Dr. Venus Leopardas' inspiring journey during her Career Development Placement took place from September 18-29, 2023. Dr. Leopardas was one of eight Filipinas in Cohort 2 of the prestigious Meryl Williams Fellowship (MWF), fully funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and delivered in collaboration with Gender Equity in Agriculture Research and Development (GEAReD), the University of New England, and Coffey International. 

The MWF program offers an exceptional opportunity for women leading in agricultural research to nurture their expertise, enhance project management skills, and establish collaborations with Australian-based scientists and researchers. Dr. Leopardas embarked on this journey with a focus on sea cucumber research and a desire to expand her horizons in the field. 

Dr. Josephine N. Nocillado, a Filipina Research Fellow of the Centre for Bioinnovation taught Dr. Venus Leopardas about the hormone they discovered that can induce spawning of white teatfish Holothuria fuscogilva. 

Professor Abigail Elizur, Director of the Centre for Bioinnovation at the University of Sunshine Coast, also served as Dr. Leopardas's supervisor during her career development placement at UniSC, provided valuable consultation for preparing a concept note on diversifying sea cucumber culture for sustainable fisheries. 

During her placement, Dr. Leopardas engaged in a series of enriching activities. She discussed her target sea cucumber proposal and explored potential funding agencies. She also visited laboratories and consulted with her MWF mentor, Dr. Annette Menez. She also attended seminars on topics such as marine benthic fauna pheromones and the production of phytoplankton species for future biotechnology products. They also collected Holothuria leucospilota from the Sunshine Coast. She then presented the final concept note and discussed future collaboration.

Dr. Venus Leopardas' journey is a testament to the value of professional development opportunities like the Meryl Williams Fellowship in fostering research excellence and global collaborations. We look forward to her continued success in the field of agricultural research.

If you’re interested to join the next round and/or access other related opportunities, you may visit https://www.geared.global/become-a-fellow or at https://www.aciar.gov.au/fellowships/meryl-williams-fellowship.