Until 2020, Rebecca Kerstens was working in Cambodia as a global project manager for a Southeast Asia-based hostel chain. Forced to return to Australia due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rebecca decided to enroll in a Bachelor of Health Science (Exercise and Nutrition) at the University of South Australia.
While studying Rebecca learnt about opportunities to study abroad through the New Colombo Plan (NCP). She took these up enthusiastically and was ultimately awarded an NCP scholarship to Malaysia in 2023. Upon arrival in Malaysia, Rebecca undertook a 6-month Malay language course.
“It was the best way to get settled in, get used to being in a new place, and learn about the culture outside the language,” she says.
Rebecca also completed one semester at the International Medical University where she undertook courses in sports science, nutrition, health promotion, and program management.
Upon completion, Rebecca undertook a 6-month internship at the National Neuroscience Institute of Singapore where she worked at the ASEAN Microbiome Nutrition Centre, a research centre based at the institute.
“I reached out and said, ‘I don't have laboratory skills, but what I do have is passion, nutrition, and exercise experience.’ I was fortunate they took me on.”
During the internship, Rebecca learned to run basic experiments. When she was challenged to analyse specific cell types, which often required complex equipment, she rose to the occasion.
It was Rebecca’s analysis protocol that earned her the best junior research commendation award, a considerable achievement considering she had no laboratory skills before the internship.
Upon returning to Kuala Lumpur for further language studies, Rebecca undertook a two-week placement at the National Sports Institute of Malaysia.
“I got to perform physiological testing on some of Malaysia’s Olympic athletes,” she says. “I was doing lactate testing on distance swimmers and Wingate testing on some of the martial arts athletes.”
“I would not have been qualified to study what I'm studying if I didn't have the experience that I gained through my scholarship. My undergraduate degree didn't have any kind of lab component. I had never stepped foot inside a lab until I did my internship in Singapore.”
Now studying for a Master of Philosophy in Biomedical Science at the Queensland University of Technology, Rebecca researches the role of microbiomes in mental health. She attributes the academic opportunity to professional and cultural experiences gained during her NCP scholarship.
“My NCP experience made me a strong candidate to get into the masters program and receive a Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship.”
Her laboratory experience in Singapore provided her with broad cultural competency, a crucial skill for scientists who collaborate with peers from various backgrounds.
“It's amazing that since I arrived back in Australia, I've interacted with somebody from each of the host locations I was in, on a very close level,” reflects Rebecca. “I won't be closing the door on Southeast Asia. It's been a home to me for such a long time.”
Rebecca was also a 2025 NCP Alumni Representative, a position she was drawn to because she wanted to advocate for the program that contributed significantly to her academic and professional progress.
Rebecca reminisces about the unique path she has taken to realise her biomedical science-research career.
“I think there's a lot of people like me or people that could relate to aspects of my background, that would not consider applying for an NCP scholarship thinking that they are not good enough. So, providing these opportunities to people from disadvantaged backgrounds and communities is a remarkable act of progress. I hope that I can inspire others to apply, as the saying goes, ‘you can’t be what you don’t see.”
