A South Australian Future Leader scholarship recipient has used her experience of post-natal depression to educate others

THROUGH her darkest days with post-natal depression, Tiffany De Sousa Machado felt lonely and isolated at what should have been the happiest time of her life.

Tiffany De Sousa Machado has won a Westpac scholarship to further her research overseas.

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THROUGH her darkest days with post-natal depression, Tiffany De Sousa Machado felt lonely and isolated at what should have been the happiest time of her life.

Now she is aiming to tackle an issue she believes has been largely ignored in Australian culture — and her work has been recognised with a $120,000 Westpac Future Leader scholarship.

Ms De Sousa Machado, 40, of Trinity Gardens, is one of eight South Australians who this year have been awarded scholarships by the Westpac Bicentennial Foundation.

The grant will allow her to travel to Finland and Sweden later this year to meet world-leading experts in women’s health and postnatal depression, which she experienced after the birth of her daughter, Faith, six years ago.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity. To do something like this during a PhD is very rare,” she said.

The research of Ms De Sousa Machado, who is studying a combined PhD and master degree in psychology (health) at Adelaide University, aims to address the under-recognised contribution women make to society and to the health and wellbeing of families and communities.

She has been identified as a future leader by the Westpac Bicentennial Foundation, which was created in 2014 to support individuals with the drive and imagination to shape Australia’s future.

The foundation has five types of scholarships — Future Leaders (22 awarded and valued at up to $120,000 each), Research Fellowship (five awarded and valued at $2.4 million in total), Social Change Fellowship (10 awarded and valued at up to $50,000 per scholarship), Asian Exchange (37 awarded and valued at $12,000 each) and Young Technologists (38 awarded and valued at $5000 a year for up to five years). It will award 100 scholarships a year, forever.

Westpac Bicentennial Foundation chief executive Susan Bannigan said Ms De Sousa was “striving to enable positive social change” through her research on women and mental health.

“Tiffany has a bold vision and desire to change how women are perceived within communities and therefore embodies what it is to be a Westpac Future Leader,” she said.

Ms Bannigan said the foundation invested in and united “outstanding people from all walks of life with ambition, ideas and drive to help Australia prosper and grow”.

“We’re extremely passionate about nurturing the unique talents of each individual so they can thrive in their chosen field,” she said.

WESTPAC BICENTENNIAL FOUNDATION SA SCHOLARSHIPS

Daniel Conley - Future Leader

T iffany De Sousa Machado - Future Leader

Sarah Gunn - Social Change Fellowship

Reade Allison - Asian Exchange

Jack Butcher - Asian Exchange

Natalie Omond - Asian Exchange

Sophie Seuk - Asian Exchange

Laura Auberson - Asian Exchange