Scholarship helps PhD researcher turn passion into industry impact

The sheep Rebecca Farnell grew up with on the family farm were affectionately known as the family's four-foot lawn mowers. Today, they're also part of the inspiration behind research that could help sheep producers better manage parasite risks and outbreaks.

The Federation University PhD researcher has long been passionate about animal health and science, but her work isn't confined to laboratories and journal articles. Instead, it's grounded in the paddocks and working farms she has known all her life, keeping her closely connected to the animals and communities her research aims to support.

“We've had sheep for as long as I can remember," she said.

"My dad called them the four-foot lawn mowers – we still have them and I'm very hands-on with them now, so my research and home life connect really well."

That connection between lived experience and scientific discovery has been a defining feature of Rebecca's journey at Federation University — one that was strengthened during her honours year through the support of the Thom Nugent Memorial Scholarship.

At the time, her research focused on equine immunology and a hormone disorder affecting horses.

“I've loved horses for as long as I can remember. I started riding when I was about three years old and I've had my own horses since I was 10.”

Her honours research examined pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, an endocrine disease that affects horses. But when it came time to begin her PhD, another long-held interest steered her in a different direction.

“I've always had an interest in parasitology so after talking with my supervisor, we started looking at opportunities in sheep research and it just made a lot of sense for me.”

The scholarship provided practical support at a critical point in her studies.

“The biggest thing was being able to buy a reliable laptop. My old one barely worked so trying to write an honours thesis on it would have been a nightmare, she said

“I still use the laptop today, so it was a really worthwhile investment.”

The funding also allowed her to attend her first major research conference in Darwin.

“Being able to present my research in front of a large audience and meet people working in the field was a fantastic experience and it’s something that I wouldn’t have been able to do without the support,” she said.

“It helped build connections that are still important to me now.”

The impact of Rebecca's research was highlighted recently when she won the LambEx26 Coles Trailblazers competition, earning national recognition for her proposed WormRisk platform, which aims to give sheep producers real-time information about parasite risks and outbreaks.

Rebecca is exploring a range of future career pathways, from working directly with livestock producers to teaching and research commercialisation. She is also determined to stay connected to the people and industries her work supports.

“I want to stay involved with the research and the people it helps — that’s what really motivates me.”

At the Federation University Foundation scholarship event, Rebecca also met Thom's parents, veterinarian Dr Diane Gibney and James Nugent.

“When she told me she was a vet, I thought, ‘No way, I’m in the vet research field too’,” Rebecca said.

“We got along really well.”

The connection was fitting. While Rebecca's work focuses on improving animal health, Dr Gibney has spent a lifetime caring for animals through her veterinary career. Both share an appreciation of how education can change lives.

For Dr Gibney and Mr Nugent, providing the scholarship is important for two key reasons.

The first is to honour their son. The second is to create opportunities for students like Rebecca.

A passionate science student, Thom began studying a Bachelor of Science at Federation University's Mt Helen campus in 2014.

His interests centred on chemistry and biology reflecting his curiosity about the natural world. An outstanding student, he was recognised through membership of the Golden Key International Honour Society. Yet academia was only one part of university life.

“University wasn't just about studying for Thom, it was about being part of the campus community,” Dr Gibney said.

Even while undergoing treatment for a brain tumour, Thom immersed himself in university life, joining clubs, exploring new interests and building friendships across campus.

After his death in 2016 at the age of 26, Dr Gibney discovered how significant his impact had been.

Through the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME), Thom dedicated countless hours to supporting Indigenous students and helping them pursue educational opportunities.

“I didn't realise how much work he was doing until after he passed away,” she said.

People began approaching her with stories.

One young woman told Dr Gibney she had planned to leave university after becoming pregnant because she didn't think she could continue her studies.

“Thom supported her and encouraged her to stay. She ended up finishing her degree.”

Others recalled the time he spent helping them academically, often tutoring classmates who were struggling and quietly supporting people who needed encouragement.

“I don't think his main focus was ever simply his degree,” Dr Gibney said.

“He genuinely loved being at university.”

His enthusiasm extended beyond the classroom. During holidays he volunteered his time helping in university research laboratories simply because he enjoyed learning and contributing.

“The scholarship is as much about honouring Thom and his contribution to the university as it is about helping students,” Dr Gibney said.

The desire to support students also reflects Dr Gibney's own experience of higher education.

She studied veterinary science during the 1970s, as part of one of the first cohorts in which women made up almost half the class — a remarkable shift at a time when only a handful of women typically studied the discipline.

More importantly, she saw firsthand how university transformed lives.

Many of the friends she met as students were the first people in their families to attend university. The opportunities education provided changed career paths, opened professional doors and altered futures.

“It completely changed our lives in ways previous generations in our families had never experienced.”

Those opportunities, she believes, are becoming increasingly difficult to access as students face growing financial pressures.

“What we're doing through this scholarship might help students cope a little bit better,” she said.

“It might mean they don't have to work so many hours in a part-time job. It might take some pressure off and allow them to focus on their studies.”

Dr Gibney understands better than most the sacrifices that often accompany university study. Her own mother took on a job so she could pay for her daughter’s accommodation.

“She told me she would rather support me financially than see me trying to juggle full-time work and study at the same time.”

“That's why, for me, this scholarship is about giving back,” she said.

For Rebecca, that support has allowed her to build the confidence and skills to build a research career.

For Dr Gibney, it's proof the scholarship is achieving what it was established to do — honouring Thom's legacy while helping the next generation create their own.