The University of Western Australia has a continual roll call of awards, scholarships and prizes presented to staff and students.

To recognise these achievements, an article is published on the UWA news page on the website and in UWA Forward on the first week of every month. If you know of great awards or achievements across the University please email [email protected].

Name: Meredith Hancock

Achievement:  Mrs Meredith Hancock, a nutrition and dietetics lecturer at the WA Centre for Rural Health, is the recipient of the WACRH-Rural Health West S2 2025 Staff Award. Mrs Hanock delivers exceptional support to students through innovative placement opportunities including the creation of the Earth to Table cultural recipe booklet, community collaboration, research contributions and commitment to enriching rural health education.

Name: Michaela Lucas and Amy Prosser

Achievement: Professor Michaela Lucas and Dr Amy Prosser, from UWA's Medical School, have been awarded The Transplantation Society's 2026 International Basic and Translational Sciences Mentor-Mentee Award. The award recognises the efforts of scientists who have advanced the understanding of transplantation science and fostered the development of the young investigators who will be the future leaders in the field. Professor Lucas and Dr Prosser received the award for their abstract Spatial dynamics of the T cell response to solid organ transplantation in mice,  which will be presented on September 22 at the 31st International Congress of The Transplantation Society in Sydney.

Name:  Harvey Rupp

Achievement:  UWA architecture graduate Harvey Rupp has won the International Union of Architects 'Catalysts of Resilience' competition. Participants were asked to address vulnerable places at risk of future habitational discomfort, inequality or collapse. The competition called for spatial interventions that support resistance and adaptation to foreseeable threats resulting from political shifts, social transformations and climate change. Proposals were requested to explore how resilience can be fostered by using time as a design tool. The worldwide student competition attracted 587 entries. Harvey was awarded $8000 and an all expenses paid trip to the UIA World Congress of Architects to be held in Barcelona from 28 June to 2 July 2026.

Name: Phuntsho Om

Achievement: WA Centre for Rural Health Lecturer, Dr Phuntsho Om, was recognised with the UWA 2025 School of Health and Clinical Sciences Collaborative Indigenous Research Partnerships award. Dr Om also earned a place on the Edith Cowan University School of Nursing and Midwifery 2025 Executive Dean’s List, graduating with outstanding results in her Doctor of Philosophy. Dr  Om said she was grateful for the recognitions and incredible support from supervisors, colleagues, family and everyone else who had been part of her journey.

Name: Grace Skeggs

Achievement: Philosophy, politics and economics student Grace Skeggs has won an annual public speaking competition run by Soroptimist International of Western Australia. Soroptimist International is a global volunteer movement that aims to amplify women’s voices and transform the lives and status of women and girls through education, empowerment and enabling opportunities. The Floor is Yours competition, open to women enrolled in a tertiary institution, focused this year on topics including leadership, technology, the power of reciprocity and support, and online harm. Competing in the grand final against finalists from Notre Dame University, Murdoch University, Edith Cowan University and Metropolitan TAFE, Grace spoke on the topic ‘Online Harm is Real Harm: Violence Against Women in the Digital Age’. Her speech drew attention to the way technology-facilitated violence against women is limiting their ability to participate in modern everyday life.

Name: Georgia Masters

Achievement: Third year UWA Medical student Georgia Masters is the recipient of an inaugural bursary that will support her in undertaking immersive clinical placement of up to a full year in Karratha with rotations in Roebourne and Onslow. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners  and Rural Doctors Association of Australia Medical Student Bursary provide students with $1000 to make their placement more affordable and accessible.  Georgia said her time so far in Roebourne had already taught her so much about the broad skillset that Rural GPs and Rural Generalists bring to their communities. “I am improving my procedural skills, history taking and formulation of care plans, as well as furthering my skills in preventative healthcare,” she said. “I am also building my knowledge and skills in Aboriginal Health and culturally safe practice.”

Congratulations UWA staff, alumni and students.

Image top: Grace Skeggs, Dr Phuntsho Om, Meredith Hancock with Professor Sandra Thompson, and Professor Michaela Lucas.