Edition 28, 2021
Humanity LABOUR OF LOVE Charity founder Carly Fradgley OLD MASTER Art collector and philanthropist Dr Patrick Corrigan AM WAGING PEACE Rohan Titus in Afghanistan ALUMNI VOICE Dr Jennifer Cronin takes charge
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Unstill Life HE DODGED FRIENDLY FIRE IN WWII AND TOYS WITH A JETSKI COMEBACK AT 90. ART COLLECTOR AND PHILANTHROPIST DR PATRICK CORRIGAN AM STILL PAINTS HIS CANVAS WITH COLOUR AND VERVE by Ken Robinson
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omewhere on the bottom of Hong Kong harbour, in a boy’s trunk inside a sunken ship, are the lumps of lead that helped spawn one of Australia’s greatest art collections. The carefully packed rows of Coldstream, Grenadier and Irish Guards - “I was a Pom back then” - belong to the art collector, philanthropist and businessman Dr Patrick Corrigan AM. Today, as many as 900 of his artworks are on loan to galleries and public spaces across the country, with key pieces forming the Corrigan Walk at Bond University - the largest private collection of Indigenous Australian art on public display. But back then it was toy soldiers he adored. Growing up in Tianjin, the port city for Beijing, Dr Corrigan and his family had attempted to make a dash from China to Australia as World War II heated up in the Pacific. Sailing for Hong Kong, they arrived just hours before Japan launched simultaneous attacks on the British colony and Pearl Harbour. There was no time to unload the SS Fausing’s cargo, including Dr Corrigan’s treasured first collection. The lead soldiers went down with the ship. The next four years passed under Japanese rule in the Stanley Internment Camp, bookended by another incident involving a deadlier form of lead. It was August 14, 1945 - the day of Japan’s unconditional surrender to the Allies - and Dr Corrigan woke to find his Japanese jailers had disappeared. He decided to celebrate with a swim. “There was a little bay nearby and the guards used to let you go once every two weeks to have a swim,” he says. “Suddenly an American P-38 coming back from strafing somewhere in China flew over. Apparently, he hadn’t been told the war was over. There was a Japanese boom defence vessel in the water and the pilot decided to make a few runs on it. “When bullets from a machinegun hit water, they travel dramatically. It felt like the bullets were only a metre away but in fact they were probably 30-40 metres away. “I tell people I beat Cathy Freeman’s record that day getting back to the POW camp.”
Dr Patrick Corrigan AM and some of his artworks on display at SBS headquarters in Sydney.
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I N P RO FIL E
The Corrigan family eventually made it to Sydney, with a teenage Patrick boarding at Blue Mountains Grammar School before joining Unilever as a messenger boy at 16. He studied accountancy and eventually started his own freight-forwarding company. His stellar business success seemed to summon the collecting “disease” from the watery depths of Hong Kong. “I thought the walls were a bit bare and there happened to be an art gallery beneath where I worked in Sydney,” he says. “I went in and bought a small picture and I was away. It was a Paddington terrace house by an artist called Ric Elliot.” Works by Lloyd Rees, John Coburn, Brett Whiteley, Ian Fairweather and Tim Storrier would follow. There were expensive mistakes along the way but even those spawned magnificent collections in their own right. “I went to see the doyen of Melbourne art dealers Joe Brown because by then my second child had arrived and I wanted to sell a few things,” Dr Corrigan says. (Mr Brown donated his $30 million Australian art collection to the National Gallery of Victoria in 2004). “I said, ‘I’d like this much for this Arthur Boyd’. And he said, ‘Well, that’s a bit much because you do realise it’s his Wimmera series two?’ “I didn’t know he’d done more than one series but there were six. “I decided I wasn’t going to fall for that again and I built the biggest collection of literature on Australian art which I read and then donated.” The collection sits with the State Library of Queensland, while another collection
Dr Corrigan put together has been donated to the Art Gallery of NSW. He had dabbled in traditional Aboriginal art but the vibrant pieces that have become a hallmark of his collection have their genesis in a 2004 exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria called Colour Power: Aboriginal Art Post 1984. “I went down to see it and I was knocked out,” he says. “It was still Aboriginal but with lots of colour and it took me only about a month to sell all my dark brown and yellow pieces and then I started collecting pieces all from the year 2000.” The problem with amassing such a vast collection - works by artists including Sally Gabori, Walangkura Napanangka, Naata Nungurrayi, Yannima Pikarli Tommy Watson and Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri - is you need somewhere to display it. “My walls are maxed out,” Dr Corrigan says. Bond University entered the picture when Dr Corrigan’s son Ryan (Class of 2002), attended the University. (Another son, Joel, had also hoped to become a Bondy but was tragically killed in an electrical accident). “I was invited to the opening of the Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine in 2006 and it was a nice new building but there were all these bare walls. “I thought, ‘I’ve got a lot of paintings with no walls and here’s a lot of walls’ and it started from there. “Then I convinced lots of southern artists to start donating their works. It’s a pretty big collection and it looks great. “It’s a joy to be there because the campus is clean, the atmosphere is good with the lake there and they look after the art well.”
