Students at The University of Western Australia who aspire to improve public health and make Australia a global node for quantum technology have been awarded 2026 John Monash scholarships.
Master of Physics student Joshua Snow is the 2026 Geoff Gallop John Monash Scholar and Emersyn Johnson, who has completed a Master of Professional Engineering, is the 2026 Australian Universities’ John Monash Scholar.
Citizen astronomer Joshua, who grew up in Busselton and attended Busselton Senior High School, said he was incredibly grateful and honoured to receive the scholarship.
“The John Monash Scholarship is something I’ve admired for a long time, so finding out I’d received one was both exciting and humbling,” Joshua said.
At UWA, Joshua has worked with the Research Centre for Quantum Information, Simulation and Algorithms research group and aims to use his scholarship to complete a Master of Computational and Mathematical Engineering at Stanford University in the US.
“The opportunities to explore research I’m passionate about has shaped not just my studies but how I think about science and collaboration,” he said.
“I aim to develop methods that will enable practical quantum computing applications that support Australia’s priorities in secure communications, advanced sensing and critical technologies and ultimately help make Australia a global nexus in quantum technology.”
Emersyn, who grew up in the Perth Hills and graduated from Mercedes College, said she was excited about the scholarship.
“I feel privileged to have this opportunity in life and want to make the most of it to contribute meaningfully through my research and future work,” Emersyn said.
Emersyn has conducted research in biomedical engineering at UWA, developing sensors for early cancer detection, and worked as a lab demonstrator in electronic systems. She aims to undertake a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at ETH Zurich in Switzerland.
“I want to study the interaction between electromagnetic fields and biological tissue with a focus on understanding the health effects of electromagnetic exposure and developing medical technologies for diagnosis and therapy,” she said.
“This work is vital as society grows increasingly reliant on electromagnetic-emitting devices, yet we still lack comprehensive knowledge of their long-term biological impact.”
The John Monash Scholarship enables talented Australians to pursue a master’s or PhD program at any world-class university outside of Australia, with no restrictions on field of study or institution.