Having submitted her application 15 minutes before closing time, PhD student Eliza Matthews was surprised to be chosen to take part in this weekend’s 2020 Summit.
“A few friends and colleagues suggested I nominate, so I put in an application 15 minutes before they closed, and then forgot all about it until I was called by a journalist from the ABC's PM program for an interview,” Ms Matthews said.
The 2020 Summit is a Federal Government initiative taking place at Parliament House this weekend (April 19 and 20) aiming to help shape a long-term strategy for the nation’s future.
Ms Matthews is one of 1000 delegates selected from around Australia who will discuss solutions to some of the country’s most pressing issues.
A PhD student at The University of Queensland, Ms Matthews is studying with the School of History, Philosophy, Religion and Classics on the topic “Bring the Bombs out of the Basement: The United States, the NPT, and the sui generis states of India, Pakistan and Israel, 1961-1973”.
The group she will be part of at the 2020 Summit will focus on “Australia's future security and prosperity in a rapidly changing region and world”.
According to Ms Matthews, Australia has a role to play in preventing the production and distribution of nuclear weapons around the world.
“My specific focus will be on how Australia can play a greater role in nuclear weapons non-proliferation around the globe and how we can increase the focus on nuclear studies here at home,” she said.
During the summit, Ms Matthews will be involved in discussions and formulating a document to advise the Federal Government on how to proceed with protecting Australia's security and planning to ensure the country plays a proactive role in world affairs.
“It's going to be very interesting and I'm honoured to be chosen,” she said.
In 2005, Ms Matthews won a prestigious Fulbright scholarship to research US foreign policy history and nuclear non-proliferation in Washington DC.
Media: Ms Matthews (0404 494 603) or Tegan Taylor at UQ Communications (07 3365 2659).
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