The University conferred an honorary doctorate upon Dr Corrigan in 2007 and successfully nominated him for a Queensland Greats award in 2014. With a home on the Gold Coast, Dr Corrigan has been a frequent visitor over the years, starting the Gold Coast Jetski Breakfast Club, which still exists. “I’ll be 90 next year and I’d still like to get back on a ski,” he says. In 2015 he was presented with the key to the city in recognition of philanthropic contributions to the arts and cultural sector of the Gold Coast and is looking forward to the opening of the HOTA gallery this year where many of his donated works will go on display. It was on one of Dr Corrigan’s frequent flights to the Coast that he had a flashback to his pre-war childhood in Tianjin. He got chatting to another passenger who spoke of his Russian background. “I said I grew up eating a lot of Russian food because in Tianjin it’s very cold. “I asked him if he knew of a Russian restaurant on the Gold Coast and at that time there was one in Southport and he used to go there - and that’s how we started talking. “He said, ‘Where did you come from?’ Tianjin. He said, ‘I was in Tianjin. What school did you go to?’ Tianjin Grammar. And he said, ‘I went to Tianjin Grammar’.” The passenger was Harry Triguboff, the billionaire developer responsible for many of the Gold Coast’s soaring towers. Both had emmigrated from China to Australia and thrived. “It’s amazing,” Dr Corrigan says. As his links to Bond have strengthened over the years, so has his appreciation of the educational disadvantages faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Dr Corrigan is Patron of the Bond University Indigenous Gala which has raised more than $3 million for scholarships, grants and bursaries since 2010. “It feels terrific” seeing Indigenous scholars graduate, he says. He gets a similar thrill donating artworks. “It makes me happy. When I’ve given it away and they like it and they hang it well, I think it’s a perfect solution.”
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Dr Corrigan AM at home.
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alumni.bond.edu.au/arch28
“(Donating art) makes me happy. When I’ve given it away and they like it and they hang it well, I think it’s a perfect solution.”
Upper left: Judy Watson Napangardi – Mina Mina Jukurrpa 2012 (detail),© Judy Watson Napangardi/Copyright Agency, 2021. Right: Kudditji Kngwarreye – Emu Dreaming 2006 (detail). Lower left: Yannima Pikarli Tommy Watson – Ngayuka Ngura (My Country) 2012 (detail). Arch, Edition 28
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REFLECT - RECONNECT - REDISCOVER
HOMECOMING 2021 Participate wherever you are in a global, multi-modal program, offering over 20 events during this year’s Homecoming week, 15-23 May 2021.
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CONTENTS THE ARCH - EDITION 28, 2021
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36
In Profile
Humanity
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26 30 34 36
Dr Patrick Corrigan AM
Around Campus 9 9 10 11 12 13 16
First indigenous medical graduates Bond celebrates 30,000 graduates New climate change law degree Bond tops the class again Students in financial hardship Mysteries of the doorway effect New-look Alumni Advisory Board
The Big Question 18
How do we regain the upper hand in the fight for facts?
