Engineer earns prestigious award

THE Note would like to extend its congratulations to Perth-based environmental engineer Sally Thompson for being awarded a prestigious 2006 General Sir John Monash Award.The Awards are Australia’s most prestigious postgraduate scholarships, focused on developing and supporting outstanding young Australians who can make a difference to the nation’s future and become leaders in their fields. They are Australia’s equivalent to the British Rhodes Scholarships and the American Fulbright Awards. Ms Thompson (pictured above with the Governor General, His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery) was one of only eight winners selected from 153 applicants nationally, and will receive up to $150,000 over three years to further her education at one of the world’s leading universities in her chosen field of study. She will study for a Doctorate of Philosophy at Duke University in the United States. Her study project is the interaction of water and vegetation using pattern analysis to observe and predict changes to ecosystems. As an engineer, Sally’s professional goal is to improve disadvantaged communities, particularly through improving the management of water resources.