Celebrating Our Outstanding Students

We congratulate students who won prizes in 2022 for excellence in the fields of Classics & Archaeology, Cultural Materials Conservation, Hebrew Studies, and History, and extend our thanks to the benefactors whose generosity has supported our students in their endeavours and has helped both to make possible and to recognise their achievements in these fields.

Winner of the 2022 Douglas Howard Exhibition, Ancient Greek, Heather Barry

Winner of the 2022 Felix Raab Prize, Giorgia Benini

The Felix Raab Prize is awarded to the highest achieving student for an essay on early modern European history.

“I am very thankful to have received the 2022 Felix Raab Prize for my essay ‘Sculpting Gender from Wax.’ Researching the work and life of Anna Morandi, an eighteenth-century wax modeller from my hometown of Bologna, was an incredible experience that led me to writing an Honours thesis on obstetrical teaching and anatomical wax modelling.

I am now studying teaching in the hopes of inspiring more young people to pursue History. My heartfelt thanks to the donors and faculty for supporting and encouraging me in my studies.”

Winner of the 2022 Exhibition for First-Year Classics, Elizabeth Broome

Winner of the 2022 Donald Mackay British History Prize, and the 2022 Marion Boothby Exhibition, Patrick Day

The Marion Boothby Exhibition is awarded annually to the student with the highest mark for an essay in the field of British history.

“I am very grateful and honoured to be selected as the 2022 recipient of the Donald Mackay British History Prize and the Marion Boothby Exhibition. Studying the discipline of history at the University of Melbourne has allowed me to understand, on a deeper level, past events and societies and their current resonances. I have discovered that making history and transforming archival material into a human narrative is an immensely gratifying process. To be selected for these awards has provided me with a renewed appreciation for the value of scholarly research and I hope to continue applying the skills of historical analysis that I have had the opportunity to cultivate during my undergraduate studies.”

Winner of a 2022 University of Melbourne Human Rights Scholarship, Prasakti Ramadhana Fahadi (Dana)

Dana is a PhD student in the cross-faculty Gender Studies program, based in SHAPS. Her doctoral research is centred on the history of digital media and communication for activism and gender-based violence in Indonesia.

“I’ve always considered my (still very limited) voluntary activism to be a form of service and a method to give back by devoting my work to the improvement of the lives of people who are oppressed. However, it is gratifying to get such recognition for my commitment to fighting for equal rights. Being picked as the recipient of this award is a tremendous honour, and I am extremely grateful.”

Co-winner of the 2022 Rosemary Merlo Prize for First Year, Alex Fitts

This prize is awarded annually for the best essay in a first-year History subject.

“Although I have always been passionate about history, only after three years of study do I now see it as a love and a purpose more than a mere interest. Looking ahead to my Honours year, I appreciate most of all for how my university studies have allowed me to realise this love and pursue it in my research. The Rosemary Merlo Prize reminds me to be proud of my beginnings, and I am deeply grateful to the university and all my professors for this recognition and their continued support.”

Winner of the 2022 Lloyd Robson Memorial Award, Thea Gardiner

“The Lloyd Robson Memorial Award greatly supported my PhD research by funding essential interstate travel. This enabled me to access state archives in Sydney, Canberra, Perth, and regional Victoria, where I gathered critical primary sources. For me, as a historian focused on women’s biography, accessing these scattered and diverse archives was crucial for uncovering otherwise overlooked narratives.”

Winner of the 2022 Dwight Prize for History, and the 2022 Margaret Kiddle Prize, Patrick Gigacz

The Dwight Prize for History is awarded annually to the highest ranked honours student in History.

The Margaret Kiddle Prize is awarded annually for the highest ranked honours thesis in History.

“My Honours thesis explored how builders of the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop during the 1970s attempted to construct a vision of the modern Australian city, challenged by ancient imaginings of the underworld and the competing visions and anxieties of the Melbourne public.

It is a great honour to be awarded these prizes, which will enable me to further my archival research and development as a historian. Studying History – and Australian history in particular – has enabled me to develop a rich understanding of the human experiences of the past, and the insights they offer for the challenges of our shared present.”

Winner of a 2022 Alma Hansen Scholarship, and a 2022 Thérèse and Ronald Ridley Scholarship, Elena Heran

The Alma Hansen Scholarship is awarded for the purpose of assisting the recipient to travel overseas to pursue studies related to his or her major interest.