Bondies making a difference Carly Fradgley Dr Rob Orr Rohan Titus
Philanthropy 40
Alex embraces stroke of fate
As the world starts to slowly emerge from the shadow of COVID-19, attention is turning to the lessons we can take from the pandemic. Social distancing, lockdowns and the closure of borders have forced friends and families apart, but COVID has also highlighted the best of humanity and the things which bring us together. From border control workers, to first responders, to our medical professionals, the pandemic has given many of our unsung heroes a chance to shine. Bond University has long taken a global outlook, so it’s no surprise that in their own way, Bondies from around the world are also giving back to those in need during these trying times. In this edition of the ARCH we shine a spotlight on those people, who in both large and small ways are making a positive difference, at a time when it’s never been needed more. We trust you enjoy their stories.
Brett Walker Director, Alumni and Development Office of Engagement
Bondies on the Move 42
Class year updates 1990-2015
Sport
Academia
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Bull Sharks make their mark on QAFLW
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Athlete profile: Claire Dooley
Arcane law in the dock
From the editor
ALUMN I C EN TRE Phone +61 7 5595 1451
Email alumni@bond.edu.au
Website alumni.bond.edu.au
Mail 14 University Drive, Robina 4226, QLD AUSTRALIA
CRICOS Provider Code 00017B
Featured on cover: Ms Carly Fradgley
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Dr Myora Stone and Dr Brioney Keats celebrate their graduation.
SANDSTONE PINE AROUND CAMPUS
Different journeys to same destination for first Indigenous medicine graduates Growing up, Myora Stone’s (Class of 2016) Indigenous heritage was a centrepiece of her life. For Brioney Keats (Class of 2016), her ancestry was a later discovery. The pair’s different journeys came together when they made history as the first Indigenous graduates from Bond University’s medical program, receiving their Doctor of Medicine. For Dr Stone, graduating from Bond builds on a special connection. “My family is the Kombumerri people of Southport which is actually the land Bond is built on,” she says. “We’re also from Moreton Bay, North Stradbroke Island and Moreton Island, the Ngugi and the Nunukul people as well.”
Dr Stone is Bond’s inaugural Indigenous Medical Scholarship recipient, while Dr Keats received the Puggy Hunter Memorial Scholarship in her second year, awarded through the Australian College of Nursing. Dr Stone says going into medicine always appealed to her. “When I learnt there weren’t a lot of Indigenous doctors, that made it more interesting for me,” she says. By contrast Dr Keats, of the Gamilaroi people in New South Wales, says medicine was not on her radar when she was younger. “I didn’t realise medicine was a possibility. I don’t have any other doctors in my family, so I’ll be the first,” she says. This year the pair are interning at Gold
Coast Health before deciding on the next steps in their respective careers. Dr Stone is considering working as a general practitioner but also has a particular interest in skin medicine. Dr Keats has a passion for women’s and children’s health but is also considering a future as a GP and the potential of eventually opening a clinic combining Western and traditional medicine. Both Dr Keats and Dr Stone hope they are the first of many Indigenous students to graduate as doctors from Bond. “It should be an encouragement (to other Indigenous students). We’re so different but we’re both sitting here now, graduated doctors,” Dr Keats says.
Jake turns the big 30,000 Jake Harrison (Class of 2019) walked across the stage and into Bond University history when he became the 30,000th graduate in February. Mr Harrison was unaware of the milestone until shortly before collecting his Bachelor of Actuarial Science. “To be told right there on the spot before I got my degree was honestly really shocking,” he says. “Coming to Bond and graduating is a great thing in itself but to be the 30,000th graduate is just awesome.” Mr Harrison excelled in maths at St Andrews Lutheran College on the Gold Coast and embarked on his degree at the suggestion of his career advisor. He secured a job before graduation, taking up a role with Deloitte in Melbourne. Mr Jake Harrison after his graduation ceremony.
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AROUND CAMPUS
Gone but not forgotten: the fight for anonymity in death When we die we might hope to be remembered. Assistant Professor Eugenia Georgiades wants us to have the right to be forgotten. Dr Georgiades’ 2020 research paper Down the Rabbit Hole: Applying a Right to Be Forgotten to Personal Images Uploaded on Social Networks argues the case for the living. Now the Faculty of Law academic has turned her mind to the rights of those no longer with us. “I’m currently working on how defamation law could be used to apply to images that have been misused on social media,” Dr Georgiades says. “There is a group of people not living that are not protected and their images can be misused.”
