Bendigo's Caitlin Buchan to receive $20k STEM scholarship

Bendigo's Caitlin Buchan has been awarded a $20,000 Defence Women in STEM Undergraduate Scholarship that will help complete work placement with the Defence, Science and Technology Group.

The 19-year-old said the money meant she could focus on her studies and pursue her passion for software engineering, robotics and electronics.

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"I'm excited for the direction this scholarship could take me. The opportunity to network with experts in my field of interest, while gaining experience helping solve real-world problems, will be invaluable," Caitlin said.

"This scholarship will be my first chance to witness first-hand a fast-paced technological environment."

As with many of her peers, Caitlin didn't have engineering on her radar until the final years of secondary school.

"Until I was in Year 11, I'd been pursuing a career in performing and writing music. A teacher mentioned engineering to me, because of my interests and ability in maths and physics," she said.

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"After looking into it further I realised engineering played such a vital role in helping people make decisions and shaping our physical environment - and I wanted to be part of that.

"I'm particularly interested in augmented reality; I see it playing a huge future role in how we live our lives, and I would love to be part of a team that unlocks its full potential."

Caitlin is studying a Bachelor of Engineering Honours (Industrial) at the university's Bendigo campus.

La Trobe University's Head of engineering and mathematical sciences Professor Wenny Rahayu said the university welcomed initiatives to entice more women to pursue careers in STEM.

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"Gender diversity in areas like science and engineering leads to innovations and ideas that might not otherwise be realised - which is incredibly important when it comes to addressing real-world problems," Professor Rahayu said.

"Like the scholarship we offer to women studying our Master of Internet of Things - an initiative that goes a long way to helping women like Caitlin pursue their passion and ultimately strengthens Australia's STEM workforce."

The Defence Women in STEM Undergraduate Scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate academic excellence and display positive attributes such as community leadership and extra-curricular engagement.

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