson scholar from the National Indigenous Australians Agency, doing a PhD on Making decisions the local way: mapping and improving how Australia’s public law framework supports traditional decision-making in Indigenous entities at ANU College of Law
• Timothy Holt, Sir Roland Wilson Pat Turner scholar from the Department of Finance, doing a Master of Public Policy at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy
• Cecilia Karmel, Sir Roland Wilson scholar from The Treasury, doing a PhD on Migration, skills shortages and COVID-19 at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy
• Genna Lehman, Sir Roland Wilson Pat Turner scholar from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, doing a Master of Asian and Pacific Studies at ANU College of Asia and the Pacific.
• Kate Pennington, Sir Roland Wilson scholar from the Department of Health, doing a PhD on Planning for an influenza pandemic and responding to a COVID-19 pandemic at ANU Research School of Population Health.

SRW Foundation Chair, Dr Martin Parkinson AC PSM, said their selection for the scholarship is recognition of their potential to be among the best public servants Australia has to offer.

“You are all future leaders who can help ensure the Australian Public Service is equipped with the knowledge and capability to deliver sound advice to government and evidence-based public policy to Australians,” Dr Parkinson said.

“You also stand at the precipice of an opportunity to further understanding of public service operations within academia so researchers and policymakers can work together for the best outcomes.”

Sir Roland Wilson Pat Turner scholar Natalie Bryant spoke on behalf of commencing scholars.

“The scholarship is an opportunity of a lifetime to spend some time on self-development either by focusing on a wicked problem for a PhD or undertaking broader post-graduate studies in a Masters Program,” Ms Bryant said.

“I look around at the 2022 scholars and I am humbled to be in such a distinguished group. This is a diverse group with different voices, areas of interest and backgrounds, but united in a desire to make a real difference, to demonstrate excellence much like the leaders in this room and the public service itself.”

Dr Parkinson encouraged scholars to make the most of their time at ANU to form connections across the university and academia globally.

“Use your community of fellow scholars, but also your community of public service colleagues to build on your studies and create new connections between academia and the public service.”

“I look forward to following your research journey and the impact you’ll each have on return to your agencies and in the years to come,” Dr Parkinson said.

Read more about the Sir Roland Wilson Foundation. Stay up to date by following us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.