Home  >  Get Involved  >  Schools & School Students  >  Perkins Horizons by Fogarty

Introducing

Perkins Horizons

by

The Lotterywest BioDiscovery Centre at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research is dedicated to inspiring and shaping WA’s next generation of scientists, innovators and problem solvers by igniting curiosity and opening pathways into meaningful careers in medical research.

Perkins Horizons by Fogarty is a transformative journey for students from under-represented communities ensuring that talent, not circumstance, determines opportunity in STEM.

Through a structured series of progressive learning experiences known as “Lilypads”, students move along a carefully designed pathway, beginning with discovery of STEM careers, advancing through the development of practical scientific skills, and culminating in immersive, real-world laboratory experience in PC2-certified research facilities, working alongside WA’s leading medical researchers.

Schools are encouraged to support students through the full sequence of Lilypads to maximise impact and deepen engagement. Thanks to the generous support of the Fogarty Foundation, students will gain access to heavily subsidised excursion opportunities, and free access to some of our most intensive programs. This investment provides up to 47 hours of face-to-face learning, hands-on laboratory experience and direct mentorship from leading medical researchers.

Perkins Horizons by Fogarty is a pathway into possibility, designed to ensure every student has the opportunity to see themselves as part of the future of medical science.

Discover

I could be a scientist!

60% Subsidy for Full-Day School Excursions to the Perkins

Give your students the chance to see themselves as part of the future of medical science — even if they’ve never considered a career in research before.

Through immersive, curriculum-aligned excursions, students spend a full day working in our industry-standard laboratories, tackling real-world medical science challenges alongside experienced educators. These hands-on experiences are designed to spark curiosity, build confidence and show students that they can be part of the next generation of researchers solving some of the world’s greatest health challenges.

To make these opportunities accessible to more students than ever, Horizons schools receive a 60% subsidy on eligible excursions, reducing the cost to just $20 per student (minimum booking fee of $400). The subsidy applies to any number of full-day excursions booked throughout the year, enabling schools to provide meaningful STEM experiences across multiple year levels.

  • Year 8/9 Mending Broken Hearts
  • Year 10 Genetic Science Toolkit
  • Year 11 Stem Cells
  • Year 12 Mutations & PCR
  • Year 12 Protein Chemistry
  • Cert II (Sampling & Measurement): Introduction to the Research Lab
  • Cert III (Laboratory Skills): Working Aseptically
  • Cert IV (Laboratory Techniques): Crime Scene!

Explore

I’m learning to be a scientist!

4x Perkins Profs Intensive Scholarships per year

Give your students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience through 20 hours of face-to-face workshops mentored by a Perkins researcher.

Students develop practical skills in cutting-edge medical science, including staining and visualising cancer cells, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), bioinformatics, disease diagnostics and contact tracing, protein and agarose gel electrophoresis, restriction enzymes and more. All these techniques are linked to disease research currently underway in Western Australia and around the
world.

To ensure talented students can participate regardless of financial circumstances, each Horizons school receives four fully funded scholarships per year ($370 value per student). Workshops take place in the first week of the April, July or October school holidays.

Students will be nominated by the Perkins Horizons school, with registration completed through a simple nomination process.

Immerse

I’m working with real scientists!

1x Immersion Program Placement per year

Give your students a taste of life as a medical researcher.

Over three days during the school holidays, students are paired one-on-one with a Perkins researcher, working bench side in an active research laboratory and becoming part of a real scientific team.

Limited to six students per group, every Immersion experience is unique, reflecting the research undertaken by each participating laboratory. Past programs have included tours of the animal research facility, meeting clinical trials teams, performing cell culture and genetic manipulation, and working with research technologies such as flow cytometers, and fluorescent microscopes.

Beyond developing practical skills, students build meaningful connections with researchers, gain invaluable mentoring, and discover what a future career in medical science could look like. For many, the program provides the inspiration and confidence to pursue university studies and careers in STEM. To ensure this extraordinary opportunity is accessible, each Horizons school is guaranteed one fully funded placement each year ($370 value). This gives a nominated student exclusive access to the program at no cost, without having to compete through the general application process.

Supported by the
Fogarty Foundation

Perkins Horizons offers a unique opportunity to create meaningful stepping stones for all students to access careers in medical research. This program is born thanks to the generous support of the Fogarty Foundation, who has provided the resources needed to create the subsidies and scholarships to truly enhance educational access in Western Australia.