President – Rahul MS

I still remember the day when Alexander Tan 2019 president asked me “are you interested in stepping up as the PSA President?”. It was when I was helping Alex Tan for August 2019 Committee meeting agenda as the inaugural PSA General Secretary. It is different from domestic students as I have to take several other decisions before involving myself into this role and contest for the president. I am involved in PSA since 2018 with all those experiences I decided to run for 2020 President. It is challenging ride for me from the start as a contestant for the president role till present day as the Postgraduate President.

I can’t believe it’s already the time for me to write President report and start on handing over work for incoming president. If there is one thing I’ve taken to heart from time with PSA, is this: postgrads all are the same. It doesn’t matter whether you’re doing Master by coursework, Master by Research or PhD, if you been at university for 8 months or 8 years! We all are at university, doing the same thing- a professional degree, working towards a qualification in a specialised field.

On December 1st, 2019, my first day as the president I had several ideas and plans which I should work on and achieve this year. I was fortunate enough to work with three different Vice Chancellor this year. 2020 was a challenging year for every postgraduate student and also for UWA. It was not a smooth ride for me as well.

PSA was part of the GRS review on February 2020, which was initiated by the Dean of GRS, all the research representatives were involved in this and voicing students. Opinion. on behalf of all the students. During Pandemic PSA 2020 Committee worked really hard to advocate for postgraduate students in all the level from faculty meeting till university executive meetings. We worked on getting ungraded pass/fail for the postgraduate coursework students with university and took a survey for HDR students and presented it to UWA GRS (Graduate Research School) and CAPA(Council of Australian Postgraduate Association) which is peak student representative body for postgraduate student. We sent open letter to the state education minister to ask support for HDR students and for blanket extension for the state level scholarship. Recently we joined CAPA for a #valuepostgrads campaign for both coursework and HDR students.

On social side, we planned and executed first ever Cruise with PSA but due to COVID-19 restriction the event was cancelled. I will encourage my successor to plan and run this event. During peak COVID-19 times we organised several online events. We had to cancel some of our PSA connect due to restrictions and there was changes in the connect during post COVID time. We also organised the first ever PSA Leadership workshop and student. To make up all loss with connect we have our annual Gala on October 23rd from 7pm – 10 pm which will be huge and entertaining with live performances and DJ.

Last but not least, as I promised during the start of my role as the president, we are thrilled to organise PSA Research week event. This is dream project for the year and made it happen. PSA Research week is live because of my best research team. On this occasion I would like to thank my research team to make this happen. Research week is back to UWA after 3 years and is now bigger and better. Research Week is proudly sponsored by UWA Convocation Council, UWA GRS and Woodside.

It has been a genuine privilege to serve for postgraduate students of UWA this year. Though I am looking forward for my retirement from UWA Student Guild as Postgraduate President and hopefully graduate by the end of 2020 and start hunting for Graduate roles. PSA plays an important role in postgraduate students at UWA. This is an association run by students for students. The then president Alex Tan used to say I will be called as COVID PSA President. I am not sure whether it is what you call me. It was pleasure serving and leading you all for the year 2020 during this the pandemic.

Rahul M S PSA President 2020