Mentors
Celia Dowling
Agnes Boskovitz
Kimberley Dennis
Dr Indu Wadhawan
Narges Shabgard
Chengfan Gu
Kally Yuen
Mikaela Westlake
Elizabeth Bradford
Geetika Verma
Lean more about our current ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï Specialist Maths High School Scholarships for Girls mentors.
½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï Specialist Maths High School Scholarship for Girls Mentors 2026/27
Celia Dowling
Ìý¾±²õÌýa PhD candidate,ÌýtutorÌýand courseÌýassistant at the University of Melbourne.ÌýTheyÌýhaveÌýa Master of Science, specialising in mathematical biology.ÌýTheirÌýresearchÌýpertains to building and testing mathematical models of biological systems including migrating whale pods, frogs in patchy habitats, nanoparticle delivery to cells, and tumour spheroid growths.Ìý
Kimberley Dennis
Kimberly is a Master of Mathematical Sciences student studying pure mathematics. She is also a physics tutor and a postgraduate teaching fellow at the University of Sydney.Ìý
A lifelong learner, Kim aims to create an environment in which students feel safe to explore their curiosity and to help them become versatile problem-solvers. Kim has aÌýMaster’sÌýbyÌýResearchÌýinÌýPhysics from the Australian National University (ANU).Ìý
DrÌýIndu Wadhawan
Ìý¾±²õ aÌýLecturer in Mathematics and Statistics at Queensland University of Technology. She has overÌý22 years of academic experience across different universities.Ìý
HerÌýresearchÌýinterests lie in quantitative data analysis and the optimisation of transportation and allocation problems.ÌýHerÌýexemplaryÌýteachingÌýrecord has been recognised byÌýSenior Fellow and Associate Fellow (Indigenous Knowledges) awards from the Higher Education Academy (HEA)Ìýin the UnitedÌýKingdom.
NargesÌýShabgard
Ìý¾±²õ aÌýPhD candidate inÌýAppliedÌýMathematics at the University of New England,ÌýwhereÌýsheÌýalso teachesÌýmathematicsÌýto undergraduate students.ÌýHerÌýresearchÌýfocuses on numerical analysis of partial differential equations, particularly free boundary problems motivated by ecological applications.ÌýSheÌýisÌýpassionate about supporting and encouraging young women to pursueÌýcareers inÌýmaths.
ChengfanÌýGu
RMIT University Researcher and Tutor Chengfan is an expert in materials research and simulation. Her materials research focuses on fundamental issues associated with metallic alloys and soft tissues in order to establish advanced structure analysis and properties characterisation methodologies in the micro/nano space.Ìý
During COVID-19,ÌýsheÌýhelpedÌýto develop aÌýsimulation conceptÌýwhile working as a research scientist at the Centre for Smart Health in Hong Kong,ÌýwhichÌýenabled interactions betweenÌýdata measurement,ÌýmodellingÌýand practical applications. ThisÌýconceptÌýenabled systems to respond toÌýchanging real-world conditions; capturingÌýcondition dataÌýin real time
½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï Yuille-Umbers Scholarship Mentors 2025/26
Kally Yuen
Kally is an applied statistician with over 35 years of experience. She is an ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï Honorary Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne. She has extensive statistical consulting experience in multiple fields of research including oncology, mental health and environmental management. She has worked as a statistician in the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Centre for Youth Mental Health at the University of Melbourne, and the ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï (½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï). At ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï, Kally was seconded to Parks Victoria through a research partnership program to provide statistical support for their environmental monitoring evaluation and reporting activities.
Kally’s qualifications include a Master of Science degree in Statistics, Bachelor of Science degree with First Class Honours in Statistics and Computer Science. She received the Maurice Belz First Prize for Statistics while she was an undergraduate at the University of Melbourne. Kally has been a co-author in more than 30 research publications, 14 of which as a senior author.Ìý
Mikaela Westlake
Mikaela is aÌýPhD student in the field of tissue engineering for breast cancer research. She completed undergraduate degrees in applied and computational mathematics and medical engineering at QUT. Through undergrad, she was particularly interested in mathematical modelling biological systems, especially cancer disease progression and treatment, participating in many research programs including one through ½ñÈÕ³Ô¹Ï! Although her PhD is biomedical engineering, she love’s to find ways to incorporate the skills and concepts she learnt during her maths undergrad, especially in-depth problem solving but most importantly, patience and perseverance. Mikaela believes that mathematics isÌýan unrepresentedÌýfield despite contributing valuable information and understanding to the world around us. She wishes to see more young people, especially women, giving it a go and appreciate the importance of mathematics and its impacts.
Elizabeth Bradford
Liz is a lecturer in Mathematical Sciences at the University of South Australia (UniSA). Since 2018, she has taught a wide range of topics in mathematical sciences.
Known for her inclusive and enthusiastic teaching style, Liz fosters a supportive learning environment that enhances students’ attitudes towards mathematics and deepens their understanding of its purpose. Liz earned her undergraduate degree with honours at UniSA and is currently pursuing her PhD in analytic perturbation theory.
Geetika Verma
Geetika Verma is a Mathematics lecturer at RMIT University. Holding a Ph.D. in Mathematics, Geet has a passion for helping students develop a deep understanding of mathematical principles. Beyond the classroom, Geet is actively involved in mathematical research, academic conferences and community activities contributing to the advancement of mathematical knowledge. With a commitment to fostering a supportive learning environment, Geet strives to inspire students to appreciate the beauty and relevance of mathematics in the world around them.
