Monash University Australia: The Frontier of STEM’s Future

Monash University, named after Australian leader and engineer Sir John Monash, first opened its doors in Melbourne in 1961, and has since established itself as Australia’s largest University. One of the Top 1% of universities worldwide, Monash is also a world-renowned centre of research and study for the STEM subjects: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Monash is an International institution with ironclad connections worldwide, with a campus in Malaysia, a learning centre in Italy, research academies in India and China, and an alliance with the University of Warwick in the UK. Monash’s four Australian Campuses are spread across the Melbourne region, in perfect central locations for vibrant student scenes.

The largest campus, Clayton Campus, holds around 30,000 students. The campus network supports ten separate Faculty Departments: Art, Design and Architecture, Arts, Business and Economics, Education, Engineering, Information Technology, Law, Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Science. The Clayton campus also possesses several commissioned gardens  including an Aboriginal Garden, Tropical Rainforest Garden, and Earth Sciences Feature Garden, to name but a few. The campuses are home to active Student Unions with a multitude of recreational and educational campus clubs and societies.

 

Clayton Campus monash university australia

 

Additionally, Monash’s high-quality resources extend to its housing facilities, with three main options of studio apartments, traditional Halls of Residence, and shared apartments. This year, the Australian Institute of Architects awarded Monash University’s Campuses three Architecture Awards, including Best Urban Design, which it has won for the second consecutive year.

Course selection at Monash is incredibly simple, with a clear course pathway selection process. For those with a specific goal in mind, it’s best to choose a specialist course that is major-focused from day one. For those seeking flexibility so they can sample a range of study areas, or hoping to tailor their options to suit their particular interests, there are broad-to narrow study approaches that allow time for students to select their major and minor areas of study. If Monash students graduate from a specialist degree of four years or longer, receiving a world-renowned Honours qualification, they are usually eligible to complete a Masters qualification in the same discipline with one additional year of study, maximising their eligibility for professional employment.

“Having the opportunity to increase the breadth of my study gave me additional, interdisciplinary skills,” claimed Nicholas Husek, a graduate Bachelor of Science.

The solid base of support for advanced study lies in Monash’s wealth of research facilities and resources. Students will not have to travel far to access the specialist research materials needed, as Monash boasts of seven collection libraries, three of which can be found at Clayton Campus, including the Hargrave- Andrew Library, a  modern facility for biological and physical sciences, medicine, and engineering. Intercampus loans and free shuttles are also available for student use, so they’re really able to make the most of what’s on offer across campus.

 

Monash University Australia library

 

Monash is a University with lecturers and students who believe that connecting with others leads to better outcomes, in learning and within professional fields. Just this year, the Australian Research Council named Monash’s School of Physics and Astronomy, an ‘ARC Centre of Excellence’, and will be researching Future Low Energy Electronics Technologies led by Monash’s Professor Michael Fuhrer.

There is an abundance of success stories at Monash, such as Year 5 Medical student Robert Gillies, who was named one of the 2016 JCI 10 Outstanding Young Persons of the World. Furthermore, another member of staff, renowned biologist Professor Steven Chown was recently elected President of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), a team that conduct globally significant research in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.

Potential students can be assured they will be taught by lecturers that are committed and active members in their fields, and are inspiring future graduates to become agents of change for the future.

“I feel incredibly grateful to be part of small group, doing something special and unique,” says Jake Port, Bachelor of Science Advanced – Global Challenges.

It is clear that everyone at Monash embraces the University motto, Ancora Imparo, meaning ‘I am still learning’, and they have a great respect for what they do. This level of dedication for the STEM subjects is something Monash’s Professor Helen Watts believes is an integral part of working within those industries, as she stated in her web-seminar address on cultivating ‘passion and perseverance in STEM pathways’.

In fact, Professor Watts also addresses ways in which the barriers that prevent people entering the STEM fields could be tackled, and how the ever-growing factors of gender and economic background affecting entry to STEM should meet a level playing field. This is reflected in the University’s strong appeal to International Students, 36% of their student base, and their Indigenous Entry Scheme that seeks to offer opportunities to Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

 

Monash University Australia student charity

 

Monash is an institution that supports students’ rights to be able to create the futures they desire for themselves, regardless of circumstance. Students at Monash benefit from tremendous opportunities and resources, and have the chance to take part in ground-breaking ventures, like their collaboration project on bionic eye technology.

“Shared ambitions move us forward, faster. The more relevant, useful and powerful connections we can make, the greater our impact will be,” the official Monash website maintains.

This academic ethos is proven to inspire tutors and students alike to persevere in their field, achieving great feats while working within industries, and with communities, towards a better future.

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All images courtesy of Monash University Australia

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