LATE night study sessions and strict self-discipline have paid off for Ebenezer mum Kirsty Mayfield, who recently won the University of Western Sydney medal.
One of only 17 medal recipients, Mrs Mayfield, 35, was presented with the award during her recent graduation from a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree on April 24.
Last year Mrs Mayfield completed her honours studies in the separation science of chromatography.
Undertaking both laboratory work and computational research, her project involved designing a group of surfaces used to conduct chemical separations.
“Chromatography is a multi-million dollar business internationally and it caters to a diverse range of industries,” Mrs Mayfield said.
“It’s used in pharmaceutical and food industries, environmental and government agencies and industrial corporations.”
Her undergraduate degree was completed at the Hawkesbury campus while she underwent her honours year at Parramatta.
Making her achievements even more impressive, Mrs Mayfield completed all her studies while balancing her school work with the responsibilities of raising two young children.
When asked how she managed her busy schedule while achieving such outstanding university results, Mrs Mayfield admitted it wasn’t always easy.
She actually sat her final exams as an undergraduate while pregnant with her second child.
“That was an interesting few months, trying to fit in to do an exam with a very big belly,” she said.
“I have a lot of support from my family, particularly my mum and my husband – he’s wonderful – and his family as well.
“When the time comes when I really buckle down, they’re there for me.”
Mrs Mayfield said her two girls, Olivia, 8, and Sophia, 2, were also very understanding.
“They’re my good girls,” she said.
“They’ve known from very small that mum goes to school.”
Despite her heavy work load, the academic said most of the time, family still came first.
“Uni has to fit in behind family,” she said.
But it seems the hard work has only just started.
Mrs Mayfield is now back at university, with her sights set on a PHD in chromatography, designing a separation system that isolates and separates vitamin D metabolites found in blood.
But the scholar said the staff at UWS were quite laid back and understanding about her extra-curricular commitments.
“My supervisor is very understanding of my family life,” she said.
“It’s a very personalised sort of situation at UWS that I don’t think you’d find at the larger institutions.
“It has a lot of unique qualities that really made a big difference for me.”