Western Australia‘s innovation and intellectual might has been showcased at the Business Events Perth 2020 Aspire Awards today.
From a molecular geneticist investigating motor neurone disease, to an engineer developing autonomous systems for space stations, the 16 Aspire Award winners personify the very best of Western Australian research and leadership.
Now in its 21st year, Business Events Perth’s Aspire Awards sponsor local academics and researchers to attend (and often present at) a relevant international conference in their discipline, to further their professional development and profile Western Australia internationally.
Business Events Perth Chief Executive Officer Gareth Martin said the organisation was honoured to support the ongoing professional development of such diverse and outstanding individuals.
“This year’s winners are an exceptional group of academics, medical researchers and professionals, many of whom are mid-career,” Mr Martin said.
“Attending business events like international conferences, help experts like this year’s Aspire Award winners collaborate and exchange knowledge with others in their field, generating ideas and fostering long-lasting global partnerships.
“By traveling to international conferences, these individuals connect with global experts and promote world-leading research taking place right here in Western Australia, showcasing us to the world.”
Mr Martin said while international travel was not available, the winners would have three years to use the sponsorship to attend the conference of their choice.
Business Events Perth partners with 12 organisations to run the annual Aspire Awards program and in recent years, has helped attract a number of conferences to Perth, representing $53 million for Western Australian economy, including the 25th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, which comes to Perth in December 2023.
Tourism Minister Paul Papalia said the Aspire Awards did a fantastic job of supporting the brightest minds in their respective fields and promoting professional development across multiple industries.
“The Aspire Awards look for world leading researchers and businesspeople, and provide them with an opportunity to go overseas, experience the conference and, hopefully, bring that event to Western Australia,” the Minister said.
“What business events do is provide a platform for our small business operators and our researchers to speak to the world.”
The full list of winners can be found below.
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science: Dr Alex Tang
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research: Dr Saskia Freytag and Dr Elizabeth Johnstone
- Telethon Kids Institute: Dr Gail Alvares and Miss Bec Nguyen
- City of Perth: Mr Craig McIntosh and Mrs Kristin Ham
- City of Fremantle: Dr Ramya Raman
- Defence West: Mr Jason Coleman
- Curtin University: Dr Sharon Smart
- Murdoch University: Mrs Katherine Cresey
- University of Notre Dame Australia: Mrs Michelle Katavatis
- The University of Western Australia: Dr Sae Chi
- Edith Cowan University: Dr Mohiuddin Ahmed
- Business Events Perth Regional Award: Dr Stephanie Godrich and Dr Naomi Godden
More information about the Aspire Awards can be found here.
ENDS
Media contact: Hannah Beattie on 0428 988 802
