Young scientist Miriam-Rose Ash has been awarded the Australian Synchrotron Thesis Medal for her study into the essential roles that iron and copper play in living organisms. 

The eminent international researchers who assessed Miriam’s thesis described her work as excellent. Miriam also wrote seven scientific research papers, six as principal author.

“This is an outstanding thesis, with so many good points that I cannot document them all,” one reviewer wrote. “Ms Ash is to be congratulated on a splendid piece of work, which was a pleasure to read, and which brings much credit to the University and her supervisors.”

Miriam is currently an EMBO postdoctoral research fellow at the Centre for Structural Biology at Aarhus University in Denmark, where she is conducting research into membrane proteins from eukaryotes, a classification that includes animals, plants, fungi and other organisms. She plans to pursue an academic career that involves both research and teaching. The photo at left shows Miriam with her new boss Poul Nissen in the laboratory in Denmark (photo: Lars Kruse). Click here to see an article about Miriam on page 41 of the Aarhus University annual booklet.

Miriam-Rose Ash took less than four years to complete her PhD studies at The
University of Sydney and the Centenary Institute, an independent medical research organisation, finishing in March 2012.

The Australian Synchrotron Thesis Medal is awarded for outstanding research work involving the use of synchrotron techniques. Announcing the award, Australian Synchrotron Head of Science Andrew Peele said, “Miriam-Rose Ash is an outstanding candidate, an exceptional researcher, a great communicator and a marvellous example for young students considering a career in science”.

The Thesis Medal will be presented at the Australian Synchrotron User Meeting in Melbourne on 29-30 November 2012. This meeting gives researchers like Miriam-Rose Ash the opportunity to learn from established experts and meet others with similar research goals or backgrounds. Networking and collaboration are essential for early-career researchers seeking to develop their own expertise and reputations.

More information: Andrew Peele - Australian Synchrotron, 0408 388 467