Jennifer Zenker Named a 2019 CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar

Congratulations to ARMI Group Leader Dr Jennifer Zenker, who has been selected as a 2019 CIFAR (Canadian Institute for Advanced Research) Azrieli Global Scholar! This prestigious two-year Scholar program recognises Jennifer’s groundbreaking research and will provide funding support, as well as essential skills training and global networking opportunities. 

“I am excited to be part of this amazing program that brings together some of the world’s best emerging researchers and to have the support of CIFAR, an organisation that is fiercely committed to building a stronger, global research community,” commented Jennifer. 

The CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars program was designed to help early career researchers from the natural, biomedical and social sciences and the humanities become the next generation of research leaders. By supporting promising academics around the world, CIFAR hopes to tackle complex questions in novel ways.

As a Scholar, Jennifer will receive $100,000 CAD in research support, specialised leadership and communication skills training, mentorship from a senior researcher within the CIFAR research program, and opportunities to leverage and collaborate with a worldwide network of research pioneers across different disciplines and sectors.

Jennifer is in good company, after a competitive recruitment process generated 217 eligible applications from 37 countries. From this, 14 early-career researchers (seven identifying as women and seven identifying as men) from Europe, North America, Israel and Australia, across five CIFAR research programs: Brain, Mind and Consciousness; Bio-inspired Solar Energy, Gravity and the Extreme Universe; Humans and the Microbiome; and Molecular Architecture of Life were selected.

“We are thrilled about this infusion of talent joining our research programs and our global community,” said Dr Alan Bernstein, CIFAR president & CEO. “These early career scholars and scientists are among the world’s brightest and most promising leaders of their generation. We are very excited to welcome them as the 2019 class of CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars.”

Jennifer added, “Being selected as a CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar will not only help me personally grow and support my group’s research, but it also helps validate the direction of our work- it tells us that we are on the right track.”

Congratulations to Jennifer and her fellow Scholars!

More Information

The Zenker Group seeks to understand the role of the microtubule network in influencing cell structure and function. For more information on Dr Jennifer Zenker and her group at ARMI, please visit the Zenker Group page. You can contact Dr Jennifer Zenker via jennifer.zenker@monash.edu.