Meet our scholars
Get to know the everyday Aussies bringing big ideas to life.
Mieka Garbutt
Young Technologists
2025
Murdoch University
Western Australia
Focus are
Thriving tech sector
About me
With the Westpac network and the opportunities it provides, I want to improve the overall watching and listening experience of moviegoers, as a Sound and Screen Production student. The practice of going to the cinema has decreased significantly since COVID-19, and I want to utilise modern filmmaking technology to augment Australia's current movie production; to bring back a golden age of cinema. I grew up watching DVDs from the 80s and 90s, and now spend the majority of my free time finding and watching vintage movies from even earlier years. Watching all of these movies has given me inspiration for how I want to eventually create films when I enter the field, as well as ideas on how to put Australia — specifically Western Australia — on the map when it comes to our technology and creativity.
"My goal with this scholarship is to bring attention to underappreciated areas of creative technology — sound design and editing. I will be able to build a network of mentors and use my influence to encourage more people into the filmmaking industry; I'm most excited to have the chance to connect with like-minded people across Australia to embrace different perspectives."
My passions
- Movie production
- Languages and learning
- Reading
- Creative writing
- Trivia