Gary Sansom Scholarship applications open

After a successful inaugural launch in 2018, and two rounds of scholarships later, applications for the 2020 Gary Sansom Scholarship are now open.

The Gary Sansom Scholarship identifies high quality students and, with the support of a generous bursary, allows one successful candidate to foster a career pathway in the chicken meat industry and support their industry-relevant research.

The Scholarship is named in honour of the late Gary Sansom. Mr Sansom was a former AgriFutures™ Chicken Meat Advisory Panel Chair and was the Australian Chicken Meat Federation President.

AgriFutures Australia Manager, Research, Georgie Townsend said the Scholarship supports Mr Sansom’s vision for the industry – to ensure it is valued and respected by all sectors of the Australian community.

“It’s important that the Scholarship is awarded to someone who is passionate about the chicken meat industry and wants the industry to thrive into the future,” said Ms Townsend.

University of Adelaide PhD student Joshua Angove was the recipient of last year’s 2019 Gary Sansom Scholarship.

His research project aims to understand whether optimising breeder hen rearing environments can improve growth and carcass characteristics in the progeny they produce, whilst trying to understand the contributing physiology behind offspring performance variation.

“Chicken meat production has experienced un-paralleled expansion globally, primarily through genetic advances and improvements in our understanding of bird nutritional requirements. To continue this expansion the chicken meat industry requires new economically viable approaches to propel the industry into the future. Understanding and optimising the maternal environment is one potential approach.

 

“The end goal of my research is to develop and apply an economically viable targeted approach that utilises the maternal environment to enhance commercial chicken meat production,” said Mr Angove.

“I encourage anyone interested in the chicken meat industry to apply for the Scholarship. Over the past 12 months, with thanks to the Scholarship, I attended the Australian Poultry Science Symposium in 2019 and will be presenting some of my findings at the 2020 Symposium. I’m also planning on attending the Poultry Ideas Exchange Conference 2020 and hope to attend the World Poultry Congress in Paris later this year.

“As a young scientist attending conferences, and particularly those the Gary Sansom Scholarship has afforded me, have been invaluable. Meeting industry and academic professionals has showcased opportunities across the entire poultry industry. I’m passionate and inspired to investigate these opportunities upon completion of my candidature,” said Mr Angove.

The Gary Sansom Scholarship is open to Australian citizens and permanent residents undertaking a PhD, Masters, Honours degree or equivalent in an appropriate discipline.

The successful scholar will receive a stipend of up to $35,000 for living expenses and undertake a research project that contributes applied outcomes to the production of chicken meat in Australia. As part of the scholarship, the student will have access to an industry supervisor to support their study and career pathway.

Applications close 31st March 2020. The successful applicant will be announced in May 2020 at the Poultry Industry Exchange Conference (PIX/AMC 2020).

Hear from 2019 Gary Sansom Scholar, about the doors and opportunities that the Gary Sansom scholarship has opened for him over the last 12 months.

Listen now For more information, and to apply