Exploring Cultures in Research

by Gabriel Pereira
School of Arts and Social Sciences

1. Tell us about this scholarship.

The Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship provides a one hundred per cent tuition fee waiver and a monthly stipend.

2. Why did you apply for this scholarship?

I applied for this scholarship because it would greatly help my parents financially by allowing me to complete my education with a minimal financial burden. The scholarship also requires me to be a teaching assistant to justify the monthly stipend, providing me with invaluable experience when I progress into the workplace.

3. How did you choose your planned program of study?

While completing the Honours program at Monash University Malaysia, I realised that my research interests lie in ethnic and racial studies. In Malaysia, we are exposed to many enriching cultures and the challenges of life in a multicultural society, especially for minorities, a pattern we see elsewhere. This greatly influenced my program of study as I want to listen to the narratives of others to understand their lived realities and perspectives of the societies they inhabit and the obstacles they face.

4. What do you hope to gain from the Monash experience?

I hope to gain solid research training and network with my peers and lecturers to learn from them and grow personally and professionally.

5. How has the scholarship assisted you?

The scholarship has assisted me by enabling me to complete my education without worrying about tuition fees and providing me with a degree of independence via the monthly stipend.