A high-achieving chemistry PhD student using light to unlock new reactions is honouring family legacy and academic excellence at the Faculty of Science.
When Luca Tullio Zudich learned he had received the Dr Rex Williamson and Family Scholarship, his response was one of deep humility and gratitude. “To say that I am shocked and humbled is an understatement,” Luca shared. “It truly means the world to me to have my efforts appreciated in such a way.”
Born locally in Melbourne, Luca’s connection to the University of Melbourne began early—riding around campus with his father, dreaming of one day studying there. Though his early aspirations ranged from pilot to historian, it was a Year 11 chemistry class that sparked a lifelong passion. “Mr Wallace explained why water is a liquid at room temperature and why ice floats. That moment hooked me,” Luca recalls.
Now a PhD student in Associate Professor Anastasios Polyzos’ lab, Luca’s research deals with discovering new reactions using photochemistry, using light as a means of activating chemicals in ways not possible through traditional techniques.
Receiving the Dr Rex Williamson and Family Scholarship has had a profound impact. “This award assures me more than ever that I’ve made the right decision to devote myself so wholly to my studies,” Luca says. “Knowing that your work is recognised and applauded is something truly invaluable”.
Beyond financial support, the award has strengthened Luca’s resolve to pursue a career in research. “One day, I hope to head my own lab group and contribute in my own small way to this field which has already given me so much—though not least of all a sense of purpose and accomplishment.”
Luca’s story is also one of family and heritage: “I think of all four of my grandparents, who came to Australia from Italy with not much more than a suitcase. My Nonno Dominico always emphasised the importance of education, or ‘educaysh’ as he called it in his thick Calabrian accent, and I’m so happy I got to tell him that I was accepted in a PhD program just before he passed. My Nonno Tullio was an incredibly smart man, who was unfortunately denied a substantive education due to the war. We often said that he would have been an academic or a professor had he but been given an opportunity, and I just hope I’m carrying his legacy forward today”.
The Dr Rex Williamson and Family Scholarship is offered to talented students who have completed the Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne and are enrolling in a master's degree in Chemistry with a specialisation in Organic Chemistry.
To learn more about supporting talented science students at the University of Melbourne, please contact STEM-Advancement@unimelb.edu.au