15 winners of the 2023 General Sir John Monash Scholarship

Fifteen young people, poised to become Australia’s next generation of leaders, have been named as General Sir John Monash scholars for 2023.

Abi Rajkumar (left) and Mathilde Ritman are two of the 2023 General Sir John Monash Scholars. Photo: Sury Thoeng

Fifteen young people, poised to become Australia’s next generation of leaders, have been named as General Sir John Monash scholars for 2023, enabling them to study for a postgraduate degree at a prestigious overseas university.

The latest scholarship recipients include a scientist with a vision to use artificial intelligence to deal with climate change, a Northern Territory crown prosecutor dedicated to improving the justice system, and a Wallaby prop – originally from the bush – who wants to help close the gap in standards between city and regional healthcare.

After working for a year at the Bureau of Meteorology, scientist and mathematician Mathilde Ritman is heading to Oxford for a doctorate. Ms Ritman, who studied both applied mathematics and climate science in her undergraduate years, will tackle one of the new frontiers of climate studies – applying artificial intelligence to climate modelling.

Currently, when scientists try to mathematically model the atmosphere in detail, it rapidly becomes very complex and beyond the capacity of even the fastest supercomputers.

“We can’t model every particle (in the atmosphere). We have to make approximations and AI can help a lot,” Ms Ritman said.

She said AI climate modelling was also more efficient than the conventional approach.

“The models are quicker to run (on computers), we can make them more detailed and more tailored and specifically for regions,” Ms Ritman said.

2023 General Sir John Monash Scholars

VIEW GALLERY

Abi Rajkumar, another 2023 John Monash scholar who is currently a crown prosecutor in the Northern Territory, will study a master of laws at Columbia University in the US.

She said that her passion for an improved justice system originally motivated her to be a defender. But then she realised the importance to justice of a sound prosecution system, which led her to spend the past year as prosecutor.

Ms Rajkumar has also worked in politics, including as digital director for former NT chief minister Michael Gunner. She also worked on the 2017 coronial inquest on Aboriginal youth suicide, and on developing the NT Aboriginal justice agreement.

After her degree Ms Rajkumar plans to return to the NT to assist justice reform, either as a prosecutor or in some other role. Her research at Columbia – where the law faculty has a strong focus on human rights – will be directly relevant to the territory, she said.

Wallaby prop Tomas Robertson, who is also one of the 2023 scholars, will do a master of health and international medicine at Oxford. Born in the NSW country town of Wellington, and raised in nearby Dubbo, Mr Robertson said he would be learning how to use health resources in the most efficient way.

In the long term he wants to help raise the standards of regional health care in Australia. But in the short term he is focused on being selected to play in the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

He is also looking forward to the prospect of playing for Oxford in the annual varsity match against Cambridge at Twickenham.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said the General Sir John Monash Scholarships supported “some of our most outstanding young Australians to achieve their ambitions and to build Australia’s capabilities for the future.

“All the winners have done amazing things in their fields. They are role models for showing how success can come from motivation and determination and hard work,” Mr Clare said.

Chair of the General Sir John Monash Foundation Jillian Segal said the foundation prided itself on identifying Australia’s future leaders and offering them unrivalled opportunities.

“I am confident that they will lead the nation and the world through its next great challenges,” she said.