Highlights
- Ahmad Tabish granted highly competitive Distinguished Talent Visa
- Tabish is researching nanomaterials at the University of Newcastle
- Tabish is among the youngest PhD researchers to be granted this visa
Ahmad Tabish arrived in Australia to pursue his PhD at the University of Newcastle’s Global Innovative Center for Advanced Nanomaterials (GICAN) in February 2020.
In less than six months, Mr Tabish has become one of the youngest PhD researchers to be granted the permanent residency visa under the Government’s newly launched Global Talent Independent Program.
“When I arrived here in February, I did not expect to be handpicked or be selected for this visa. But when I learnt of this opportunity, I approached it on the basis of my research and I am lucky the government recognised it,” Mr Tabish told SBS Hindi.
“I am very thankful to the Australian government and University of Newcastle for supporting me.”
The Global Talent Independent program is designed to attract the best talent from around the world, who are at the top of future-focused fields, to live and work permanently in Australia.
Mr Tabish was granted this permanent residency visa in July 2020, less than six months after he arrived in Australia.
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Indian international student handpicked for Australia’s highly competitive Global Talent Independent program
SBS Hindi
13/08/202006:12
Indian national Ahmad Tabish was one of the youngest PhD researchers to be granted the permanent residency visa under the Global Talent Independent Program. Source: Supplied by Ahmad Tabish
“I did my bachelor’s in technology (BTech) from AMU. I come from a family of academicians and scholars who worked at the AMU. My grandfather taught Arabic at the university and my father was a medical doctor who taught at university.
“My entire family has been into research and therefore I too was motivated to take up research as my career,” he says.
After completing his preliminary education in Aligarh, Mr Tabish moved to Abu Dhabi, UAE to pursue his Masters.
“In Abu Dhabi, after I completed my masters, I worked as a Research Engineer with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's Research and Development Center. While in UAE, I learnt of the work being done by Professor Ajayan Vinu at the University of Newcastle.
“Professory Vinu encouraged me to join his research team and when an opportunity came up to do a PhD under him, I came to Australia,” he says.
At 27, Mr Tabish is one of the youngest PhD researchers who has been handpicked for this visa based on his research work and its prospects.
Source: Supplied
Based at the University of Newcastle’s Global Innovative Center for Advanced Nanomaterials (GICAN), Mr Tabish is working under the leadership of Center Director and world-renowned material scientist, Professor Vinu to develop nanotechnology solutions to tackle significant global problems.
“I am researching to develop highly porous, silica-based nanomaterials for a wide range of applications in the health, energy and environment sectors such as carbon capture,” he says.
Professor Vinu, the Global Innovation Chair and Director of the GICAN told SBS Hindi, “I was extremely pleased to nominate Tabish for this Global Talent Program as he is one of the top and special PhD students with an outstanding academic record and industrial experience.
“He has worked in Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, which is the top multibillion-dollar industry in the United Arab Emirates and this will help us to realise our vision of working with the top industries to translate our advance research into real-world products.”
Mr Tabish hopes to continue his career in research and contribute to the Australian economy.
“I have been involved in research work since my BTech days. I sincerely hope to continue working in research – whether it is industry-based or academia based.
"Newcastle is a fantastic place. I have made friends at the research centre and in the community outside where I have met many from India and the UAE. I would like to now give back to Australia," he says.
