‘It raised my gaze’: Indigo Strudwicke on what it’s like to apply for a Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship

When science communicator and researcher Indigo Strudwicke applied for a Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship, she was compelled to think in a way she hadn’t before. Although challenging, she says it was the most rewarding part of the process.

 

At school, Indigo Strudwicke never contemplated a career in science, instead gravitating towards the creative arts, writing and drama.

 

Yet fast forward to today, Strudwicke is part way through her science-based PhD, after earning a chemistry degree, winning the Australian National University’s 2021 University Medal for research into global science discourse, and working as a policy analyst at the Australian Academy of Science.

 

“I had identified more with humanities but also did well in chemistry, and ultimately took a pragmatic approach and prioritised science,” she says.

 

“But I’m not surprised that I’ve come back to thinking about science with a ‘story-centred’ approach.”  

 

Strudwicke explains that she’s combined both interests by becoming a science communicator, and her PhD research – which she’s pursuing through the Centre for the Public Awareness of Science at ANU – has homed in on the interface of science, society and policy.

 

"I'm interested in how we can strengthen policy making that uses scientific evidence, that’s better informed by all relevant social and economic factors, so it leads to better public outcomes," she explains.    

 

While still in the early days of her career, Strudwicke had a major professional win last year, which she says was made possible though the Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship awarded to her in 2023. The funding supported her to attend a scientific conference in The Netherlands, after which she was invited to co-author an International Science Council report.  

 

“It was a real pinch me moment,” she says. “The other authors were very advanced in their careers, and I was able to contribute to the thinking, development and writing of the report. It was a great thing to come out quite early in my PhD, and it was the scholarship that allowed me to say yes to the opportunity." 

 

Thinking bigger

When Strudwicke applied for the Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship, the most valuable aspect of the process was being compelled to “think bigger”, she says.

 

“You are asked to consider what difference you want to make, what positive impact you want to have, if you're doing a PhD, where do you want to take it to benefit Australia – and I hadn't spent time thinking deeply about those questions before,” she reflects.  

 

“It truly made me raise my gaze to bigger things.”

 

That’s been backed up since earning the scholarship, both through the leadership programs offered and new connections she’s made. “It really helps to build your belief that you could be someone that has a bigger impact, while also recognising that we’re all humans with regular struggles; that we're not ‘super people’ but we can do super things.”  

 

Unexpected care

Strudwicke says some people who knew she was going for the scholarship were initially cynical about the program’s intent given it was attached to “a big bank logo”. 

 

“They assumed that I’d have to be moulded into a particular type of leader or trained to talk in a way to fit the bank’s style guide,” she says.  

 

“But there’s just none of that. In fact, it’s the opposite. It is such a genuine program. 

 

“The Westpac Scholars team have created a culture where I feel I can be my whole self, based on them genuinely caring about me as a person. You can often be fearful stepping into something like this that there's going to be a lot of pressure. But in this program, it’s not about pressure, it’s about expectation and support; it's not top down, it is lifting up.”  

 

Allow ‘seeping in’ time

Before she submitted her application, Strudwicke had asked friends, also Westpac Future Leaders Scholars, to read over it – and their advice led her to a redraft.

 

“I’d listed my achievements and interests, but my friend had said you need to talk about why,” she recalls.

 

“Why do you do or like these things? What draws you to them? What are your motivations? I needed to be more reflective about my intentions and that was the most challenging part of the application for me.” 

 

Her advice to aspiring applicants is to “be brave” and seek multiple people’s feedback and allow time for self-reflection to “seep in”. “It’s a difficult process, but it’s really rewarding.”  

 

Positive framing is critical  

Strudwicke’s top tip for aspiring Westpac Future Leaders Scholars?

 

“View the application process itself as a valuable endeavour, regardless of the outcome,” she counsels.  

 

“Framing it that way puts you in a better space to be more successful and also means that, no matter what happens, you get something really valuable from the process,” she says. 

 

Applications are now open for the Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship. Find out how you could receive up to $120,000 to support your studies or research at one of nine universities across Australia while gaining access to bespoke leadership and mentoring opportunities. 

 

Published 18 July 2024