Carolyn Dancevic has always been interested in learning more about illness and disease.
The third-year PhD student at Deakin University is studying medical research, an interest that developed when she was a child after members of her family developed cancer.
“I was always interested in how and why it happened,” Ms Dancevic said.
“My mum had thyroid cancer and I wanted to know why she got it.”
Once her thesis is complete, Ms Dancevic, 25, hopes to study in medicine so she can help people like her mum.
To help her cover the cost of her ongoing studies, lecturers at Deakin University are supporting Ms Dancevic’s nomination for a Victorian young achiever of the year award.
The Werribee resident is nominated in the career kick-start category and hopes the $2000 prizemoney, should she win it, will help buy study materials.
“The award will definitely help with my future,” she said. “I don’t know if I have any chance of winning it, but I thought I’d just go for it and see if it works out.”
During her time at Deakin, Ms Dancevic has travelled to Cleveland to speak at an American Society for Matrix Biology conference in front of distinguished scientists and has had two articles published.
She said having her research published was one of her best achievements.
The award winners will be announced on May 1.