The Thérèse and Ronald Ridley Scholarship supports a current PhD student in the Classics and Archaeology department at the University of Melbourne. The scholarship is to be used to travel to the British School at Rome to conduct research that will assist PhD completion.

“These two scholarships gave me some wonderful opportunities, and I’m so grateful to have received them. With the Alma Hansen scholarship, I was able to travel to Rome, Florence and Paris and build a visual dictionary of art inspired by the mythical narratives explored in my thesis, and with the Ridley scholarship, I was able to make connections and consult resources in Rome that had previously been unavailable to me. My work is much richer for these experiences.”

Winner of a 2022 Emma Grollo Memorial Scholarship, James Hogg

“I was honoured to receive the 2022 Emma Grollo Memorial Award. This generous donation allowed me to further my studies of Italian at the Dante Alighieri Society in Rome and conduct vital research on Italian anti-fascists in Australia at L’Archivio Centrale dello Stato. I’d like to thank the donors and the faculty for this amazing opportunity.”

Winner of the 2022 A D Hallam Memorial Prize for Advanced Hebrew, and the 2022 National Council of Jewish Women of Australia Fanny Reading Scholarship in Hebrew Language, Hilla Inbar

The A.D Hallam Memorial Prize (Advanced) is awarded to the highest ranked student in advanced Hebrew.

The National Council of Jewish Women of Australia Fanny Reading Scholarship in Hebrew Language is awarded to the highest ranked student in beginners, intermediate or advanced Hebrew language subjects.

“I am incredibly grateful to have been awarded both scholarships under Dr Dvir Abramovich. I was supported in strengthening my Hebrew grammar and comprehension skills. Every time I attended my lectures, I felt excited, knowing that the students and the professor were engaged and would all go above and beyond the requirements. As someone who never studied Hebrew in high school and was initially very fearful of taking on Hebrew at an advanced level, I never felt more at ease attending every lecture; I was even known as the early bird, as sometimes I would arrive before the professor. Overall, I highly recommend challenging yourself and taking on Hebrew, as it turned out to be my favourite class at university.”

Winner of the 2022 Wyselaskie Scholarship for History, Hansen Scholarship for History, and Miranda Jane Hughes Scholarship, Ines Jahudka

The Wyselaskie Scholarship in History is awarded annually to the highest achieving first year PhD student in History.

The Hansen Scholarship in History supports a full-time PhD candidature in History. A key feature of the scholarship is a mentoring program that provides valuable experience in tertiary teaching, engagement and the promotion of History to the community.

The Miranda Jane Hughes Scholarship supports graduate research humanities students undertaking research in historical, philosophical or cultural studies of the body, health or science.

“I am so honoured to have been awarded these scholarships — apart from the huge confidence boost, they have essentially opened up a new set of possibilities for me when it comes to travel and archival work. My research is looking at the decision-making process following death in 18th century England. The bulk of my research, therefore, is archival legal documents sourced from various locations around England. The financial prospect of an extended stay in the UK, particularly London, was extremely daunting.

Being the recipient of these scholarships means that I was able to extend my stay in London as well as take trips to archives in Canterbury, Kent, and York. The information I was able to uncover at these locations has been invaluable for the thesis. I am so immensely grateful to have been selected for both awards and wish to extend my sincerest thanks to the selection committees concerned.”

Winner of the 2022 John Grice Exhibition, Finley Japp

The John Grice Exhibition is awarded to the student with the highest aggregate mark for first-year Beginners Latin A and B.

“I am very grateful to have studied Latin and to have received the generous John Grice Exhibition. Latin 1 and 2 were immensely engaging, rewarding subjects that taught me fundamental insights regarding languages and classics. I found in these classes a sense of community and a curiosity for knowledge grounded in rigour. This, I discovered, was the scholarly experience I had craved when coming to university.”

Winner of a 2022 Alma Hansen Scholarship, Tom Keep

The Alma Hansen Scholarship is awarded for the purpose of assisting the recipient to travel overseas to pursue studies related to his or her major interest.

