Scholarship / Divorced parents - Statement of Financial Need - Monash University [3]

How would a scholarship from our generous alumni impact you?
In your answer describe your current financial situation and explain how the scholarship will help to support you and your family.

My parents divorced when I was ten, and my mother was given custody of my sisters and me. We lived on our own until our finances worsened, at which point we moved in with my grandparents in [City]. My father, after being laid off as an ATM custodian, also returned to his parents. Nevertheless, they were still determined to give us the best education. Unfortunately, both of them suffered significant setbacks in the early 2020s. Feeling overworked, my mother left her government job to become a private English tutor, only for the pandemic to halt her plans. Around the same time, my father remarried and took on responsibility for his new family in [City]. Sadly, an old injury resurfaced and paralyzed him from the waist down. For a while, we had no income and were living off debt and savings.

Today, my father is still unable to work. My mother fortunately gained momentum with online tutoring and became the sole provider for me, my sisters, and our grandparents. Still, we are left with a mountain of debt. Aware of our situation, I worked hard in school, hoping that academic success could bring relief to my family. That commitment led me to graduate as valedictorian and earn a scholarship that covered my high school tuition fees. Unfortunately, while the support was meaningful, it could not address our larger financial difficulties.

University has always been a goal of mine, but I know that my family could not fully support me financially. Still, I hope to pursue a bachelor's degree in Computer Science Advanced at Monash University. I have always been inquisitive about the computational world, and recent advancements in quantum computing have heightened that curiosity. As I came to understand the security threats it poses, I developed a strong desire to pursue a career as a computer scientist specializing in cybersecurity, particularly in the post-quantum field.

I understand that this degree will challenge me in many ways, but I believe that this is a necessary stepping stone towards achieving my goal. However, a degree of this magnitude would cost nearly thirty-eight years' worth of my family's current income. Receiving financial support would reduce that number of years to zero and immediately lift this burden from us. It would open many previously closed doors for me, change the course of my life, and enable me to create change for others, like my sisters. With tuition and living expenses covered, I would no longer be a financial burden, allowing my family's limited resources to be directed toward their education instead. Additionally, this scholarship would let me focus on my studies and take part in internships and extracurriculars at Monash University. These foundational experiences will lay the groundwork for building my career.

My parents have invested all they could into my future. With this scholarship, I aspire to make that investment count and bring positive changes through my career, starting with myself, my family, and eventually the world.

Faq, Help / How do I get a reply to my essay revision? [3]

I recently posted a revision to my essay in a thread. I then received this notice from a moderator (image attached). However, I can't seem to find a way to mark my thread as urgent. Is there any way to accomplish this? If not, how can I get my revised essay to be reviewed?

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Scholarship / Monash Asia Equity Scholarship - Computer Science Advanced (Honours) [2]

What positive impact do you want to have on the world?
In your answer describe your future goals and how studying at Monash University will help you achieve them. You may like to
talk about your past experiences, such as leadership roles or involvement in different communities, to explain your aspirations.

I believe that there is no one time solution for cybersecurity. Threats would constantly evolve, eroding what was once an impenetrable gate. As such, countermeasures would have to convergently evolve along with these threats.

When I read about Microsoft's Majorana 1 quantum chip, I realize that we are on the brink of a major shift in computer technology. Taking into account current trends of the industry, I foresee that in the next few years, there would be more and more breakthroughs of similar or greater magnitude in quantum computing, which will eventually lead to a major computational revolution. In addition to its auspicious aspects, there is an indubitable reality that this technology would be employed for malignance. Added to the optimization of polymorphic malware, forgery of digital signature, and unravelling of current day standard encryption algorithms, a widespread use of quantum computers will bring us to a new post-quantum era. My career goals align with this vision of an era, a future that is no longer a hypothetical scenario but something that has already been set in motion. While quantum computing technology is still in its infantile state, I plan to stay updated on the development of post-quantum cryptography as they mature and advise organizations and governments on migrating to quantum-resilient cybersecurity systems.

To lay the groundwork for these goals, I intend to pursue the Bachelor of Computer Science Advanced (Honours) program at Monash University, with a specialization in cybersecurity. I have only come to this decision after months of intensive research on which universities I think I would fit in best. In reviewing the handbook of my desired course, specifically the Cybersecurity specialization (CSCYBSEC01) under Part C: Specialist Discipline Knowledge, I was particularly interested in unit FIT3185 - Privacy Enhancing Technologies. The third point of this unit's learning outcome puts an emphasis on post-quantum cryptographic algorithms, which directly supports the kind of expertise I hope to develop.

To elaborate further, during my study, I intend to pursue a project on post-quantum secure communication protocols, particularly risk modelling for vulnerabilities, encryption methods, and their implementation in real-world systems. This will serve as the basis for more projects further down my career. Eventually, I will progress my career to an international level, where I can contribute to global standards for post-quantum era infrastructure as a cybersecurity analyst, architect, or advisor.

To thrive in the industry, I also aim to cultivate my experience by applying for the Industry-based Learning (IBL) placements as well as participate in clubs such as the Monash Cyber Security Club (MonSec). I am confident that my administrative, organizational, and leadership skill gained from my past experience as the secretary of my school's student council can be of great merit for my contribution to these programs. Beyond that, I am also confident that my secretarial, and by extension, technical experience as well as my general experience around computers can empower and reinforce my effort into achieving my goals.