MLC School Old Girl and University of Sydney environmental science researcher, Dr Ayesha Tulloch (1996), has been recognised as a leader in research excellence and public outreach after being named a recipient of the 2021 Young Tall Poppy Science Awards.

Ayesha commenced at MLC School in Year 7 in 1991 and completed the HSC in 1996. While at School, she was an all-rounder. In both Year 7 and Year 8, Ayesha was the top achiever in our area for the Australian Schools Junior Science Competition, and in Year 8 she was also the winner of Excelsior’s Junior Poetry Prize. In 1995, while in Year 11, Ayesha won an MLC School senior music scholarship for both Year 11 and Year 12. This scholarship was awarded annually to a senior student who showed outstanding musical talent and musicianship. In her final year at MLC School, Ayesha was awarded the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, the most demanding of all levels of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.

Currently Dr Ayesha Tulloch works at the University of Sydney’s School of Life and Environmental Science where she is an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Research Fellow. Her specialisation is using ecological knowledge to inform conservation decision-making processes.

Ayesha’s focus is to find solutions to conservation and wildlife management problems related to ecological monitoring, dynamic processes, ecosystem restoration and collapse, conservation conflicts, spatial conservation planning and triage.

She works with non-government conservation organisations, private industries and government agencies to develop ecosystem management solutions, prioritising investment in conservation actions to maximise our chance of living sustainably with our environment.

On learning of her win, Ayesha said, 'It’s very exciting to foster an Australian culture that celebrates high achievers rather than ‘cutting them down’, and to inspire younger Australians about the possibilities of science.'

The Young Tall Poppy Science Awards are awarded annually by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science to recognise the work of early career scientists leading in their field. Recipients are provided with the opportunity to speak about their research and engage in outreach activities, promoting science to school students, teachers, and the broader community.