Murrumburrah High School (MHS) Year 11 student, Keegan Morton-Manwaring, has been awarded the prestigious Victor Chang Institute Award for 2015. The award was established by the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute to recognise the efforts and achievements of Australian school students, and to be eligible, students must be the highest achieving Year 11 student in an area of science.
Keegan has chosen a Science/Agriculture-focussed load, studying Biology, Agriculture, Maths and Primary Industries, as well as completing a school-based-traineeship in Agriculture. She performs at an extremely high level in her chosen subjects, whilst also participating in a variety of extra-curricular activities. Keegan was among 35 recipients from various high schools in the Riverina who travelled to a ceremony at Junee High School to be presented with their award by Dr Romaric Bouveret.
Dr Bouveret is a French Biologist who worked extensively in research around the world before joining the Institute. In his address, Dr Bouveret described how one of the most significant discoveries made by scientists at the Institute is in the storage of fresh hearts for transplant. Thanks to the Victor Chang Institute, a heart can now be kept fresh for 14 hours, rather than just 4 and can then be transported to anywhere in the world. All recipients of the award have been invited to Sydney to tour the Victor Chang Cardiac Institute, meet the research scientists and observe them at work.
Keegan has accepted the offer and will travel with her grandfather to learn first-hand about the Institute’s important research, as well as discuss how to build a career in science.