Dr Georgiades says there are continuous legal problems stemming from the everchanging technological landscape. “I don’t think the general public understand the seriousness of what they are agreeing to (when they sign up to social media),” she says. “My interest in this was piqued because engaging in social media allows people to take photos of people and post them online which results in those people losing control over their image. “You are at the mercy of the person who has taken the photo and what they do with it.”
OAM recognition for research contributions Professor Tammy Hoffmann has received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2021 Australia Day Honours for her services to clinical epidemiology and occupational therapy. Professor Hoffmann’s research helps medical professionals and patients make health decisions that are informed by evidence. “Equipping health professionals, policymakers, patients and the public with the skills and tools to sort fact from fiction is critical,” she says.
Climate right to launch world-first law degree for next generation of Gretas The Faculty of Law has launched the world’s first climate law degree for undergraduates, inspired by worldwide student protests demanding action on climate change. The Faculty began developing the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in Climate Law after hundreds of thousands of students took to the streets in 2018 and 2019. Executive Dean of the Faculty, Professor Nick James, says the pandemic temporarily took the focus off climate change in 2020 but “there are still many young people out there who are passionate about doing something to help heal the planet.” “My sense is that concern among high school students and young people hasn’t gone away and that they are energised and keen to learn more about the issue and how to do something about it,” Professor James says. “The problem at the moment isn’t the lack of science. We don’t need more climate scientists.
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We need people who understand the problem and how to work with our legal and political systems so that we can respond appropriately to climate change. “A law degree supplemented by training in climate science and climate sociology will provide these students with the qualifications and the expertise they need to take effective action.” Professor James says he expects two types of students will be drawn to the new program. “One is the person who was already thinking about studying law and is attracted to the idea of becoming a specialist in this emerging area of legal practice,” he says. “They will go into large firms and help clients deal with climate change-related legal issues. The other type of student is the person who has never considered studying law before. All they know is that they want to do something about climate change. We believe that a law degree will empower them to go out and make a difference.”
“A law degree supplemented by training in climate science and climate sociology will provide these students with the qualifications and the expertise they need to take effective action.”
Students Ms Sophie Parker, Ms Sophia Azzopardi, Ms Chloe Lawson and Mr Connor Pritchard.
The ‘Bond difference’ sends University to top of class with students Bond University has been crowned the best in Australia for learner engagement, learning resources and skills development in a government survey of university students. The University took the honours at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in the 2020 Student Experience Survey. It also offered the best overall student experience of any major Australian university, with only the theological University of Divinity ranked higher. The ‘Bond difference’ was remarkable in some categories. In undergraduate learner engagement, the University was 28.6 per cent above the national average. Students lauded Bond across multiple areas of study, giving it top marks in Business, Communications, Health, Law, Science and Mathematics, among others. Bond University Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Tim Brailsford, says the results were achieved amidst the most difficult year for education in many years as COVID-19 upended everything. “At Bond we take pride in putting students and their education first and these results reflect that singlemindedness,” Professor Brailsford says.
“Throughout the pandemic Bond has demonstrated its ability to innovate and adapt and maintain our focus on the learning and development of our students. “We went the extra mile over the last year to support our students and it is pleasing to know that our students appreciated our efforts.” Professor Brailsford says Bond was one of the first universities to return to face-to-face teaching following lockdowns and there was no substitute for an on-campus education. Satisfaction with teaching quality, learning resources, student support and skills development was around 90 per cent. Sophia Azzopardi is studying a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of International Relations and has already secured a job in Perth ahead of her graduation later this year. “The fast-track program was really appealing to me, especially as a law student. It lets you get into the clerkship opportunities and beat the rush,” Ms Azzopardi said. “It was a big decision to move over from Perth but the Bond community really feels like a family to me. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
Ms Azzopardi said she would be sad to leave the campus at the end of the semester. “I’m starting a career with a commercial law firm back in Perth when I finish and I’m really looking forward to beginning that part of my life.” Stephanie White of Melbourne is studying a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Psychological Science. She was so keen to get back to her studies on the Gold Coast last year that she opted to spend two weeks in hotel isolation during border closures. “I love (Bond), I can’t rave about it more,” Ms White said. “It’s a great combination of providing a challenge, but also there’s so much support and help from the staff. “I can’t fault it.” The University has launched a number of new initiatives this year including the world’s first climate law degree for undergraduates.
