Recent graduate Amy Corsini of Westonia and final year student Lachlan Hunter of Bruce Rock along with 24 of WA’s brightest science minds were chosen among 87 applicants for the PICSE scholarship.

PICSE is a national model of collaboration among universities, their regional communities, national businesses and local primary industries that attracts students into tertiary science and increases the pool of skilled professionals in science based primary industries and research institutions.

It develops and fosters relationships and direct involvement of primary industry at both the national and regional level, which is key to providing science teachers and students with quality and relevant information on primary industry science based career opportunities.

Amy completed her industry placement camp with Landmark Merredin and Lachlan attended his placement at InterGrain in South Perth.

Lachlan said the scholarship and industry placement camp was an excellent program and had an encouraging influence on young rural people.

“For as long as I can remember I’ve known what I wanted to do with my life,” he said.

“Science has always been a passion of mine and agriculture in particular has interested me for some time.

“Dedicating my life to improving the lives of others is very appealing to me.

“Agriculture is so diverse and PICSE and InterGrain has taught me what I want to choose as a career path in the agricultural science sector and that is to become a plant breeder.

“By working in this industry for a week it has encouraged me to unearth creative solutions to challenges.

“These will allow me to succeed in diverse situations in the near future with my study. “Coming from a farming family it has enlightened me that where all the breeds of barley and wheat that we grow on our farms come from and educating me about the link in the chain I never knew about.