Scholarships help build innovation success

Commercialisation

A youthful researcher and a 24-year project management veteran were recent winners of the EDS Bioscience and Defence Scholarships respectively.

South African-born Dr Hentie Swiegers is a Research Molecular Biologist based at the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), an R&D service provider to the Australian wine industry.

And Mr Ian Ratcliffe is a Project Manager, Defence, Industrial and Major Projects, for Soniclean, a leading provider of ultrasonic solutions for the health, defence and industrial markets.

Available through the University of Adelaide's Education Centre for Innovation and Commercialisation (ECIC), the EDS-sponsored scholarships fund the tuition fees for the Graduate Certificate in Science & Technology Commercialisation.

Only 29 years old, Dr Swiegers can boast an impressive list of accomplishments and achievements. He has published six international papers, has a patent to his name and has already received three scholarships.

He obtained a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Pretoria and a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Stellenbosch and conducted his PhD research at the Institute for Wine Biotechnology, University of Stellenbosch, where he was also employed as a part-time research assistant.

"Hentie is an exceptional individual and this scholarship will give him a tremendous hand in realising the commercial potential of his research at the AWRI," said Dr Deborah Rathjen, Chair of the EDS Bioscience selection panel and CEO of Bionomics Ltd.

With 24 years of project management experience, Mr Ratcliffe has spent much of this time in Ghana, West Africa, in food relief, language translation, literacy, training and, since returning to Australia, in manufacturing.

"Ian is an impressive individual who will benefit greatly from this opportunity," said Vice-Admiral David Shackleton (retd), Chair of the EDS Defence selection panel.

Based at the University of Adelaide's Thebarton Campus, Soniclean is rapidly expanding its reach into Asia, North and South America and Europe.

The University of Adelaide's ECIC Science and Technology Commercialisation programs open the doors to market opportunity, growth and commercial success.

"It is vital, for the State's sustainability and growth, that entrepreneurship and innovation are encouraged and properly realised. This is the key impetus behind the scholarship," said ECIC Acting Director Mr Antonio Dottore.

Story by Howard Salkow