LUNCHEON - 18TH MARCH 2015

2015 Young Achiever Awards with Victorian Governor ,The Honorable Alex Chernov AC QC

Chairperson Robert Fisher

The Rotary Club of Melbourne Young Achiever Awards reflect vocational excellence and outstanding community service for Young folk between the ages 18-26. Vocational excellence can be demonstrated through academic or vocational education, business, sport or the Arts. Leadership capabilities and broad interests are also common features of future leaders.

Michael Keem: Medicine, student leadership, domestic and international community service.

Michael is a student in the University of Melbourne’s new Doctor of Medicine course. He maintained a first-class honours average across all three of his undergraduate years reading for the Bachelor of Biomedicine at the University of Melbourne. He held a Commonwealth National Accommodation Scholarship during his undergraduate degree, was recognised as a Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholar, and has been awarded a major residential scholarship every year of his residency at Newman College (2009 onward).

Erica Tucceri: Music and mentoring Sudanese refugees.

Erica is a young Melbourne-based flautist and composer.  Graduating with an Honours Degree in Music Performance (Orchestral) at the VCA in 2011, Erica returned for further study and completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts, specialising in Contemporary Music and Improvisation. Erica worked closely with staff at The Music Place to develop a prototype electric flute, a unique sounding instrument which she now plays in conjunction with various acoustic flutes.  Erica also has an interest in extended techniques and contemporary electronic music. Recently the recipient of the Lionel Gell Foundation Scholarship for Improvisation, and the Orloff Family Charitable Trust Scholarship, Erica was awarded first place in the open solo section of the 2011 Leslie Barklamb Scholarship, also winning awards as part of the Tango quartet Muchas Notas

Jason Brouwer: Scientific Research and Aboriginal education.

Jason is a PhD candidate of the University of Melbourne, currently doing his research in the Division of Structural Biology at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Medical Research. He completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science at Deakin University, majoring in cell and molecular biology, and in 2010 graduated with a first class Honours in Biomedical Science from Monash University. He was granted an Australian Post-graduate Award from the Australian Government in 2012 and opted to pursue a PhD at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI). Jason's research focuses on understanding how cells are programmed to die, a natural process in every organism when it needs to remove unwanted cells, such as infected or cancer cells. Using the Australian Synchrotron beam lines, Jason and colleagues discovered the 3D structure of a key cell death protein providing insights into the design of new drugs to treat diseases such as cancer and degenerative disorders.