How she makes her mark on the world?
Motivational Speaking
Miss Jerusha Mather is a motivational speaker with a deep passion for inspiring people to tap into their strengths and achieve their goals. As a Saxton speaker, she specialises in poetry, storytelling, and motivation.
She is also a dedicated disability advocate, particularly for students pursuing pathways in STEM. Through her story, unique insights, and lived experience, she uses her voice to champion the causes she cares deeply about and to drive meaningful, lasting change. |
Poet
Jerusha is also a passionate storyteller and poet, and the author of Burnt Bones and Beautiful Butterflies. This poetry collection explores the deeper layers of life, love, loss, hurt, faith, and grief, offering readers sparks of wisdom, clarity, and space to reflect on life’s deeper meanings.
Her book is published and available on Amazon, and has been reviewed by several major publications. |
Neuroscientist
Jerusha also describes herself as a multi-skilled, creative, and motivated professional with a strong passion for rehabilitation medicine and the neurosciences.
She is an aspiring neuroscientist with a clear purpose. Her research focuses on non-invasive brain stimulation, strength training, and neural plasticity, and on how these approaches can help improve the lives of individuals with cerebral palsy. She is actively engaged in research across these areas. |
Awards & Talks
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Here Are Some of the Organisations She Has Spoken To:
Micah - Voices for Justice
Future Female Conference
World Vision
Australian Academy of Sciences
Melbourne University Medical Student Conference
Monash University
National Disability Strategy Forum
No Women Left Behind Conference
TEDx Sydney
Achievements
The Bridge Change Award
Women's Agenda Leadership Award- Finalist
STEM Changemaker - Australian Academy of Sciences
Australia's Future Executive - WeAspire
L'Oréal UNESCO Women in Science Mentee
30 Faces - The Urban List
Portrait held in Questacon as a STEM role model
Micah - Voices for Justice
Future Female Conference
World Vision
Australian Academy of Sciences
Melbourne University Medical Student Conference
Monash University
National Disability Strategy Forum
No Women Left Behind Conference
TEDx Sydney
Achievements
The Bridge Change Award
Women's Agenda Leadership Award- Finalist
STEM Changemaker - Australian Academy of Sciences
Australia's Future Executive - WeAspire
L'Oréal UNESCO Women in Science Mentee
30 Faces - The Urban List
Portrait held in Questacon as a STEM role model
About Jerusha Mather
Jerusha Mather is a PhD Candidate at Monash University investigating barriers to exercise in adults with cerebral palsy. She is one of Australia’s first female PhD students in the medical sciences with a lived experience of cerebral palsy. She received a prestigious research grant from the Cerebral Palsy Alliance to support her work.
Born in Sri Lanka, Jerusha was told she would never walk or talk. After migrating to Australia, access to therapy transformed her life and set her on a path toward research, advocacy, and leadership.
Jerusha was selected for the Kwong Lee Dow Scholars Program at the University of Melbourne and later chosen as a mentee in the L’Oréal–UNESCO Women in Science Mentoring Program (2020), which pairs PhD students with leading researchers in their fields.
Her pioneering advocacy for medical students with disabilities was recently recognised by the Australian Academy of Sciences as one of the inaugural STEM Changemakers. She has contributed to policy reforms that make medical education more accessible and continues to work with the Australian Medical Association to improve selection criteria for prospective medical students with disabilities.
Her story has been featured by WHO, Take 5, ABC, Women’s Agenda, The Age, and other major media outlets. Beyond academia, Jerusha is a dedicated disability advocate championing inclusive dating platforms, accessible food packaging, transport, and clothing. She has collaborated with companies by raising awareness and offering solutions that many have taken on board.
Jerusha’s contributions have been widely recognised: she won the Bridge Change Award in 2021, became a finalist for the Women’s Agenda Leadership Award (Health Category), and was named among Australia’s Future Executives by We Aspire. She was also awarded a scholarship to participate in Science Meets Parliament in 2022.
She has volunteered at the Northern Hospital providing social support, and during the pandemic wrote comforting letters to elderly residents experiencing isolation.
Jerusha is also a published poet. Her collection, Burnt Bones and Beautiful Butterflies, ranked tenth in Amazon’s Poetry by Women category. Her editor, Richard Potter, described her poems as “an expression of breaking free from confines and finding her voice.” The book has been reviewed by major outlets, including The Daily Californian.
She continues to write poetry and speak at events, inspiring audiences through her lived experience, resilience, and advocacy.
Born in Sri Lanka, Jerusha was told she would never walk or talk. After migrating to Australia, access to therapy transformed her life and set her on a path toward research, advocacy, and leadership.
Jerusha was selected for the Kwong Lee Dow Scholars Program at the University of Melbourne and later chosen as a mentee in the L’Oréal–UNESCO Women in Science Mentoring Program (2020), which pairs PhD students with leading researchers in their fields.
Her pioneering advocacy for medical students with disabilities was recently recognised by the Australian Academy of Sciences as one of the inaugural STEM Changemakers. She has contributed to policy reforms that make medical education more accessible and continues to work with the Australian Medical Association to improve selection criteria for prospective medical students with disabilities.
Her story has been featured by WHO, Take 5, ABC, Women’s Agenda, The Age, and other major media outlets. Beyond academia, Jerusha is a dedicated disability advocate championing inclusive dating platforms, accessible food packaging, transport, and clothing. She has collaborated with companies by raising awareness and offering solutions that many have taken on board.
Jerusha’s contributions have been widely recognised: she won the Bridge Change Award in 2021, became a finalist for the Women’s Agenda Leadership Award (Health Category), and was named among Australia’s Future Executives by We Aspire. She was also awarded a scholarship to participate in Science Meets Parliament in 2022.
She has volunteered at the Northern Hospital providing social support, and during the pandemic wrote comforting letters to elderly residents experiencing isolation.
Jerusha is also a published poet. Her collection, Burnt Bones and Beautiful Butterflies, ranked tenth in Amazon’s Poetry by Women category. Her editor, Richard Potter, described her poems as “an expression of breaking free from confines and finding her voice.” The book has been reviewed by major outlets, including The Daily Californian.
She continues to write poetry and speak at events, inspiring audiences through her lived experience, resilience, and advocacy.
She was also selected as a mentee in the 2020 L’Oréal–UNESCO Women in Science Mentoring Program, which pairs PhD students with leading researchers in their fields. Her pioneering advocacy for medical students with disabilities was recently recognised by the Australian Academy of Sciences as one of the inaugural STEM Changemakers. Her efforts have contributed to policy reforms aimed at making medical education more accessible and inclusive. She is currently working with a policy manager at the Australian Medical Association to improve the selection criteria for prospective medical students with disabilities, addressing the significant underrepresentation of doctors with disabilities in Australia, a cause she is deeply passionate about.
No Woman Left Behind Panelist
