Georgina Tilly-Scholes

Casual Professional

College of Science and Engineering

georgina.tillyscholes@flinders.edu.au

Biological Sciences

GPO Box 2100, ADELAIDE, SA, 5001

Georgina Tilly-Scholes is a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) candidate at Flinders University under the supervision of Dr Giles Best (FHMRI) and Dr James Paterson (SA Water). She is currently researching the detection of microplastics by their autofluorescence and the technique of flow cytometry.

Georgina's passion for science and the environment extends beyond the lab, demonstrated by her active involvement in various leadership and volunteer initiatives within the Flinders and local community. For example, Georgina is currently a student representative within the Flinders University Sustainability Advisory Group (SAG) and was previously on the planning committee for the 1st and 2nd Nano & Microplastics Australian Conference. During her undergraduate studies and into the first few months of her PhD, Georgina led the Flinders University Sustainability and Environment Collective (FUSEC) between 2019 and 2023 across the positions of President, Vice President, and Secretary. She also represented the collective as a Youth Leader at the 2022 Resilient South Regional Youth Climate Forum and coordinated publicity for the 2020 Geological Society of Australia's Earth Sciences Student Symposium, among other volunteer positions.

Georgina's professional experience includes laboratory-related casual professional roles in the College of Science and Engineering, a Project Officer at the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT), a Demonstrator for undergraduate biostatistics classes, and a Student Ambassador for the Prospective Student Office and Education Pathways Team.

As her PhD journey progresses, Georgina looks forward to expanding her knowledge of microplastics and remaining an active volunteer in the Flinders and local community.

Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Candidate, 2023 - present (Flinders University): Analysis of Microplastic Autofluorescence by Standard and Imaging Flow Cytometry.
Honours in Environmental Science/Environmental Biotechnology (1^st Class), 2022 (Flinders University): Spatial and Temporal Assessment of Microplastics via Standard and Imaging Flow Cytometry in a Constructed Stormwater Treatment Wetland.
Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science), 2019 - 2022 (Flinders University).

Honours, awards and grants

Best Student Oral Presentation, Microplastics in Focus Conference, 2025 (crcCARE).
Outstanding Poster Presentation, Molecular Sciences and Technology (MST) Conference, 2024 (Flinders University).
Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship, 2023 (Flinders University).
University Medal, 2023 (Flinders University).
Highest Honours Thesis Grade in the College of Science and Engineering, 2022 (Flinders University).
Best Honours Graduate, 2022 (Flinders Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology).
Chancellor's Letter of Commendation, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 (Flinders University).

Key responsibilities

Professional experience (2021 - 2026)

Laboratory Decomission Lead (Casual Professional), MSL lab, College of Science and Engineering, 2026.
Cataloguing/Disposal of Hazardous Chemicals and Biological Samples (Casual Professional), B3 lab, College of Science and Engineering, 2026.
Project Officer, National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT), 2023 - 2024.
Demonstrator (Casual Academic)
- STAT1122 (Biostatistics) S2, 2023
- BIOL2701 (Biostatistics 2) S1, 2023.
Student Ambassador (Casual Professional), 2021 - 2023.

Volunteering experience (2019 - present)

Student Representative
- Flinders University Sustainability Advisory Group (SAG), 2021 - present
- Embedding Sustainability into the Flinders University Curriculum Working Group, 2024 - present
- Course Quality Advisory Group in Natural Sciences for the Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science) Degree, 2022 - 2023
- McHughs Community Space Upgrade Working Group, 2022
- Fearless Campaign for the Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science) Degree, 2022 - present
- Sturt Campus Revegetation and Debris Repurposing Committee, 2021.
Ambassador, Australian Microplastic Assessment Project (AUSMAP), 2023 - 2024.
Conference Organiser, 2nd Nano & Microplastics Australian Conference, 2025.
Conference Organiser, 1st Nano & Microplastics Australian Conference, 2024.
Flinders University Sustainability and Environment Collective (FUSEC), 2019 - 2023
- President, 2022 - 2023
- Vice President, 2021 - 2022
- Secretary, 2019 - 2021.
Q&A panelist
- Honours information session, 2023
- Honours wellbeing session, 2023.
Guest speaker
- STEM2005, 2024
- SERC1012, 2024.
Youth Leader, Resilient South Regional Climate Action Youth Forum, 2022.
Publicity Coordinator, Geological Society of Australia Earth Sciences Student Symposium - South Australia (GESSS-SA), 2020 - 2021.