Ruth Daroesman was born in California. At the end of World War II she married an Indonesian and briefly lived in post-war Europe before moving to Sumatra, Indonesia in 1950. She adjusted quickly to life in Indonesia, learning the language and developing enduring relationships with her in-laws. After separating from her husband, and with three young children, she lived in Malaysia and then Singapore from 1957 until 1968 when she joined ANU. She had lifelong interests in formal education, which she saw as professionally and personally transformative, and spent all of her working life from the 1950s engaged with Indonesia and South-East Asia. As Assistant Editor of the Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies at what is now the Research School of Asia and the Pacific, and in her research, she came into regular contact with graduate students from Indonesia as well as other parts of Asia. Her familiarity with the region, its languages and cultures – and her understanding of what it meant to be alone and struggling in a foreign country – made her a sympathetic figure for many students for whom she acted as informal or formal adviser and friend. She knew from personal experience how kindness and generosity could change lives. She had a particular affection for Indonesia and Indonesians and maintained her ties for many years following her formal retirement.
The Ruth Daroesman Endowment was established in 2013 in memory of Ruth Daroesman by Ruth’s family and friends. We thank the Daroesman family for their continued support of the ANU and its students' research endeavours.
Conditions of grant
General
Each year, the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific (‘the College’), in conjunction with the ANU Indonesia Project, may offer an award known as the Ruth Daroesman Graduate Study Grant (‘the Grant’).
The Ruth Daroesman Endowment has provided funding for this Grant. This grant may be used for research expenses (including travel) directly related to the student’s academic interests or future career aspirations. The Ruth Daroesman Endowment was established in 2013 in memory of Ruth Daroesman by Ruth’s family and friends.
The objective of the Grant is to support a graduate or HDR student in their research associated with Indonesia. This grant may be used for research expenses (including travel) directly related to the student’s academic interests or future career aspirations.
Value
$6,000 is available in 2025
The grant provides AUD 6,000, which may be distributed to one or shared between multiple applicants.
The Ruth Daroesman Endowment has provided funding for this Grant.
Travel or research must commence in the year the Award is granted.
Eligibility
The Award is available each year to a current ANU student who:
- is a domestic or international student, and
- is enrolled in a postgraduate coursework or higher degree research program in the College of Asia and the Pacific (or College of Law, Governance and Policy); and
- is undertaking study or research related to Indonesia that is relevant to their degree program.
Women and applicants from minority groups are particularly encouraged to apply.
Conditions of Grant [PDF 397KB]
Selection basis
Selection is based on the answers provided in the travel and research proposal application form.
The Award is offered to a student by a selection committee chaired by the Head of the ANU Indonesia Project (or nominee), which will also include the Associate Dean (Education), ANU College of Asia and the Pacific (or nominee) and one other staff member selected by the Chair.
The selection committee reserves the right to make no award if it considers there is no applicant of sufficient merit. The selection committee may also vary the number of Awards and/or offer the Award at other times in exceptional circumstances or based on the standard of applications or students (where funds allow).
Publicity
The recipient may be requested to participate in publicity for the Award from time to time. This may include publicity in the state or territory of residence or of schooling. Recipients may be contacted for an interview and photograph. The University may also publicise the Award by publishing the recipients' names. Such publicity will be arranged through the ANU Indonesia Project or ANU Communications and Engagement (ACE).
Recipients are expected to present their research (supported by the Award) at the ANU Indonesia Project’s Study Group Seminar and provide a report to the donor. This report should be 1-2 pages long and cover briefly the research, findings where applicable, journal articles published as a consequence of the research, and be provided to the ANU Indonesia Project within 3 months of completion of the Award.
Recipients will also be required to acknowledge funding from the Award should the outcomes lead to publication.
Further information
For further information, contact Indonesia.Project@anu.edu.au
Application Process
Applications are managed through the ANU Global Programs System in one round per year. To apply, please follow this link to the ANU Global Programs applicant portal: Terradotta.
Key dates 2025
Applications Open: Wednesday 26 February 2025
Applications Close: Sunday 6 April 2025
Outcome Announcement: Wednesday 30 April 2025
2024 Recipients
Keira Mullan
Keira Mullan is a PhD candidate in linguistics in the School of Culture, History and Language. She is currently working on a grammar of Simalur, a Barrier Islands (Austronesian) language spoken on Simeulue Island in Aceh Province. Her main interests are in morphology and the evolution of morphological complexity. Her research examines a grammar of contemporary Simalur, an under-documented Barrier Islands Language spoken on Simeulue Island off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia.
Hendri A. F. Kaharudin
Hendri A. F. Kaharudin is currently a PhD candidate at CHL Archaeology and Natural History, focusing his research on coastal subsistence strategies in the Islands of Southeast Asia (ISEA) during the Pleistocene and Holocene. He has been involved in archaeological fieldwork on many remote islands in Wallacea, including Kisar, Alor, Lembata, Obi, and Tanimbar.
His research explores a current reef gleaning activities on Wetar Island, Indonesia, examining methods, material culture, participants, timing, and targeted fauna.
Gita Putri Damayana
Gita Putri Damayana is a PhD candidate in School of Regulation and Global Governance. Her main research areas are law and regulatory reform, legislative process and civic space. Prior to her study at ANU, Gita is Executive Director at the Indonesia Centre for Law and Policy Study and lecturer at Indonesia Jentera School of Law in Jakarta.
Her research examines on who and what shapes Indonesia’s legislative process after the ‘98 Reformasi period, and to what effect.
Prior Recipients
A full list of prior recipients can be found on the ANU Indonesia Project online archive.