Three young Papua New Guinean women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have been awarded the prestigious British Government's Chevening Scholarship. These scholars will undertake fully funded, year-long master's programs in the United Kingdom at three different universities for the 2024-2025 academic year.
The scholars were farewelled at a ceremony held in Port Moresby yesterday, attended by British High Commissioner Anne Macron, former PNG High Commissioner to the UK Dame Winnie Kiap, and other guests. During the event, High Commissioner Macron encouraged the women to make the most of their studies and time in the UK.
Dr. Amanda Avinaga, one of the recipients, will pursue a Master of Science in Critical Care at Queen Mary University of London. She highlighted the need for a critical care center in Papua New Guinea, a gap that became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. "The need for it really came about during the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, plus in the South Pacific region," Dr. Avinaga explained.
Maisy Lus, driven by her passion for marine conservation, will study Applied Marine Science at the University of Plymouth. Meanwhile, Veurageno Arava, who has worked as an IT analyst, will pursue a Master’s in Cybersecurity and Forensics at Westminster University. "PNG lacks technical expertise, especially in the field of cyber security," Arava noted.
At the same event, returning scholars from the 2022-2023 cohort were welcomed back and awarded completion certificates.
Application for Chevening scholarships is now open : >> Apply Now
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