UTAS Education student, Michelle Somerton, received the 'Student Highly Commended' award at last week's Trailblazer competition. Michelle's research project is about research-based reading comprehension and the potential for developing a mobile device application to aid reading comprehension.
Trailblazer is an ideas competition for university staff and students across Australia. Trailblazer identifies and rewards original and innovative ideas which have the potential to benefit the community, industry or business and generate a financial return.
Michelle was absolutely thrilled that her pitch was so well received by the judging panel.
She said, “The Trailblazer experience has provided me with the opportunity to view my research from a completely different perspective. I had never considered any commercial aspect to my study as my focus is really on the research itself and the benefits it may have to learning.”
“I think for most people the research journey is in a lot of ways quite solitary, so to have an opportunity to present my project to a panel of research experts and have it received so positively reinforces the importance of what research is all about.”
“Going through the application and presentation process helped personally in building up my own confidence in the area of communicating and presenting my ideas which are aspects of my research that I need to develop.”
“This has been such a positive experience for me. I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity to do this research and Trailblazer has just strengthened my self-belief and resolve to see my research fulfill its potential.”
Michelle is from Wynyard in North West Tasmania. She decided to return to study after 25 years in the work force. Michelle completed her UTAS Bachelor of Education with Honours in December 2011 and has commenced her PHD with the UTAS Faculty of Education under an Elite Scholarship in March 2012.
Michelle Somerton can be contacted through the UTAS Faculty of Education.
Image: Michelle Somerton