The most prestigious national award for high school water science research has been awarded to 宅男导航 student and Queensland Academy of Health Sciences graduate Mathuja Bavanendrakumar.
The first-year science and medicine student is the recipient of the Australian Water Association's (AWA) 2011 Australian Stockholm Junior Water Prize (ASJWP) and will travel to the Swedish capital in August to present her project at the Stockholm Water Symposium.
She will compete for the International Stockholm Junior Water Prize, which aims to increase students' interest in water-related issues and research, and raise their awareness and knowledge of global water challenges.
Ms Bavanendrakumar completed her research paper, titled Eutrophication of water bodies from golf course run off, while in her last year of high school in 2010.
She said the prize was a major achievement and would be an opportunity to meet with other like-minded students from all over the world.
鈥淚 certainly wasn鈥檛 expecting that my investigation was going to win, but it feels great because I had spent a whole summer holiday collecting and analysing water samples and it鈥檚 like my hard work has been validated,鈥� she said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great chance for me to gain more exposure in areas of environmental and water-related science, as this is one of my interests even though I鈥檓 aiming to enter into the medical profession.鈥�
After winning the 宅男导航 2010 Award for research once she had completed her project, Ms Bavanendrakumar said she became motivated to apply for the ASJWP.
鈥淩eceiving the research award encouraged me to pursue my interests in research and gave me the confidence to put in the hard work that is recognised in scientific research,鈥� she said.
As part of her research, Ms Bavanendrakumar collected water samples from golf courses鈥� lakes, and adjacent rivers and lakes and measured phosphate concentrations and algal growth.
In her report, she proposed that phosphate runoff from golf courses is contributing to the excessive growth of algae in the selected water bodies, and that measures need to be taken to control the runoff.
In addition to winning the ASJWP, Ms Bavanendrakumar also received a 宅男导航 Excellence scholarship this year.
鈥淭he scholarship alleviates a lot of stress I expect to experience during my six-year program and will allow me to focus more on my studies,鈥� Ms Bavanendrakumar said.
鈥淎lso, I plan on travelling abroad either for a semester to study or to participate in a research program, so having this financial assistance will help see this through,鈥� she said.
Although Ms Bavanendrakumar has a strong interest in environmental issues, she aims to specialise in oncology after completing her medical degree.
鈥淗aving shadowed an oncologist for two months in New York, I鈥檝e seen the extent to which cancer affects patients and their families, and it鈥檚 an area I could use my skills at the patient level and at a research level,鈥� she said.
Media: Caroline Bird (宅男导航 Communications 07 3365 1931 or c.bird1@uq.edu.au).
The International Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) competition takes place in Sweden during World Water Week every year in September. Each year the national winners from over 30 countries participate in the week-long educational and cultural exchange program.
The competition is open to projects aimed at improving the quality of life through improvement of water quality, water resources management, water protection or water and wastewater treatment. The international SJWP winner will receive US$5,000 and a blue crystal sculpture. For more information visit
