Biological scientist Dr Ryan Lister is nurturing his scientific career in California after becoming the only West Australian to receive a 2006 Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) fellowship.

The UWA graduate was one of four Australians and 80 young scientists worldwide to win one of the awards, which allows them to broaden their training in a laboratory in another country.

The response to the first edition of Science Matters was very encouraging. Many readers have written to suggest topics we can cover as well as express their appreciation, or criticism.

As the Dean mentioned in his opening comments in the first edition of Science Matters, the Faculty is now offering some of its programs offshore in Singapore via its academic provider, PSB Academy.

A wealth of experiences, from returning to a war-torn Yugoslavia that his parents had left in the 1970s to working with Aboriginal communities, have helped shape the strong moral convictions and commitment to human rights that characterise University of WA graduate Daniel Vujcich, who has been selected as the 2008 Rhodes Scholar for Western Australia.

Since 2001 Ms Jean Kahan has donated funds to provide a scholarship in chemistry in the name of her father, Raoul Robellaz Kahan, who was the first student to obtain an Honours degree in Science at UW

The breadth of scientific research talent within The University of Western Australia has been confirmed with the announcement of Professor David Blair as Western Australian Scientist of the Year, Dr Kristen Nowak as Western Australian Young Scientist of the Year and Professor Paul McMenamin winning the Excellence in Science Teaching Award.

Premier Alan Carpenter last night announced the winners of the Premier’s Science Awards, which recognise outstanding achievements in Western Australian science.