We congratulate eight outstanding and emerging STEM leaders awarded a Science Meets Parliament scholarship for 2026!
These scholarships enable participation from a diverse cohort of leaders from across Australia, reflecting STA’s ongoing leadership in championing equity, diversity and inclusion in science and technology.
With the support of our partners, scholarships were awarded across seven categories; Disability, Early Career Researcher, First Nations (two recipients), LGBTQIA+, Neurodivergent, Regional and Remote, and Technology.
We are grateful to our scholarship partners for their commitment to ensuring Science Meets Parliament reflects the breadth and diversity of Australia’s STEM community.
The judges faced the challenging task of selecting recipients from an exceptional field of applicants. We commend all applicants for their leadership, innovation and commitment to advancing STEM across their respective disciplines.
Scholarship recipients will join the full SMP2026 program, including meetings with Parliamentarians, the Gala Dinner, and the National Press Club address by The Hon Tim Ayres.
Meet the 2026 Science Meets Parliament Scholars:
- Elisha Deegan has recently completed her PhD at Western Sydney University, developing the world’s first educational intervention to improve the delivery of CPR and choking care for people who use a wheelchair. Her pilot study demonstrated significant improvements in CPR quality, with the potential to save lives and reduce anxiety for carers in high-risk emergency situations. Elisha’s research addresses an overlooked gap in emergency response training and reflects her commitment to equitable, life-saving healthcare practices.
- Dr Shannon Muir is an early-career researcher based at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia, working at the intersection of psychology, crime and social behaviour. Her research focuses on translating evidence into policy-relevant outcomes, particularly in the areas of family and domestic violence, sexual assault and community safety. As Chief Investigator on a competitively awarded grant examining domestic violence homicides in WA, Shannon works in partnership with services to inform prevention strategies, public education and improved responses aimed at reducing violence against women.
- Professor Simon Conn, a proud Peramangk Aboriginal man of the Adelaide Hills, is an internationally recognised molecular biologist whose pioneering discoveries in circular RNA biology are reshaping understanding of cancer and stem cell differentiation. Listed among the top 2% of global scientists since 2019, Simon leads groundbreaking research into childhood cancers while also heading the First Nations Researcher Collective at Flinders University. His work combines scientific excellence with leadership in strengthening Indigenous representation and research capacity in Australia.
- Landon Brady, a proud Gamilaraay First Nations person from northwest New South Wales, has built a multidisciplinary career spanning environmental science, Indigenous land management, science policy and civil engineering. His work has included supporting Indigenous Science Entrepreneurship programs at CSIRO and contributing to climate and land management research. Now leading asset and civil engineering teams in local government, Landon remains focused on community-led science and entrepreneurship that advances cultural and environmental sustainability.
- Carolyn Heward is a clinical psychologist, senior lecturer and doctoral researcher based in Townsville, Australia’s largest Army garrison city. Her research examines how Soldier identity is constructed within the Australian Army and how identity formation shapes wellbeing, retention and transition outcomes for serving members and veterans, responding to national attention on veteran mental health and transition challenges following the Royal Commission, with implications for Defence capability, recruitment, retention and workforce health. Before entering academia, she worked as a civilian psychologist within Defence mental health teams supporting current and ex-serving personnel. This clinical experience informs her research and interest in translating evidence into policy and service design. Her work sits at the intersection of national security capability and public health, examining how policy shapes help-seeking, stigma, identity change and support across the military lifecycle, from recruitment through to transition into civilian life.
- Nathalie Simmonds is a marine biologist, social scientist and PhD candidate at the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security at the University of Wollongong. Her research focuses on ocean literacy, marine governance and integrating community knowledge into marine policy and decision-making. As founder and director of the Abyss Project, Nathalie combines research, education and experiential ocean programs to strengthen connections between communities and marine ecosystems. Her work was recognised in the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements, contributing to understanding of the 2019–2020 bushfires’ impacts on marine environments.
- Dr Johannes Debler is a postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for Crop and Disease Management in Perth, where he investigates fungal plant pathogens affecting lentil and chickpea crops critical to Australian agriculture. Specialising in molecular plant-microbe interactions, Johannes uses genomics and functional biology to understand how pathogens evade plant immune systems and how durable resistance can be developed. An accomplished science communicator and Australian FameLab finalist, he actively engages diverse audiences to highlight the importance of plant pathology in strengthening food security and sustainable crop production.
- Dr Scarlett Raine is a Lecturer in Electrical Engineering and Robotics at Queensland University of Technology and a Chief Investigator in the QUT Centre for Robotics. She pioneers the use of computer vision, AI and robotics to analyse underwater imagery and monitor marine ecosystems. As a Chief Investigator in the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program, Scarlett is developing an AI-driven Reef Guidance System to support automated reseeding of temperature-resilient coral. Her work has been recognised with the CICTA Rising Star award and commendations at the Women in Technology Awards.
