A young Glenbrook student has been awarded a scholarship worth $12,700 given by Westpac to promising young technologists.
Thomas Moore, whose family owns Moore and Sons Butchery in Springwood, is studying advanced mathematics at the University of Wollongong.
Thomas, 18, will major in pure mathematics, which he said is "about dealing with math for the fun and beauty of it".
Thomas struggled with maths initially during his time at Nepean Christian School in Mulgoa and admitted mucking around in class because he hadn't grasped basic concepts.
But then, "as I embarked on my senior years at school I was focussed on making up for lost time. I loved the world of patterns and numbers and immersed myself in my maths studies. Maths is so beautiful. And the maths I see and know now, I love."
He has been doing some tutoring and working weekends to support himself so the scholarship money will come in very handy.
But the other thing about the scholarship that excites him is it offers him chances to meet others in the industry at various events.
" I'm excited about exploring more of how the skills I'm developing at UOW can be applied in real life contexts and speaking with others about their journey in the field of math.
"The scholarship also includes an international learning experience in Singapore which is such an amazing opportunity to see how maths and technology is advancing in other contexts."
Thomas is unsure what the future may bring but said the scholarship has given him connections for career inspiration that he wouldn't otherwise have access to.
"As I delve further into my studies I feel like maths is underneath so much of the world as it is today. I am excited about how many applications and avenues can utilise the concepts we are exploring. My dream would be to keep pushing the limits of my maths understanding in a way that brings positive change. But right now I don't know exactly where that will be."
Thomas is now living in Wollongong for weekday studies and returning to Glenbrook on weekends to see his family, girlfriend and two dogs.
Another scholarship recipient grew up in the Mountains though now lives in Western Australia.
Emma Wilson, aged 18, spent the first 12 years of her life in Mt Riverview, attending Mt Riverview Public School before her family moved west.
She is studying a Bachelor of Information Technology at Murdoch University, with a double major in AI and cyber security.
"I have always loved technology, and have been using programming languages since I was eight years old," she said. "There is also much growth and opportunity for advancement in both of my chosen fields, which is incredibly exciting. They are also both quite technical and complex - I have always loved a challenge, so AI and cyber security will definitely provide me that challenge."
Emma said eventually she wants to be able to establish a company that provides cyber security resources to the public.
"Especially elderly people and those who live in regional or remote areas. There is an extreme lack of education in Australian society of what it really means to be safe online and so I strive to supply these resources to Australian people, beyond the repetitive over-use of 'don't share your password'."
