The Global Challenges PhD Travel Scholarships are a unique opportunity for UOW higher research students to travel to a destination of their choice to support their research.
This year, 11 applicants were awarded travel scholarships, at a value of $2000 each, enabling them to travel to conferences, fieldwork and research exchanges to further their research.
Each applicant produced a two-minute video explaining the ‘big picture’ of how their research is working to address global issues.
As a requirement, each also had to address one of the Global Challenges areas; Building Resilient Communities, Living Well Longer, Making Future Industries and Sustaining Coastal and Marine Zones.
This year, the research put forward by successful applicants varied, addressing topics like access clean water, reducing global antibiotic use, improving cancer treatments, adapting stroke rehabilitation and the future of AI in smart cities.
Natasha Larkin, from the School of Education, addressed the challenge areas Building Resilient Communities and Living Well, Longer through her research on the Potential of Iyengar Yoga as a Therapeutic Aid for Trauma.
In 2015, she volunteered to teach Iyengar Yoga to Syrian and Afghani refugee women in the Illawarra, which is a yoga practice that uses physical postures and breathing exercises, backed by a large body and understanding of therapeutic knowledge.
However, Natasha was surprised and frustrated when searching for Iyengar yoga recourses specially related to trauma – none existed, despite the practice being used in relief camps following the 2003 tsunami and 9/11, and by local teachers to support those suffering from childhood trauma and sexual assault.
Her research aims to address this critical gap by using a qualitative approach of the perspectives and experiences of Iyengar yoga teachers on how to teach for trauma, so as to help both individuals and communities.
Tahnee McEwan, from the Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health (SMAH), addressed Building Resilient Communities through her research on how flesh-eating bacteria such as Strep A interferes with our skin, which is responsible for up to half a million deaths worldwide, each year.
As a result of Strep A, skin infections such as Impetigo can develop. This is a global burden, affecting developing regions in Africa, North America and Asia, as well as remote Aboriginal communities in Australia and tropical regions such as Fiji.
Tahnee’s research hopes to develop new treatments that help the wound healing process, through avenues for alternative, non-antibiotic solutions that treat Strep A skin infections, while also improving treatment availability and accessibility.
Arbab Tufail, from the Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences addressed Sustaining Coastal and Marine Zones through her research on the removal of emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals from wastewater.
Current water treatments cannot remove these emerging pollutants, meaning they are transferred into our drinking water. Globally, 1.2 billion people do not have access to clean water, which can result in illness and death.
Arbab’s research is developing a sustainable and cost-effective solution to the global water challenge, by using a membrane filter and ultraviolet radiations to remove all pollutants from the water system.
Congratulations to all of the winners, who can be seen below. Global Challenges is excited to see where your research can take you.
2019 Winners
The potential of Iyengar yoga as a therapeutic aid for trauma.
Natasha Larkin (SOC)
Supervisor: Dr Gabrielle O’Flynn
Fabrication of electro written tissue engineering scaffolds using silk fibron.
Abdul Moqeet (AIIM)
Supervisor: Distinguished Professor Gordon Wallace
Occupational Identity
Ross Girdler (SOC)
Supervisor: Dr Robyn Coman
Self-management of diabetes through apps
Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz (SOC)
Supervisor: Professor Thomas Astell-Burt
Understanding the dynamic interplay of superordinate and subordinate goals within organisations through the lens of the UN SDGs.
Justin Placek (BUS)
Supervisor: Dr Lynnaire Sheridan
Flesh eating bacteria threaten our global community
Tahnee McEwan (SMAH)
Supervisor: Associate Professor Martina Sanderson-Smith
Global Water Challenge and its solution
Arbab Tufail (EIS)
Supervisor: Associate Professor Faisal Hai
Improving our treatment of brain cancer
Sarah Vogel (EIS)
Supervisor: Dr Moeava Tehei
Using emerging technologies for improvement of rail tracks.
Anees Siddiqui (EIS)
Supervisor: Distinguished Professor Buddhima Indraratna
Adaptive Stroke Rehabilitation.
Maryam Butt (EIS)
Supervisor: Associate Professor Golshah Naghdy
Smart cities and the Ai industry motivated by novel microphone arrays.
Jiahong Zhao (EIS)
Supervisor: Professor Christian Ritz