“I was fortunate to receive the Alma Hansen scholarship to fund my participation in the 2022 field season of the Marzuolo Archaeological Project. During that season, I was able to access a selection of ancient Roman blacksmithing and woodworking tools following their conservation in Rome, and produce digital 3D models of the tools using a technique called structure from motion photogrammetry. These 3D models will feature in the final publication of the project and were used in the development of the Cinis Vulcani VR Experience, an interactive virtual reality reconstruction of the blacksmith’s workshop that forms the core of my PhD. The results were presented at the 2024 Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology international conference, and are planned for publication in a future article.”

Winner of the 2022 Antonio Sagona Scholarship, Sarah King

This scholarship is awarded for graduate students of Near Eastern Archaeology to support the cost of overseas travel as part of their research.

“The Antonio Sagona Scholarship was invaluable in allowing me to expand my archaeological experience and successfully complete my thesis. Not only was I able to participate in the 2022 Georgian-Australian Investigations in Archaeology excavation season, but I was able to embark on a research trip to study Ancient Near Eastern cylinder and stamp seals. This trip took me to the British Museum in London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Morgan Library and Museum in New York City. These trips were such an incredible and inspiring experience for me as a person and for the future of my research and career!”

Winner of the 2022 Rosemary Merlo Prize for Second Year, Vicky Kolevski

The Rosemary Merlo Prize for Second-year History is awarded for the best essay submitted as part of the prescribed work for a history subject.

“I have always been fascinated by history, for as long as I can remember, and thus it is a delight to be recognised for this lifelong passion and an honour to receive the 2022 Rosemary Merlo second-year history prize for Gender in History (HIST20090). My essay explored and critiqued Gisela Bock’s and Claudia Koonz’ discourse on how the intersection of gender and race in Nazi Germany complicated the notion of clear-cut categories such as victim, resister, and perpetrator. I believe it is important to foster a historiography that gives voice to those who have been historically and contemporarily silenced, so that we may create a safe, empowered, and equitable life for all.”

Winner of the 2022 A D Hallam Memorial Prize for Intermediate Hebrew, Rebekka Krishtul

“Studying Hebrew throughout my undergraduate degree was such an enjoyable and enriching experience. Dr Dvir Abramovich‘s classes were always fascinating; he carefully selected interesting Hebrew media and text, helping me explore Jewish and Hebrew culture in an academically engaging way. To me, this prize is a recognition of my passion and dedication to the study of Hebrew culture, and has encouraged me to further my studies even outside of my university studies. I am honoured and grateful to have been selected for it!”

Winner of the 2022 Panagacos Family Prize in Ancient Languages, Hannah Lewis

This award is given to high-achieving students who have completed their third year of study in Ancient Greek literature and language.

“Studying ancient languages has opened up a vast world of literature and enabled me to better connect with stories and sentiments expressed thousands of years in the past. The learning of ancient languages is not only the learning of Latin and ancient Greek, but provides a window into the human experience. For me, the Panagacos Prize affirmed the value of learning ancient languages, and I was able to use the support of this prize to gain archaeological experience that complemented my learning of ancient languages.”

Winner of the 2022 European Studies Association Australia and New Zealand (ESAANZ) Essay Writing competition (Australian postgraduate category), Ben Mason

“My essay examines the ideological and strategic underpinnings of Soviet and later Russian intervention in sub-Saharan Africa. It charts fluctuating policy approaches from Moscow, beginning with proxy competition with the United States and reaching a high point in the 1970s and ’80s as the Soviet Union adopted an aggressive, interventionist posture in its relations with the region. After the Soviet collapse, priorities shifted dramatically and Moscow’s more recent forays into the region have been driven by raw questions of realpolitik and resource extraction.

This essay reflects my broader interests which I pursued throughout my study of history including the Soviet Union in general and its foreign relations in particular and Cold War culture and geopolitics.”

Winner of a 2022 Alma Hansen Scholarship, Michael Niewidok

The Alma Hansen Scholarship is awarded for the purpose of assisting the recipient to travel overseas to pursue studies related to his or her major interest.

“Being awarded the Alma Hansen Scholarship enabled me to undertake an extensive study abroad placement in Norway and travel up north to apply my academic insights to, and witness the realities of, a shifting Arctic climate. This opportunity deepened my understanding of the impacts of environmental change and reinforced my commitment to human security and sustainability. It also motivated me to enrol in the Development, Environment, and Cultural Change programme at the University of Oslo, complementing my studies in climate, international affairs, and public policy, which I hope to leverage to build a career in international engagement and diplomacy.”

