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Two students from The University of Western Australia have been recognised among the best and brightest university students from Australia and Asia, after being awarded national scholarships.

Brooke Nolan, 29, of Bentley, will travel to Indonesia to study the issues surrounding illegal fishing by Indonesians in Australian waters while Sophie Smith, 23, of Swanbourne, will go to Beijing to study sociology, anthropology and traditional Chinese music.

They were among 20 successful Australian undergraduate and 20 postgraduate recipients of the inaugural 2010 Prime Minister's Australia Asia Endeavour Awards.

UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Alan Robson said the awards highlighted the University's reputation for attracting the best and brightest students in the State.

Ms Nolan, who is undertaking a Master of Arts (Asian Studies) at UWA, will focus on illegal Indonesian fishing in Australian waters.

"My research will investigate impoverished fishing communities on the eastern Indonesian island of Rote.  When fishermen stray into the Australian Fishing Zone, they are often picked up by Australian authorities, towed to Broome or Darwin, and imprisoned because they are unable to pay the fine," she said.

Ms Nolan said that since boats were often destroyed by Australian authorities, fishermen were in debt to boat owners upon returning to Rote.  They had to go fishing again to pay their debts, so the cycle continued.

"The Australian Government sends more aid money to Indonesia than any other country and my proposal is that fish farms be set up with some of this aid money.  I have seen fish farms operating as successful, profitable businesses in other parts of Indonesia such as Sumatra and Sulawesi."

Ms Smith is completing a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music with Honours at UWA, with Honours research in Ethnomusicology focusing upon the ways in which the Chinese community in Perth uses music to reinforce notions of identity.

"This project combines my interests in Chinese language, anthropology, sociology and music performance.  It will offer me a unique perspective of human behaviour, informed by my knowledge of both Australia and China, in relation to music," she said.

"It's an opportunity that could potentially inform and influence the political and economic concerns of our nation and will also provide me with valuable experiences that will enable me to undertake a PhD in Ethnomusicology when I return to UWA, further contributing to Australia's research in this field."

The awards provide students with up to $63,500 to undertake international study and research, as well as internships or work placements.  They can work or study in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Thailand or Vietnam.

The awards aim to build deep and enduring education and professional linkages between Australia and Asia.  They also provide an opportunity for Australian universities and the Australian Government to work in partnership to identify and reward high calibre scholars.

Media references

Brooke Nolan [email protected]
Sophie Smith  (+61 4) 00 220 539
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716