Speeches
Monday, 11 May 2026
Kathleen Lumley Foundation Scholarship Awards
I am pleased to join you for the inaugural Kathleen Lumley Foundation Scholarship Presentation.
As your patron, it is uplifting to see the realisation of the vision, hard work and generosity of the foundation, its Council and staff, and of course to be able to support our up-and-coming researchers.
The Kathleen Lumley story is one of deliberate and meaningful development from a vibrant residential college to a perpetual foundation supporting research
Last year it was my pleasure to launch the Kathleen Lumley Foundation at Government House.
Then, I expressed my hope that the foundation would forge new opportunities for research excellence, deepen ties across our region, and attract and retain in South Australia the brightest minds, pursuing solutions to the challenges that will shape our future.
Today, we see those goals advanced, with the awarding of the foundation's inaugural scholarships.
The foundation's purpose - to fund postgraduate research that contributes to shared social, cultural, economic and environmental prosperity across the Asia-Pacific region - is both vital and timely.
These scholarships set the tone for future impact.
They signal South Australia's dedication to research excellence, and its capacity to attract and nurture the scholars who will help shape a safer and more prosperous future for Australia and its neighbours.
To Trung, Alicia, Austin, Olivia and Alex: I offer my warmest congratulations, and I look forward to presenting each of you with your award today.
Undertaking a PhD is an act of intellectual courage.
There are many unknowns at the beginning of a research journey, alongside the very real pressures of doctoral study.
However, there are also profound opportunities to contribute something lasting, and I am encouraged by the dedication you have already shown on your academic journeys.
From hybrid renewable energy systems to bowel cancer screening, clean water systems and the health of seaweeds and soil, I am encouraged by the diversity and relevance of your research topics.
Each of these areas speaks to the most complex and urgent challenges of our time - challenges that align with multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and where research has the genuine potential to deliver systemic change.
I thank the Kathleen Lumley Foundation and its supporters, including its partners Adelaide University and Flinders University, for their important contribution to positioning South Australia as a place where research excellence translates into real-world outcomes for our community and our region.
I wish the foundation, its Council, and each of the inaugural Lumley Scholars every success in the work ahead.
The Kathleen Lumley Foundation is a deep investment in South Australia's future.
Congratulations to the foundation and its scholarship recipients on the big step forward you take today.