A USC Mechanical Engineering Honours student has won a prestigious scholarship to see nuclear science in action at a leading Australian research facility.

Sophie Tran will fly to Sydney on Monday 17 July after earning a place in the week-long Winter School at the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE).

The AINSE Winter School offers one place per member university to a senior undergraduate student interested in the use of nuclear techniques across a range of disciplines, from biology to nanotechnology.

Sophie said she was eager to see first-hand the activities and facilities at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation at Lucas Heights, south of Sydney.

“I’ll get to tour the labs, attend lectures and experiments, listen to guest speakers and network with their researchers and students from around the country,” she said.

“I’ve dabbled in different types of engineering and avionics. I’m hoping to gain more knowledge about how a career could combine engineering and nuclear science.”

Sophie, a Tullawong State High School graduate from the Moreton Bay region, was a founding member and now president of the USC Engineering Students’ Association.

“I really wanted to foster a sense of belonging and identity among the engineering student community, and our association has been empowering for me, building my confidence,” she said.

She is also on the USC Student Representative Council and a STEM student leader, visiting high schools to talk to Year 7s about Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths subjects.

“My USC degree has been a great journey, offering plenty of ways to learn and grow, with the support of lecturers like Dr Selvan Pather. The AINSE Winter School is another chance to broaden my horizons.”

Thousands of prospective students are expected to check out the range of degrees on offer at USC's Open Day at the Sippy Downs campus on Sunday 23 July.

— Julie Schomberg