Digby Jones is studying engineering at the University of Wollongong. Photos: Supplied.
After scoring one of the highest Australian Tertiary Admission Ranks (ATARs) in Griffith, Wade High graduate Digby Jones has landed a prestigious engineering scholarship.
Digby achieved the top class ranking across all his Year 12 subjects — mathematics advanced, mathematics extension, physics, economics, English advanced and business studies. They earned him an ATAR of 94.25, placing him in the top 6 per cent of all students in Australia.
That academic success, combined with his leadership and community involvement, saw him selected as the 2026 recipient of food technology company Flavourtech’s engineering scholarship, an initiative designed to support students from the Griffith region pursuing undergraduate engineering studies.
Flavourtech general manager Leon Skaliotis said Digby made an impression when the scholarship applications were assessed.
“Digby’s academic excellence, leadership and community involvement made him a standout recipient for 2026,” Mr Skaliotis said.
“We are pleased to support him with a financial contribution that will assist with accommodation and living expenses while he completes his degree.”
Digby said he was “extremely grateful for the opportunity this scholarship provides” and believes it will help kickstart a successful degree and career.
He has long held a passion for science, mathematics and design — interests that shaped both his HSC success and his decision to pursue engineering.
“I have always been passionate about STEM and look forward to applying the fundamentals of physics and mathematics to real-world engineering challenges,” he said.
Sophia Pierotti is a previous scholarship winner.
Digby will begin his University of Wollongong studies with a flexible first year, allowing him to explore different disciplines before selecting a major, with current interests in electrical, mechanical and mechatronic engineering.
The scholarship itself is named in honour of Flavourtech co-founder Andrew Craig, who in the 1970s helped develop a magical device named the Spinning Cone Column (SCC), the first machine able to extract flavours and aromas from foods and beverages without damaging the quality or reducing the shelf life of a product. This led to worldwide partnerships with coffee producers, wineries and food manufacturers, which are able to ulitise Flavourtech’s skills and resources to refine and enhance what they sell.
The innovation marked the beginning of the company’s growth, with engineers settling in the region and helping take its technologies to a global stage.
Established to invest in local talent, the scholarship aims to ease financial barriers for rural students pursuing engineering, which can be burdensome for those who have to travel to another city and provide for themselves with limited or no government support.
In 2025, the annual scholarship was awarded to Hugh Donaldson, who is completing a double degree in electrical engineering and computing at the University of NSW in Sydney.
The previous year, it was won by Sophia Pierotti, who is doing a Bachelor of Project Management at the University of Sydney.