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AROUND CAMPUS
VaxVisa a ticket to ride in COVID times Erika Harman, a dietician currently studying Bond’s Master of Healthcare Innovations, has worked with her partner to create VaxVisa, a technology solution providing verifiable digital certificates for vaccination and laboratory test results. Ms Harman describes VaxVisa as an app which displays test results much like the digital boarding passes airlines use to check passengers onto a flight. VaxVisa would allow airlines to ensure a passenger’s most recent COVID-19 tests had come back negative or that they had received the vaccine before they boarded their flights.
Extra support for students in financial hardship Limited part-time employment options mean many current students are “doing it tough” financially, says Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Tim Brailsford. Many jobs in the Gold Coast tourism sector – usually a dependable source of part-time employment for students – disappeared following international and state border closures. Professor Brailsford says this was one of the reasons the University reduced tuition fees last year and delayed increases at the start of this year. The University also established a Student Hardship Fund at the start of the pandemic for those who find themselves in dire financial circumstances. “Over the first three semesters of its operation, the Student Hardship Fund has now made over
500 grants to individual students,” Professor Brailsford says. “If you also want to make a difference and support a fellow Bondy who is doing it tough, please consider making a donation to the Student Hardship Fund. “Myself and all of our senior staff have made personal contributions.” watch
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Ensure students have the help and tools they need to succeed.
Dr Oliver Baumann Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Tim Brailsford | 12 |
“Over the first three semesters of its operation, the Student Hardship Fund has now made over 500 grants to individual students.”
Unlocking the mysteries of the doorway effect The so-called ‘doorway effect’ – forgetfulness caused by moving between rooms – is not as pronounced as previously thought and only occurs when the brain is working hard, new research shows. The doorway effect came to prominence after a 2011 study by researchers at the University of Notre Dame. They found that people who passed through doorways were prone to forgetting and theorised that crossing the threshold caused the brain to refresh because memories from the old room were less likely to be relevant in the new room. However, a follow-up study by a team at Bond University provides a different perspective on the phenomenon. Dr Oliver Baumann, an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Bond University, says his team had participants wear virtual reality headsets and move through different rooms in a 3D virtual environment.
They had to memorise objects such as a blue cone and a yellow cross on tables in each room and then move from one table to the next. Sometimes the next table was in the same room and sometimes it was in another room, entered through an automatic sliding door. “At first we couldn’t find the doorway effect at all so we thought maybe people were too good - they were remembering everything,” Dr Baumann says. “So then we made it more difficult and got them to do backward counting tasks while moving around to load up their working memory. “Forgetting did now occur, telling us that overloading the participants’ memory made them more susceptible to the effect of the doorway. In other words, the doorway effect only occurs if we are cognitively in a vulnerable state.” But even then, the observed effect was
Dr Baumann believes it is not the doorway that triggers forgetting but transitioning to a different environment. “If the brain thinks it is in a different context, then those memories belong in a different network of information,” Dr Baumann says. “Overall that gives us greater capacity than if you have just one gigantic workspace where everything is connected. “But there is a cost to that. By transitioning between compartments we can lose things.” The study was published in BMC Psychology.
“If the brain thinks it is in a different context, then those memories belong in a different network of information.”
considerably less than in previous studies.
