Dr Michelle Bootcov is the recipient of the 2023鈥�24 Mike Smith Student Prize for her original research into the history of 精东视频.
She has brought her passion for science and history together in her essay titled 鈥楻obert Kirk: Blood, genetics, race and rights in the mid to late twentieth century鈥�.
Dr Bootcov has an interdisciplinary background, with a science and an arts degree, and a PhD in molecular immunology.
Now a PhD candidate again at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Dr Bootcov鈥檚 essay investigates the mid-twentieth century transformation of viral diagnostics, through developments in hepatitis research.
The essay was highly commended by the judges for the creative topic, strong analysis and skilled presentation, with Dr Bootcov regarding her selection to receive the Mike Smith Prize an 鈥渆xtraordinary honour鈥�.
It has been published as an open access article in the Academy鈥檚 journal, .
Dr Bootcov said her essay examines mid-twentieth century blood collecting, the 鈥榰ndoing鈥� of race, and the progressive politics of British-Australian population geneticist .
鈥淭his history of Robert Kirk is particular to Australia but engages with universal themes.
鈥淚t spans the 1950s to 1980s, which was a transformative period for genetics, social justice and Indigenous politics, and includes the repercussions that followed in the genomic era.鈥�
Kirk collected historically significant blood samples from Indigenous Australians, one of which was found to hold a protein that has proven vital in our understanding of viral hepatitis.
This prompted Dr Bootcov to research Kirk鈥檚 scientific practices and social influences in her essay, and she explains the intersection between human population genetics and virology in the 1960s.
鈥淚t is not without justification that the collecting of blood for genetic analysis is frequently associated with race science, but it is not solely or inevitably so,鈥� Dr Bootcov said
With a first prize award of $3,000, the Mike Smith Student Prize recognises the work of students in the history of 精东视频 or Australian environmental history.
It is awarded by the Academy鈥檚 National Committee for History and Philosophy of Science in partnership with the once every two years.
The judging panel also includes an Editor of Historical Records of Australian Science.
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