POF patent attorney, Dr Annabella Newton, was recently on the judging panel in the first round of the Women in Science Parkville Precinct (WiSPP) Perfect Pitch Competition. In collaboration with NAB, WiSPP launched the competition as an opportunity for scientists to deliver three minute scientific research pitches in a “shark-tank” contest.
Annabella contributed to the first stages of the competition, narrowing down the top finalists. The nail-biting final round of the competition was decided by another highly-acclaimed panel of judges, including:
- Frank McGuire – Victorian Parliamentary Secretary for Medical Research
- Caitriona Fay – National Manager for Philanthropy and Non-Profit Services
- Bridie Smith – Editor of The Age Science
- Shane Huntington – RRR Science Broadcaster
- Aneka Manners – State General Manager for nab Business.
The event also provided the opportunity to hear from industry experts on how to develop essential communication skills to promote ideas and source necessary funding.
Dr Amy Hefferman was awarded the first prize of a $2,000 NAB Travel Award for her pitch titled ‘How can we use worms to study the human brain?’. Runners up, Tané Hunter and Aparna Rao, were also recognised for their admirable efforts, receiving an award of $500.
We congratulate all finalists and winners for their unique ideas and contributions to science!