Students share global research at Reach Conference in Toronto

University of Melbourne students shared the insights of their case studies from the Reach program at the annual Reach Conference in November, this year hosted in Toronto, Canada.

17 students participated this year, spending one week engaging in fieldwork research in Townsville, Chile and Colombia as part of the study program aligned to the University’s participation in the global research and leadership initiative, the Reach Alliance.

Case studies explored approaches to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in prison, the role of grassroots recyclers in Chile’s waste management system, and the efficacy of the Semillas de Apego program in Bogota, Colombia, which supports caregivers of young children impacted by armed conflict and forced migration.

University of Melbourne student and Reach program participant, Tully Mahr, said the opportunity to share their research with a global audience was an impactful experience.

“Hearing from a variety of visionaries and influential voices from a diverse range of interdisciplinary fields highlighted the power of data, storytelling and action in continuing to reach those who are the hardest to reach,” said Ms Mahr.

“The Reach program has taught me so much about the importance of community and social inclusion, particularly in the world of STEM.”

The University of Melbourne has sent students abroad since 2022 through the Reach program, where students examine how critical interventions can reach people who are geographically remote, marginalised or living in extreme poverty.

Participation in the Reach Alliance and this program continues to be a central to the University’s commitment to a global education experience, as outlined in Advancing Melbourne Globally.