Teen engineering student awarded W.H. Groom scholarship

Meet this year's recipient of the W.H. Groom Scholarship and hear all about the incredible things this teenager is achieving

SUPER SCHOLAR: USQ student Matthew Armanasco accepting the William Groom scholarship award with Mayor Paul Antonio at the 2021 Toowoomba Australia Day award presentations and celebrations at Picnic Point. Picture: Kevin Farmer

At just nineteen-years-old, USQ engineering science student Matthew Armanasco is already making impressive contributions to the STEM industry.

The former St Mary’s College student has been awarded the Toowoomba Region 2021 W. H. Groom Scholarship at this year’s Australia Day Awards ceremony at Picnic Point and has recently started working at one of the world’s leading medical equipment manufacturers for premature babies.

The scholarship was established in 2004 to mark the centenary of Toowoomba’s proclamation as a city and to honour the achievements of Toowoomba’s first mayor, William Henry Groom.

“This is a great honour and I am very grateful to be this year’s recipient,” Matthew said when he accepted his award this year’s ceremony.

The second year bachelor of engineering (honours) and a bachelor of science (electrical and electronic engineering physics) student serves as a USQ student ambassador, which includes encouraging prospective students to enrol at the university.

This has involved travelling to Warwick and Dalby to deliver presentations to prospective tertiary students, especially in the STEM courses (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

He also works as a student meet-up leader, where he acts as a mentor and tutor for current students in courses he has previously completed.

At the request of a former lecturer, Emeritus Professor John Grant-Thompson, Matthew was offered a role with electrical biomedical engineering firm, Neocot, which operates at Wilsonton.

“Neocot is developing Australia’s only mobile intensive care unit for prematurely born babies, allowing then to be transported while receiving specialist care,” Matthew said.

Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio congratulated the former St Mary’s College student on his academic and community service achievements.

Matthew was also the sole recipient of the 2018 USQ Chancellor’s Scholarship, which is awarded to students who demonstrate academic performance and community involvement.

In addition, he is the recipient of a QTAC Rural and Regional scholarship for academic performance, plus other scholarships, including the Kickon Bursary for academic achievement, and the Endowment and Equity scholarship.