Australian fellowships named

JAKARTA (JP): A telecommunications expert and a biologist are the Indonesian winners of this year's Australia-Indonesia Merdeka Fellowships.

Australian Ambassador John McCarthy announced the winners of the awards, set up as Australia's gift to celebrate Indonesia's 50th anniversary of independence, on Friday night.

They are Risa Bhinekawati, executive director of the Indonesian Telecommunications Society and Jon Harison Gazali, R&D manager of PT Dipasena Citra Darmaja, the world's largest prawn farm located in Lampung.

The fellowships are prestigious, mid-career awards that allow the Indonesian recipients to visit Australia study and conduct research in various fields such as the arts, law, sciences and business.

Four fellowships are awarded each year, two to Indonesians and two to Australians. They will commence on March 1.

McCarthy also announced the University of Melbourne Scholarship was being awarded to Evi A. Ismail, a Bank Universal employee.