Isaac Mathews (he/they)

Hi! My name is Isaac (they/he), and I am studying a Bachelor of Marine and Antarctic Science at the University of Tasmania in Hobart. I will be starting study in Feburary 2026, and I have plans to follow up with a Master’s and possible PhD after finishing my undergraduate course. I’m absolutely in love with all environmental sciences, but I have a special soft spot for marine plants! I am especially fascinated by seaweed, and hope to go on to research kelp conservation after university, hopefully working in the Arctic circle. I chose to study seaweed specifically because it is a tragically under-researched area that I believe does not get enough love and praise!

I am incredibly proud of my academic and personal achievements – my winning the Australian Geography Competition is a big point of pride! – but I am more proud of the fact that everything I’ve achieved has been despite my life’s many struggles. I’ve succeeded despite extreme poverty, family violence, my mother’s cancer, my disability, and discrimination because of my identity. And most importantly, I’m happy and hopeful for my future!

I applied with Pinnacle because I hoped that the foundation’s generosity could help me overcome the poverty my family and I have struggled with for years and allow me to achieve my potential, and I will never be able to fully express my gratitude for Pinnacle and Rod Anderson and the late Dr Craig White for giving me this opportunity.