Dr Oliver Baumann Arch, Edition 28
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AROUND CAM PUS
Donna Hawatt (Class of 2017) EAL/D Education Leader NSW Department of Education Monday 18 January 2021
Good evening, Let me begin by introducing myself. My name is Donna Hawatt, I live in Sydney and I have recently completed the Master of Arts (TESOL) program, due to graduate in February. I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister and fulltime primary school educator and have very slowly and painstakingly completed the course online, over a period of 4 years. I have experienced the course evolve and change and have loved every minute of the transformation to what it is today. I wanted to extend my heartfelt appreciation for this course, the lecturers and the university. The course fulfilled my every expectation. In each subject, the research and content was academic, but the lecturers somehow tied everything back to current practices and contemporary issues, things I can relate to in my everyday life. As a result of this course, I have managed to get a promotion in my field of work, which starts at the end of January. I went from being a specialised classroom teacher to being an Education Leader. My role is to provide high quality, evidence-based professional support and advice for school leaders and teachers across principal networks to increase their capacity to address the English language, literacy and learning needs of EAL/D (ESL) students, including those who are recently arrived and those from refugee backgrounds. I will work with school leaders to collect and analyse evidence to plan, implement and evaluate whole school strategies and personalised approaches to learning to support the needs of their staff, students and school community. I know that I can only do this role because of the preparation I received by doing this TESOL course. The course, but especially the lecturers brought out the leader in me. When I first started the course, I was apprehensive and anxious. I have all the praise in the world for Assistant Professor Beata Webb, who was able to look past nerves, connect with me as an individual and then draw out my leadership qualities. It is a direct result of her faith in me and support of me that I have had many vast experiences in this field. Beata Webb was only ever an email or a phone call away when I needed her and without her, I would have given up a very long time ago. She is the epitome of professionalism and her knowledge and expertise in this field is second to none. Most importantly, she demonstrates compassionate leadership, a natural skill which I definitely needed throughout this degree. Beata made a point to connect with every facet of who I am and what makes me the person I am. And having done that in an online platform is truly remarkable. As a result of her dedication, I was able to grow academically but also professionally and personally, developing my confidence and character. I am proud of my achievements but know that I could not have done it in any other setting or any other university. Bond University provided everything I needed in terms of support, from my first enrolment to the very end. Over the last four years, my husband and children have also supported the highs and lows of tertiary study and are very proud of the strong, confident woman I have become. I am devastated that they will not be able to see me graduate due to current travel restrictions, which means in the future, I just might have to do that PhD Beata keeps hinting at!
Kind Regards, Donna Hawatt
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AR OUND CAM PUS
New-look Alumni Advisory Board to boost digital connections
Dr Jennifer Cronin
W
ith a new Chair of the Alumni Advisory Board comes the opportunity for a new global direction, with a laserfocus local perspective. Dr Jennifer Cronin (Class of 1989) believes a digital communications strategy is the key to the future path and a priority of the incoming Board. Dr Cronin, who holds a Master of Business Administration and returned again completing her PhD in 2016 and is President of Wharf Hotels, is looking forward to the University sharing ‘more good news with alumni’. “We plan to move forward with a robust digital strategy to further promote interaction with alumni and build on the excellent alumni engagement established by previous boards,” she says. With a PhD in crisis management, Dr Cronin is well placed to not only successfully steer Wharf Hotels through a global pandemic, but also re-assess Bond’s alumni engagement, when on a global scale we cannot currently rely on in-person interactions due to COVID-19. Previous chair Derek Cronin (Class of 1989),
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who spent seven years on the Board, including five as Chair, says the Board has achieved great success in data KPIs to improve contact details and connectivity for alumni, which places the alumni community in a strong position to benefit from a more digitally focussed strategy moving forward. “I am really pleased to be handing over the baton to someone with the skills and experience of Jennifer, particularly at a time when we are all ready to reconnect with each other and hopefully to spend more time at alumni events. I have enjoyed my time on the Alumni Advisory Board and I have appreciated the time I have been able to spend catching up with Bondies over the years, including at our events in London, New York and Hong Kong.” Both Dr Cronin and Mr Cronin share a true passion for Bond and the same surname, but they are not related. On the 2021 Board, Dr Cronin is joined by one returnee and five newcomers. Yasuhiro Kawane (Class of 2015) resides in Tokyo where he is an Associate Manager. He holds a Bond University - BBT Global Leadership MBA. Andrew Dibden (Class of 2010) holds both a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of International Relations. He lives in London where he is Manager, Tax Disputes at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Edward Brockhoff (Class of 2002), who served on the Board the last two terms, also has a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of International Relations, plus a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice. He is the General Manager, Operations, at Ollie Pets Inc. New York. Damien Vanderwilt (Class of 1997) is the Co-President, Head of Global Markets, Galaxy Digital New York. He graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1998. Gold Coaster Sanjana Bhatia (Class of 2015) graduated from Bond with a Bachelor of Commerce. She is a Senior Adviser at KPMG.
