Partnering the innovative PhD mind with industry experience is at the heart of ten new scholarships offered by Boeing Research and Technology - Australia and The University of Queensland.
Cementing UQ as a pipeline for future employees, Boeing has committed to 10 scholarships through the Boeing UQ Research Alliance PhD Scholarship Scheme for outstanding students in a broad range of fields including engineering, information technology, physics, human factors and psychology.
Five of those scholarships were awarded on Wednesday.
Mr Michael Edwards, General Manager of Boeing Research and Technology Australia said the company had entered its centennial year in 2015, a history that mirrors that of powered flight itself, and which is founded on innovation and nurturing the best talent in the industry.
“This Boeing - UQ Research Alliance PhD Scholarship program is squarely aimed at ensuring we have the best innovation and talent to support our growth and productivity as we enter the next 100 years for The Boeing Company,” Mr Edwards said.
Since, 2003 UQ has been involved in 13 projects with Boeing with total funding of $10.5 million. The current round of 10 scholarships provides each awardee with over $39,000 per year.
UQ President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Høj said it was pleasing to see such an innovative company viewing the partnership as a co-investment in research students’ potential and employability.
“Collaborations such as these allow companies to engage students to deliver on real business needs and to spot talent early,” Professor Høj said.
“Unfortunately, Australia lags behind other advanced economies which have a greater concentration of PhDs outside academia.
“Young PhD-trained people are some of our nation’s most creative citizens. With their sophisticated research skills and expertise, they can help businesses look over the fence to identify collaborative opportunities or the next big thing.”
“Boeing is certainly at the front of the pack when it comes to university collaboration and spotting talent,” Professor Høj said.
The first five recipients are:
- Mr Jesse Kresevic – Human Movement and Nutrition Science
- Ms Aimee Ryan – Human Movement and Nutrition Science
- Mr Ahsan Khan – Mechanical and Mining Engineering
- Mr Matthew Kennett – Human Movement and Nutrition Science
- Mr Debajyoti Karmaker – Queensland Brain Institute
Applications for the second round of five Boeing Scholarships close on November 1, 2015. To apply visit http://www.uq.edu.au/grad-school/boeing-scholarship
Contact: Kate Swanson, 07 3346 0508 or k.swanson@uq.edu.au; UQ Communications, 07 3346 0561 or j.kirkland@uq.edu.au
