Scholarships for outstanding science, technology, engineering and medicine (STEM) students are putting 21 Flinders University recipients on their promising academic and career pathways this year.
This year’s Playford Trust scholarship presentation ceremony, hosted at Flinders University, included a welcome from Professor Giselle Rampersad, the Interim Deputy Vice-President and Executive Dean, College of Science and Engineering.
Among the dignitaries at the event was Peter Neal, the son of the late Sir Eric Neal, the namesake of Flinders University’s Sir Eric Neal Engineering Building.
Mr Neal presented Flinders mechanical engineering honours student Jamie Wickstein, with the Hon Sir Eric Neal AC CVO Engineering Scholarship, while the Hon Diana Laidlaw presented the Donald Laidlaw AO PhD Scholarship to Jasmine Cooks, a PhD candidate in signal processing.
Mr Wickstein started his studies in 2021 after four years of full-time service in the Australian Army. His interest in advanced defence technologies inspired him to pursue engineering and contribute to innovations that strengthen Australia’s sovereign capability.
Ms Cooks, who also has received several Chancellor’s Letters of Commendation, completed First Class honours with double degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Medical Science. Her industry-linked PhD will apply biologically inspired signal processing to improve underwater optical communications.
The full list of the 2026 Flinders University scholarship recipients are:
Playford Trust Rural and Regional STEM Scholarships
Jack Duffield | Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Civil)
Saraya Gardner | Bachelor of Science (Marine Biology)
Katie Jones | Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science)
Zachary Pathuis | Bachelor of Information Technology (Network and Cybersecurity Systems)
Playford Trust / Aquinas College Residential Scholarship
Mason Bentley | Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Mechanical)
Playford Trust / St Ann’s Foundation Residential Scholarship
Benjamin Habner | Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Civil), Master of Engineering Management
Playford Trust / Show Society Foundation ‘Excellence in Agriculture/Horticulture’ Scholarship
Jessica Moore | Bachelor of Science (Advanced Science)
Playford Trust Resources Sector Engineering Scholarship
Thomas Fitzgerald | Bachelor of Engineering (Environmental) (Honours), Master of Engineering (Civil)
Playford Trust Honours Scholarships – Flinders University
Kasia Coultas | Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours) (Cancer Biology)
Samuel Croft | Bachelor of Engineering (Robotics) (Honours), Master of Engineering (Electrical and Electronic)
Edwin de Haaij | Bachelor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences (Honours)
Megan Jenssen | Bachelor of Science (Honours)
Sophie Loveys | Bachelor of Science (Honours)
Liam Nye | Bachelor of Engineering (Civil and Structural)
Brayden Wilson | Bachelor of Engineering (Civil), Master of Engineering Management
Playford Trust / The Hon Sir Eric Neal AC CVO Engineering Scholarship
Jamie Wickstein | Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Mechanical)
Playford Trust / WSP Engineering Scholarship
Alexa Mill | Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Environmental), Master of Engineering (Civil)
Playford Trust / Donald Laidlaw AO PhD Scholarship
Jasmine Cooks | Doctor of Philosophy (Signal Processing)
Playford Trust / Thyne Reid Foundation PhD Scholarship
Eric Bowels | Doctor of Philosophy (Crop Science and Bioactive Compounds)
Playford Trust Commendation Awards
Skye Leong | Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Mechanical), Master of Engineering (Biomedical)
Austin Zschech | Doctor of Philosophy (Chemical Sciences)