Ms Laura Williams

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2011 International Fulbright Science and Technology Scholar

“Land-use changes, invasion of exotic species and fragmentation have caused widespread degradation of ecosystems. Fortunately, this has triggered substantial efforts to mitigate damage and to manage and restore ecosystems. Effective ecological management and restoration depends on sound knowledge of community and ecosystem dynamics.”

Laura Williams, a research assistant at Monash University, is one of two Australians who have won International Fulbright Science and Technology Awards, which are the most prestigious and valuable awards offered by the U.S. Government.  The IS&T Awards cover full tuition, stipend and living expenses for three years to undertake a PhD in the U.S. They are offered to only about 40 people worldwide.

Laura will undertake a graduate program in ecology at the University of Minnesota in the U.S. that will help achieve her objectives of developing ecological theory in the context of restoration. This program will combine research and coursework to advance her skills in plant ecology and ecological modelling, and include the capability to specialise in phylogenetic and trait-based community analyses.

“This will complement my current education—undergraduate Arts and Science degrees with Honours in ecology—and research experience—including monitoring the effects of riparian restoration in south-eastern Australia and testing theories of community assembly in tropical rain forest,” Laura said.

Studying toward a PhD will help Laura to achieve her career goals by developing her skills in ecological research, teaching and communication. The skills that she will acquire in ecological fields have significant potential to be applied in Australia.

Laura has completed a BA and BSc (Honours) at Monash University. She received several awards from Monash University during her studies, including the AR Wallace Prize for her Honours thesis, the Vice Chancellor’s Undergraduate Research Scholarship, prizes for second and third year biology, Dean’s List Fellowship Awards and Academic Excellence Awards in Geography and Environmental Science.

The prestigious Fulbright program is the largest educational scholarship of its kind, created by U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright and the U.S. Government in 1946. Aimed at promoting mutual understanding through educational exchange, it operates between the U.S. and 155 countries. In Australia, the scholarships are funded by the Australian and U.S. Governments and corporate partners and administered by the Australian-American Fulbright Commission in Canberra.

Laura is one of 26 talented Australians to be recognised as a Fulbright Scholar in 2011. Applications for Fulbright Scholarships in 2012 open on 1 June, visit www.fulbright.com.au

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