The University of Tasmania has launched a new research scholarship to honour one of its most distinguished alumni, melanoma researcher Professor Richard Scolyer AO.
The Professor Richard Scolyer AO Research Innovation HDR Scholarship was officially unveiled earlier this month at a ceremony in Hobart, attended by Professor Scolyer, along with his family and friends.
The scholarship will provide $10,000 each year to help medical research students throughout their higher degree studies.
“The University of Tasmania is extremely proud to establish a scholarship in Professor Scolyer’s name,” said Vice-Chancellor Professor Rufus Black.
“The scholarship reflects Richard’s dedication and innovation in the field of medical research, which has helped countless individuals and communities locally and beyond.”
Professor Scolyer, who grew up in Launceston and went to Riverside High School, completed his medical degrees at UTAS before specialising in pathology in Sydney.
Together with Professor Georgina Long AO, Co-Director of the Melanoma Institute Australia and joint 2024 Australian of the Year, Professor Scolyer’s research has transformed melanoma treatment for thousands of patients worldwide.
The pair pioneered groundbreaking immunotherapy approaches that have revolutionised melanoma care.
Their work took on deeply personal significance in 2023, when Professor Scolyer was diagnosed with aggressive, incurable brain cancer.
At Professor Long’s suggestion, they drew on their melanoma immunotherapy expertise to guide his brain cancer treatment.
While his cancer has since returned, Professor Scolyer continues to share insights from his experience and remains committed to melanoma research.
“It is Richard’s life and his life’s work that has provided the model for this scholarship,” Professor Black said.
“Inspired by Richard’s story, the scholarship supports the next generation of medical researchers who will continue to push boundaries and drive innovation to ensure better health care for all.”
The scholarship will be open to all current and commencing UTAS Health Higher Degree Research students, with the first recipient expected to start in 2026.
The funding aims to ease financial pressures so PhD candidates can focus fully on their research.
