Nexus

Bella Choo

TASA 2025 bursary reflection

I am very grateful to have received the TASA Conference Postgraduate Bursary. TASA Conference 2025 provided me with the wonderful opportunity to share my ongoing PhD research on the aspirations of young disabled migrants in Australia with fellow scholars. I was delighted to have had the opportunity to present my work at a panel organised by the Critical Disability Studies Thematic Group, providing me with the opportunity to receive helpful feedback and connect with like-minded scholars from across Australia. The suggestions and comments for my presentation have helped to shape the writing of my thesis chapters as I’m at the writing stage of my PhD journey.

At our panel, we had the opportunity to explore collective reflections on experiences of accessibility at academic conferences – a conversation that I find particularly important to remind us of the need to mainstream disability perspectives to ensure equitable participation at all academic events. I was also delighted to participate in social events and attend insightful presentations organised by the Migration, Ethnicity and Multiculturalism Thematic Group, which was particularly helpful for me as an interdisciplinary researcher.

Most importantly, I appreciated being able to exchange ideas with both senior scholars and fellow PhD candidates and I believe the networks I have developed at TASA will continue to shape my academic journey beyond the conference. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to learn from fellow presenters who generously shared their insights and experiences, and extend my appreciation to TASA's organising team and volunteers for the unseen labour done behind the scenes.