Young scientist with ties to One Arm Point wins WA Premier’s Aboriginal STEM Student of the Year award

A third-year Aboriginal medical student with family ties to One-Arm Point on the Dampier Peninsula, has been recognised among the best and brightest students in this year’s Premier’s Awards. Daniel Curran was named Aboriginal STEM Student of the Year for his inspirational work and commitment to closing the gap, including his role as the first Aboriginal tutor in the Indigenous tutorial assistance scheme. Mr Curran, pictured, who has sat on the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association student representative committee and is the First Nations representative for Curtin’s health sciences student consultative committee, said his desire was to see others follow his path into medicine. “My goal is to get the younger population and those who don’t have the opportunity into STEM studies,” he said. “Whether it be from high school working with the Dr Yes program or the enabling courses at Curtin so they can get into STEM or medicine courses.” Curtin University vice-chancellor professor Harlene Hayne said Mr Curran had paved the way for others to follow in his footsteps. “An outstanding role model for aspiring Aboriginal medical doctors who is committed to closing the gap, Daniel was the top achiever in the Indigenous pre-medicine enabling course through the Centre for Aboriginal Studies and is now in his third year of a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery at Curtin medical school,” she said. Set to complete his clinical rotation in Broome next year through the Rural Clinical School, Mr Curran has already engaged with the Kimberley community through Skype STEM lessons with One Arm Point remote community school. The winners of the Premier's Science Awards were announced at a ceremony held at WA Museum Boola Bardip during National Science Week, which ran from August 14 to 22.