Sydney, Monday 24 March, 2025
Social enterprise Franklin Women is pleased to announce the round 1 recipients of its 2025 Carer’s Scholarship. This innovative initiative is designed to increase the career participation of women within the health and medical research ecosystem by alleviating financial and logistical barriers associated with caregiving.
Delivered in partnership with Sydney Local Health District, the Franklin Women Carer’s Scholarship recognises the impact that unpaid caring responsibilities have on an individual’s ability to fully participate in career-enhancing opportunities. This is particularly relevant for women who are still more often to assume unpaid caring responsibilities whether it be for children, a family member with a disability or illness, or elderly parents.
Four scholarships have been awarded in the first round of 2025, investing in the careers of women working across a range of health-related research areas, including magnetic resonance imaging, physiotherapy for children with disabilities, cerebral palsy and perinatal care.
The four recipients are:
- Samia Aziz, Burnet Institute and Monash University
- Dr Saskia Bollmann, University of Queensland
- Karen Graham, University of Queensland
- Dr Ingrid Honan, Cerebral Palsy Alliance & The University of Sydney
For Dr Ingrid Honan, Senior Research Fellow and Psychologist at the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Institute and primary carer for her three young children, receiving the scholarship will allow her husband and infant to join her when she presents at the European Academy of Childhood Disability conference in June 2025.
“This scholarship is a fantastic opportunity for women with caring responsibilities. It is very validating to have an organisation like Franklin Women recognise the extra burden and costs associated with having a family and a career as a young woman. I am incredibly grateful for both the financial support and the validation that receiving this scholarship has afforded me,” said Dr. Honan.
Another recipient, PhD student Karen Graham commented,
“With the support of Franklin Women, I will be going to Germany to present the first two papers for my PhD at a conference and my husband will be coming to look after our children while I’m there. I am thankful that there is such a wonderful organisation that supports women in research and acknowledges the diversity of roles that women have in society.”
Now in its tenth year, more than $50 000 has been awarded through this scholarship, made possible by funds raised directly through Franklin Women individual members as well as generous contributions from the Sydney Local Health District.
Reflecting on the scholarship’s impact, Dr. Melina Georgousakis, Founder of Franklin Women, said,
““The scholarship is a prime example of collective impact, made possible by the ongoing support of the Franklin Women community. With a proportion of each individual membership contributing to this initiative, we are able to continue supporting more individuals and ensure its long-term sustainability.”
Applications for round 2 of the 2025 Carer’s Scholarship are now open. Franklin Women encourages individuals across the health and medical research ecosystem—regardless of career stage or gender identity—who are primary caregivers to apply.
Franklin Women
Franklin Women is Australia’s only professional community dedicated to supporting the careers of women working across the health and medical research ecosystem.
Learn more and become a member
Sydney Local Health District
Sydney Local District is responsible for the health and wellbeing of more than 740,000 people living, working or studying in the centre and inner west of Sydney, as well as many more from rural and remote parts of NSW and Australia.