The Friends' 25th Anniversary Scholarships
In 2007, to celebrate our 25th Anniversary, the Friends announced the establishment of an annual scholarship to the value of $10,000 to be awarded to a member or members of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria staff.
In 2019 the scholarship amount was increased to $15,000 per year to provide greater financial resources for professional development. Additionally, due to a bequest by Robin Sharwood in 2015, a $2,000 Travel Bursary is now also available to RBGV staff who will be travelling as part of their professional development.
2018 Friends' Scholarships
The recipients of the 2018 Friends’ Scholarships were announced at the Friends’ AGM –
- Bret Pritchard; Horticulturist Melbourne Gardens, RBGV
Scholarship amount – $6,333
Project: Tour of arid gardens and natural environments throughout California and Arizona, USA - Kate Roud; Horticulturist Melbourne Gardens, RBGV
Scholarship Amount – $3,302
Project: Safeguarding the New Zealand Collection at RBGV Melbourne Gardens - Kimberley Colman; Learning Facilitator Early Childhood Programs Engagement and Impact, RBGV
Scholarship Amount – $365
Project: Therapeutic Garden and Horticulture Therapy Workshop
Recent Past Winners of the Friends' Scholarships
- 2017
- Peter Berbee; Arborist, Curator Quercus collection, Melbourne Gardens, RBGV
Scholarship amount – $4,277
Project: To attend the 9th International Oak Society Conference 2018, California USA - Katherine Kominiarski; Visitor Experience Officer, Engagement and Impact, Melbourne Gardens, RBGV
Scholarship Amount – $630.
Project: To undertake a six-week Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Training TAFE course. Scholarship report – Botanic News Summer 2018/19 p 20-21 - David Robbins; Team Leader Nursery, Melbourne Gardens, RBGV
Scholarship Amount – $2,400
Project: A Record keeping Diploma. Scholarship report – Botanic News – Autumn 2019 p 19 - Mandy Thomson; Team Leader Nursery, Cranbourne Gardens, RBGV
Scholarship Amount – $2,205.
Project: To attend the Australian Plant Society’s Bi-Annual National Conference, Hobart. Scholarship report – Botanic News – Summer 2018/19 p 22-23
2016
- Niels Klazenga; Programmer Information Technology, Biodiversity Information Officer, Melbourne Gardens, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
Scholarship amount – $6,434
Project: Funding for trip to TDWG (Taxonomic Databases Working Group) Conference 2016, Santa Clara de San Carlos, Costa Rica, 5-9 December 2016
Scholarship Report (Botanic News – Spring 2017 p 22-23) - Philip Bowyer-Smyth; Horticultural Technician, Melbourne Gardens, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
Scholarship Amount – $3,566 Scholarship Report (Botanic News Autumn 2018 p 20-21)
Project: 16-week course of Diploma of Project Management at Holmesglen Institute
2015
- Catherine Gallagher; Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne $5,400
Co-ordinator, Curation
Project: Travel to Berlin to research MEL’s foreign collection and attend the 31st Annual Meeting of the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (Report – Botanic News Winter 2017 p 23) - Charlie Firth; Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne $2,000
Co-ordinator, Horticulture
Project: Training package: Increasing arboricultural skills and capacity (Report – Botanic News Summer 2016-7 p16-17) - Kate Roud; Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne $4,500
Curator for the New Zealand Collection and Horticultural Technician
Project: Study Tour to New Zealand (Report – Botanic News Autumn 2017 p21-23)
2014
- Leanne Adams; RBG Cranbourne for her project –
Certificate IV in Accounting, Chisholm Institute - Kylie Regester; RBG Melbourne for her project –
Attend and present at 9th BGCI Congress on Education in Botanic Gardens (report Botanic News Spring 2015 p18-19) - Russell Gibb; RBG Cranbourne for his project –
Diploma of Project Management and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
2013
- Liz James; Plant Sciences & Biodiversity Division, for her project –
Torrent Ion sequencing training (Report – Botanic News Autumn 2015 p 18-19) - Brett Pritchard; Melbourne Gardens Division for his project –
Network building to aid redevelopment of succulent and cacti collection.
(Report – Botanic News Winter 2015 p 18-19) - Ahmed Ashraf & David Tyler; Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne for their project – Kings Park Study Trip to learn about irrigation and develop a WA plant acquisition strategy. (Report – Botanic News Summer 2014-15 p 18-19)
2012
- Catherine Gallagher; Plant Sciences & Biodiversity Division, for her project – Botanical Nomenclature Course RBG Kew (Report – Botanic News Summer 2013-14 p 18-19)
- Millie Wee; Melbourne Gardens Division, for her project – Study Tour of Queensland Botanic Gardens: RBG Palm & Bamboo Collection Development (Report – Botanic News Winter 2014 p 18-19)
- Dr Pina Milne; Plant Sciences & Biodiversity Division, for her project – Bryophyte and Lichen Workshop in New Zealand (Report – Botanic News Spring 2013 p 18-19)