Winner of a 2022 H B Higgins Exhibition, Elijah Pannozzo

The H.B. Higgins Exhibition is awarded to the student with the highest mark in Beginners Ancient Greek.

“I started studying Ancient Greek at the very beginning of my Bachelor of Arts in 2022, and continued with it throughout my undergraduate. The lecturers I have had for it have been some of the best the university has to offer, and I consider the H B Higgins Exhibition to be a recognition of the effort and diligence they have put in to teaching myself and my classmates, and the work and love for the language that they have inspired in us. I look forward to continuing my Greek studies into my Honours year in 2026, and furthering my own poetic compositions in the language.”

Winner of a 2022 Thérèse and Ronald Ridley Scholarship, Giovanni Piccolo

“In 2022 I had the honour to be awarded the Thérèse and Ronald Ridley Scholarship to conduct research at the British School at Rome for a period of two months. The scholarship allowed me to access the BSR library, as well as the other numerous libraries in Rome, and to consult publications not available in Australia or online. I was also able to attend seminars and lectures presented by visiting scholars, and to network with fellow Latinists and classical scholars from both Italian and international institutions. My residence at the BSR, made possible by the Ridley scholarship, enabled me to undertake necessary field-work to make sure that my research is suitable for publication.”

Winner of a 2022 Alma Hansen Scholarship, a 2022 Jessie Webb Scholarship, and a 2022 Norman Macgeorge Scholarship, Laura Pisanu

“I was honoured to be awarded the Jessie Webb, Alma Hansen and Norman Macgeorge scholarships in 2022. These awards provided me with a unique occasion to spend time in Italy and Greece, where I visited archaeological sites and museums, and to carry out my research at international institutes like the Istituto Italiano di Preistoria e Protostoria in Florence, the British School of Athens and the Knossos Research Centre. I am still grateful for having been chosen as recipient of these scholarships as they have contributed not just to the shaping of my thesis, but also to creating connections with international scholars and life-lasting memories.”

Winner of the 2022 European Studies Association Australia and New Zealand (ESAANZ) Essay Writing competition (Australian undergraduate category), Mal Priestley

Winner of the 2022 Willem Snoek Conservation Award, Fen Reyes

This award supports a heritage conservation project initiated by students studying at the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation.

“The Willem Snoek Conservation award helped to support my work in conserving the Kabayan ‘fire mummies’ of the Philippines, which represent the sacred ancestors of the Indigenous Ibaloi people of the region. Its contribution helped to fund our efforts by allowing us to connect to these Indigenous communities on the ground and develop ethical relationships which will make a huge difference in continuing this important work. I’m so thankful to be aligned with a school that supports the respectful conservation of Indigenous cultural heritage in very tangible ways.”

Winner of the 2022 Douglas Howard Exhibition, Latin, Lucy Roberts-Lovell

“I started studying Latin because I love languages but I don’t like language speaking exams, so it seemed like a good fit. I ended up enjoying it so much that I transferred from a Bachelor of Science to a Bachelor of Arts so that I could major in it!

I like how completing translations feels like putting together a puzzle and I find it really satisfying being able to connect modern English words to their roots in Latin. I’m really honoured to have received this Exhibition as it demonstrates to me how important it is to enjoy what you study.”

Winner of the 2022 Laurie R Gardiner Prize, Alex Robertson

This prize is awarded annually for the highest ranked essay on early modern British History (1400–1700) by an undergraduate student.

“I am incredibly honoured to receive the Laurie R Gardiner prize for the essay that I wrote for the subject ‘Witch-Hunting in European Societies’. This class was the highlight of my undergraduate degree and reaffirmed my appreciation for history as a discipline.

It was fascinating to examine the political, religious and social factors that engendered the witchcraft trials of early-modern England and led to their eventual decline.

I wish to thank Dr Charlotte-Rose Millar for her excellent teaching, and to the University and the donors for their generosity in bestowing this prize.”

Winner of the 2022 Gyles Turner Prize, Amelia Rothnie

The Gyles Turner Prize is awarded annually for an undergraduate essay in Australian history.

