The Andy Thomas Space Foundation Education Fund 2021
In 2021, the inaugural year of the Education Fund, scholarships, awards and prizes to a value of $238,000 were provided to students and schools across Australia. Over 20 students and 18 schools benefitted from opportunities to increase their space knowledge, expand their interests and add to Australia’s
space research knowledge, supporting the growth of the Australian space industry.
Scholarships and Awards
The Foundation offered seven programs of scholarships, awards and prizes under the following programs.
Program 1 – The Andy Thomas Space Foundation EOS Space Systems Research Awards
- 3 prizes of $10,000 each (sponsored by EOS Space Systems). For Australian researchers or doctoral candidates for the best research project proposals in specified space technology fields.
Program 2 – The Andy Thomas Space Foundation Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program Scholarships
- 2 full scholarships to a value of $18,000. For Australian citizens and permanent residents. Applications were received from graduates and senior undergraduates to attend the five-week on-line International Space University/University of South Australia Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program in January and February 2022.
Program 3 – The Andy Thomas Space Foundation Graduate Scholarships in Space
- 3 scholarships of $10,000 each*. For Australian citizens and permanent residents. Applications will be received from graduates to attend an honours or masters program in a space-related field of research.
* One scholarship funded jointly with the United Nations Association of Australia (SA Division). We thank UNAASA for its generous support.
Program 4 – The Andy Thomas Space Foundation/University of Melbourne SpIRIT Satellite Internship Prizes
- 5 prizes of $6000 each. For Australian citizens and permanent residents. Applications were received from undergraduate and graduate students in space disciplines. The prize winners also received offers of internships hosted by space companies involved in the SpIRIT project.
Program 5 – The Andy Thomas Space Foundation Schools Challenge
- 9 prizes of $5,000 each. For South Australian schools for projects involving students and teachers in years 7, 8 or 9 on the importance of space in addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Prizes included school visits to the Australian Space Discovery Centre at Lot Fourteen in Adelaide.
Program 6 – The Andy Thomas Space Foundation/Makers Empire Primary Schools Project
- Funded by the Andy Thomas Space Foundation, innovative Adelaide-based
IT company Makers Empire delivered a space-themed version of its 3D design curriculum for teachers from nine primary schools in South Australia in a pilot program in 2021. - The program focussed on teacher development of classroom-based STEM learning.
Program 7 – The Andy Thomas Space Foundation/Playford Trust Undergraduate Scholarships
- Six scholarships of $5000 each, funded jointly by the Andy Thomas Space Foundation, the Playford Trust and the University of Adelaide
- For high achieving Year 12 students enrolling to study aerospace engineering at the University of Adelaide in 2022.