Congratulations to our 2026 Crawford Fund Conference scholars
June 24, 2026
The Crawford Fund for Food Security is very proud to announce today the 39 Annual Conference scholarship winners from universities and organisations across Australia.
The Conference Scholar Program is a unique learning, networking and mentoring opportunity for young students and scientists with a genuine interest in international agricultural research and development.
The Scholar Program is an integral component of our ‘nextgen’ activities to encourage students and early career researchers in their study, careers and volunteering in agriculture for development.
The Crawford Fund has been supporting the next generation of Australians with an interest in food and nutrition security and agricultural science and development to attend our annual conference and special Scholars’ Days activities through our Conference Scholar Program for 16 years. This year’s group takes the total scholar cohort to around 525 since the program commenced in 2010.
With a keen interest in learning more about international agricultural research, these dynamic and enthusiastic recipients come from degrees and work areas involving food security, agricultural development, regional stability, food technology, rural development, food security policy, veterinary science, communication, plant pathology, aquaculture, climate change, honey bee breeding, economics, soil health, grain research, gender, food systems, crop genetics and more!
Interest in these highly regarded scholarships continues to grow with fantastic feedback received year after year from the scholars, their supporters and conference attendees. Our past scholars have found this conference scholarship experience to be both personally rewarding and professionally valuable. You can read the reflections of our 2025 cohort here.
A key component of the success of the scholar program is matching the scholars with a dedicated and experienced mentor who helps them make relevant and interesting connections at the event and shares experiences of benefit to the scholar’s research and career.
We are so pleased to find that many scholars pursue careers working on developing country projects, or as volunteers in our own or other overseas projects.
Special Thanks
Thirty-six recipients are being supported by the Crawford Fund’s Committees, with a further three scholars funded by external Scholar Sponsors, acknowledged on our website.
The Fund also thanks those individuals who are making donations to our scholar program as they register for our conference. They will be listed here as they donate.
Once again, we are lucky to have members of the Researchers in Agriculture for International Development (RAID) Network to help run the scholarship activities on 10 and 12 August, and a special thank you to them all, especially Krishna Chaitanya Alamuru, Bridget Mullany, Megan Williams and Sue Faulkner.
And another special thank you to those who have put up their hand this year to mentor one of the scholars! If you haven’t yet registered for the conference and would like to be considered as a mentor to a scholar, please make sure you ‘tick the box’ to do so. You will be needed in Canberra by 12pm on Monday, 11 August and be on hand for your scholar through to 5pm on Tuesday, 12 August. Not sure? Contact [email protected] or [email protected]
Drum Roll..
The successful 2026 Crawford Fund scholar recipients are listed below, under the Crawford Fund Committee or other institution supporting their involvement:
WITH CRAWFORD FUND SUPPORT…
ACT Committee
Mary Higgins, Australian National University / The Australian Himalayan Foundation
Anggun Dwi Puspitoasih, Australian National University / World Food Forum Australia Youth Chapter
NSW Committee
Tahnee Chandler, University of New South Wales
Isobel Clift, University of Sydney
Elisa Dalla Rosa, Southern Cross University
Jessica Deurinck, Southern Cross University
Arthur Doyle, Griffith University
Madison Isemonger, University of Sydney / BioScout
Seyyed Hamid Sadati, Southern Cross University
Chenxiang Zhang, University of New South Wales
NT Committee
Adam Moloney, Charles Darwin University
Sangay Dendup, Charles Darwin University
QLD Committee
Hannah Churton, Queensland University of Technology
Amalya Harding, University of the Sunshine Coast
Benedetta Longoni, James Cook University
Thi Mai Huong Tran, University of the Sunshine Coast
SA Committee
(Elijah) Zhaohan Luo, Adelaide University / Minnipa Agricultural Centre
Saru Maharjan, Adelaide University
Austin Redden, Adelaide University
TAS Committee
Edward Golding, University of Tasmania
Ellen O’Brien, University of Tasmania
Jan de Kock, University of Tasmania
Zoe Witkowski, University of Tasmania / TAS Department for Education, Children and Young People
Amara Steven, University of Tasmania
Abu Bakar Siddique, University of Tasmania
Adelaide Robertson, Pathway Nutrition
VIC Committee
Sofiya Muniyasamy, La Trobe University
Lawrence Outridge, University of Melbourne
Anshul Phaugat, ARC Centre of Excellence Plants for Space, La Trobe University
Madina Rassulova, University of Melbourne / City of Greater Bendigo
WA Committee
Cassandra (Cassie) Howell, Grower Group Alliance
Bayan Yazdani, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Gayathri Rathnayake, Murdoch University
Md Reaz Chaklader, WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
James O’Connor, University of Western Australia
Laxmi Ghimire, Curtin University
WITH EXTERNAL SUPPORT…
AARES
Ramhari Timalsina, Australian National University
Gardiner Foundation
Rohan Kumar Suresh Kumar, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Alex Wood, University of Melbourne / World Food Forum Australia Youth Chapter