“I am greatly honoured to be the recipient of the Gyles Turner Prize for my essay exploring the controversy of the 1903-04 New South Wales Royal Commission into the Birth-Rate. The subject for which I wrote this essay, Controversies in Australian History, instilled in me a passion for Australian history, which I continued to pursue while writing my honours thesis in 2024. I am therefore extremely grateful to the University and the donors for recognising my work with this award possible.”

Winner of the 2022 Chris Manousopoulos Prize in Ancient History, Kezia Sanders

“The Chris Manousopoulos Prize in Ancient History has fundamentally shaped my educational development, practical skills and future aspirations as a student of archaeology.

In 2022, I was in my final year of the Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Ancient World Studies and Italian. I had always wanted to do archaeology, so when I was informed in my 2023 Honours year that I had won the prize, I was able to use the bursary to embark on my first archaeological dig—the Marzuolo Archeological Project (MAP) in Tuscany.

This dig investigated a rural Roman production site from the 1^st Century CE. MAP was not only incredibly useful for my Honours thesis on Ancient Roman foodways, but it also encouraged me to reflect on which aspects of archaeology I was most passionate about. Were it not for the prize, I would never have realised just how interesting I would find the legal aspects of archaeology, and the importance of protecting heritage through understanding, changing and applying relevant law.

Since MAP, I have decided to pursue a Juris Doctor postgraduate law degree with the express intention of working in heritage protection and ensuring that the cultural significance of archaeological discovery is reflected in law.

I know that my time under the hot Tuscan sun meticulously scraping dirt away from stone walls, pottery shards, and ancient coins will forever inform my understandings of archaeological heritage. There is no substitute for the practical, exciting, hands-on experience gained through archaeological excavation, and it is this experience that will shape my understanding of the legal context.

I am beyond grateful to Gary and Margaret Israel for establishing this prize that has been so instrumental to my growth and learning as a student of Ancient History.”

Winner of the 2022 A D Hallam Memorial Prize for Beginners Hebrew, and the 2022 Takamitsu Muraoka Prize, Nyah Seelig-Schattner

The Takamitsu Muraoka Prize is awarded annually to the highest ranked student in beginners, intermediate or advanced Hebrew language subjects.

“Studying Hebrew was a very rewarding experience. Although this was challenging, as a linguistics student, I was particularly interested to learn a language with a non-roman alphabet and a grammar which significantly differed from English or any of the European languages I’d previously studied. I feel very honoured to receive this prize.”

Winner of a 2022 H B Higgins Exhibition, and the 2022 Ken McKay Prize for Beginners Greek, Shian Tan (Andy)

The H.B. Higgins Exhibition is awarded to the student with the highest mark in Beginners Ancient Greek.

The Ken McKay prize goes to the student with the best overall results in Beginners Ancient Greek.

“Studying Ancient Greek has been a wonderful experience in my time at university. I have been thoroughly challenged and enriched by the language and literature, which, despite being ancient, continue to shape our outlook and thinking in the modern intellectual and cultural spheres. I almost always looked forward to coming to class, as the passion of my professors and the camaraderie of my peers made the subject a highlight of my week.”

Winner of the 2022 Indigenous History Honours Prize, Meredith Tyler

“My thesis arose from sustained ‘re-listenings’ to the binak, or basket, that was the focus of my research, the Country where it was made, and the many knowledge-holders and academics in this area. This research brought me into new relationships and responsibilities to the knowledge and stories I received.

It would be remiss of me if I did not mention two of these relationships without which I could not have achieved the 2022 Indigenous History Honours prize; namely, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation‘s kind permission for me to research their binak, and the time and patience of my supervisor, Dr Julia Hurst. My experience researching my thesis is foundational to my current work as a historian in Victorian native title.

I’m also grateful to the donors whose gift established this prize: Dr Tony Ward and Gail Ryan.”

Co-winner of the 2022 Rosemary Merlo Prize for First Year, Victoria Winata

This prize is awarded annually for the best essay in a first-year History subject.

“I’ve loved history for a very long time, and I’m very honoured to receive the 2022 Rosemary Merlo Prize. I was very proud of my essay comparing the art patronage of Hurrem Sultan and Isabella d’Este, and am delighted that it’s been recognised by the Faculty!”