Silver gongs recognise graduate excellence Josh Chiat Kal Miner
The cream of the crop of the WA School of Mines’ 2016 class were toasted in Perth on Friday, with the presentation of the third annual Silver Medal Awards for academic excellence.
The Gold Medal, an award with a history stretching back half a century, was won by mining engineering graduate Andrew Borthwick- Clarke, now based in Perth and working as a graduate mining engineer
with Byrnecut at Sandfire Resources’ DeGrussa Project. He came out ahead of exploration geophysics Silver Medallist Christian Proud, applied geology graduate Maddison Fairburn, spatial science graduate Lewis Walsh,
and metallurgy graduate Janelle McPhee.
WASM Alumni Association president and Northern Star Resources executive chairman Bill Beament,who presented the prizes at a lunch at Fraser’s in Kings Park, said the quality of the recipients showed how strong the
WASM production line was.“It was interesting because the vote came very close and my (GoldMedal) candidate didn’t win,” he
said.“That shows you the high quality of the people that we’ve got there. “The School of Mines always generates world-class graduates and it’s proven to have done thatover 110 years now.”
The Silver Medals honour the top academic performers in their field, while the Gold Medal, once given to the top academic performer in each WASM graduating class, now goes to a student who has shown a mix of academic
success and community engagement. “They’re fantastic selections,” Gold Medal selection committee chairman Stuart Pether said. “I graduated in 1988 and I look at the academic performance of some
of these new students and feel a bit inadequate compared to my academic performance and also at how many students are helping other students in the university get involved in the community
The history of the Western Australian School of Mines Alumni (WASMA) reflects the ups and downs of the Western Australian School of Mines (WASM) and the role it has played in supporting graduates in a range of activities and events. It also describes the important role that graduates have played in ensuring WASM remains in Kalgoorlie. Learn more.