The Sir Roland Wilson Foundation

The Sir Roland Wilson Foundation is pleased to release our 2024 Annual Report. From humble beginnings in 2011, the Foundation has now awarded 103 scholarships to Australian Public Service employees. “In 2024, scholars and alumni continued to provide groundbreaking advice which not only informed Australia’s economic and social policy, but also directly contributed to the capability of the APS,” Foundation Chair Dr Martin Parkinson AC PSM said. Learn more about the work of Sir Roland Wilson and Pat Turner scholars and alumni, using evidence and forging enduring links between policymaking and academia. Image: Adam McGrath/HCreations https://lnkd.in/gF5Zr2py

ANU Open Day is tomorrow - 29 March. Visit @The Australian National University campus this weekend to explore the study and research opportunities available at our world-class institution. https://lnkd.in/gyCcWbdG

University applications for 2026 Sir Roland Wilson and Pat Turner scholarships close next week on 31 March! Don’t miss this unique opportunity to further your studies and advance your career in the Australian Public Service. https://lnkd.in/gaWWBz6

When going for a job promotion in policy a few years ago, I was advised not to mention that I have a PhD (if I have one). Ever since, I’ve been interested in how general versus technical expertise is valued in the Australian Public Service. Excitingly this week I got to pick the brain of The Australian Statistician about this exact topic.. Dr David Gruen AO was introduced us Sir Roland Wilson scholars as the new Chair of The Sir Roland Wilson Foundation on Wednesday, and I took the opportunity to ask him what he thinks about the role that technical experts play in policy development. He said that generalists are really important, but in some situations, you need people with technical expertise to know when people are talking rubbish. I’m currently building my capability as a scientist by doing a PhD at the ANU College of Science & Medicine and I know my PhD will make me a better policy officer when I return to service. When writing a policy on the tests that should be used to screen for dangerous pathogens, I’ll know exactly how these tests work as well as their strengths weaknesses. When engaging scientific expertise to help solve policy problems, I can draw on the connections I’ve made through research collaborations with scientists in Australia and overseas. I couldn’t agree more with David that technical experts and generalists have a place in public policy, and I love to see both of their contributions valued 👏🏻 Lovely to e-meet you David! 📸 Adam McGrath/HCreations.

Are you an Australian Public Service employee with big ideas? Apply for a Sir Roland Wilson scholarship to start a PhD at @The Australian National University in 2026. The Sir Roland Wilson scholarship is a three-year full-pay scholarship for PhD research for EL1 or EL2 APS employees. University applications are due 31 March. https://lnkd.in/gFQi_Rc5

Congratulations The Sir Roland Wilson Foundation Pat Turner alumna Carlyn Waters, who has been promoted to Deputy CEO at Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS). It is great to see Foundation alumni making their mark. https://lnkd.in/gaPPMbd4

Calling all aspiring Pat Turner scholars - time is running out to submit your university application to start studying in 2026. The Pat Turner scholarship is a one-to-three-year, full-pay scholarship for postgraduate study at The Australian National University or Charles Darwin University for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian Public Service employees. University applications are due 31 March. https://lnkd.in/g3NVBeN

Lisa Conway's journey to completing her PhD began in an unexpected way. Pregnant with her first child and applying for Centrelink payments, the Yorta Yorta woman had a chance encounter with an Indigenous service officer who encouraged her down a new path. “He said, ‘You’re smart. What else are you going to do with yourself?’ Dr Conway recalls. “At the time, I told him to mind his own business, but that conversation stayed with me.” Dr Conway went on to pursue a social work degree, eventually joining the APS as a customer service officer, where she climbed the ranks to become a senior public servant and Chair of the APS’s Indigenous Senior Executive Service (SES) Network. Dr Conway graduated from the Crawford School of Public Policy with the support of a Pat Turner scholarship from The Sir Roland Wilson Foundation. She says she is driven by a desire to influence policy rather than just implement it. “I wanted a seat at the table,” Dr Conway says. “I wanted to change the system from within.” Now, her research is doing exactly that. It explores ways to improve the APS’s cultural responsiveness and improve the cultural safety of Indigenous employees and customers. “It’s almost like a muscle to flex – you’ve got to be able to see culture to see where the issues are.” You can read more about Dr Conway’s story and her research here: https://brnw.ch/21wRgwW

A Sir Roland Wilson or Pat Turner scholarship is an unparalleled opportunity for Australian Public Service employees to step away from their work and focus on postgraduate study and research to benefit the public service. Apply by 31 March to start reaching your full potential in 2026. https://lnkd.in/gaWWBz6

I spent last week at the Southern environmental DNA (eDNA) Conference in Wellington, New Zealand 🇳🇿 Previously, samples like tissue, bones, or saliva, needed to be sampled to detect target organisms. eDNA tests on the other hand can detect pathogens, animals, and plants, in the water, soil, and air. This opens up a whole suite of possibilities. For example, an eDNA test method has been used to detect SARS-CoV-2 in municipal wastewater to help inform the pandemic response. Part of my PhD aims to develop an eDNA test method to detect aquatic animal pathogens of biosecurity concern in water. I’m doing this to help strengthen Australia’s early detection systems and avoid disease outbreaks🚨 Engaging with others in the feild has given me a bunch of ideas for my research and a heap of new connections 🫱🏼🫲🏽 💡 Thank you for having me! And a big thanks to the The Sir Roland Wilson Foundation for making this trip possible.