Another Gold Coaster is Nikki Christmas (Class of 2007) who completed a Bachelor of Property and Sustainable Development in 2009. She is now Director, Christmas Urban Planning Pty Ltd. Bond University Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Tim Brailsford says the Board plays an integral role in building a lifelong partnership between the University and its alumni, alongside other members of the academic and professional and wider community. “The Board is essential to foster and promote interaction and communication with our global alumni community and engage them with the University in meaningful dialogue.” Professor Brailsford thanked the outgoing Board and its Chair for its dedicated service over the past two years. “The outgoing Chair Derek Cronin and his fellow Board members have been wonderful. The last 12 months during the pandemic have been particularly challenging, but the Board pushed through and they have given the University some learnings and suggestions that are being taken onboard. “Moreover, the juggling of multiple time-zones spread across several continents has required strong commitment from the Board members, often outside of business hours.” Dr Cronin says she is looking forward to meeting her fellow board members in person but until then they would “push on across the cyber skies and keep the Bond family informed and energised on all the success stories of our Bondies, as well as finding new meaningful ways to be engaged.” “Our Bond global village is a diverse one in so many ways and only continues to inspire us to do more, both now and into the future,” she says.
Ms Nikki Christmas
Mr Yasuhiro Kawane
“Our Bond global village is a diverse one in so many ways and only continues to inspire us to do more, both now and into the future.”
Mr Damien Vanderwilt
Ms Sanjana Bhatia
Mr Edward Brockhoff
Mr Andrew Dibden
Vice President Ms Catherine Marks and Mr Derek Cronin
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alumni.bond.au/arch28
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From COVID cover-ups and vaccine conspiracies to the ‘stolen’ US election, 2020 blurred the line between truth and fiction. How do we regain the upper hand in the fight for facts ?
The Big Question sheds light on a topical issue of global relevance, providing a platform for some of Bond’s best and brightest academics and alumni to share their unique perspectives. | 18 |
Rioters invade the US Capitol in Washington DC in January 2021.
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T HE BIG QUESTIO N
From COVID cover-ups and vaccine conspiracies to the ‘stolen’ US election, 2020 blurred the line between truth and fiction. How do we regain the upper hand in the fight for facts ?
Annelise Nielsen (Class of 2008) is the Washington Correspondent for Sky News Australia. 2020 was chaotic, lonely, scary, surreal and universally exhausting. It was, of course, as so many of us in the media liked to remind you time and time again *unprecedented*. Never has the world faced a pandemic when we’ve been this interconnected and susceptible to the global channels that have forged our modern world. However, one thing that really is not new is misinformation. Even if the stakes feel higher than they’ve ever been. Journalism was borne of the need for truth, facts and accountability. That has not and will never change. But the challenges do. The immediate task of reporting on the pandemic was, in reality, not that complicated. Even if it was mind-boggling to watch as the world closed in on itself, the process of reporting the facts was quite simple. Case number updates, government press conferences and epidemiologists ran on high rotation. Scrutinising the government response became more complicated. There were no previous attempts we could draw comparison to when the government came out with plans to lock down borders, ground planes and pour billions of dollars into the economy. While our days and nights were consumed with the
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purpose and planning of a news bulletin, we never lost track of the need for straightforward facts. It’s been a year that’s pushed everyone to the limit. In the face of lives being restricted in ways we’d have never dreamed, it’s easy to see how minds and clicks wander into far flung recesses of the internet trying to make sense of an incomprehensible year. Particularly those who’ve lost their livelihoods or loved ones. It’s always painful to see wild conspiracy theories climb their way up people’s social media profiles. Often, you’ll see them holding tight to their assumption and working to find anything that supports it. And this is where we see the unique challenge of reporting in the modern age. The never-ending barrage of information that anyone can post online easily takes on a life of its own. It takes a certain mettle to hold out against the online onslaught and quickly sort out the facts. It’s the reason why in this time of crisis we have more people tuning in to our news than they ever have before. The truth is, truth will die when we stop listening to each other. I can speak facts I have verified and know to be true, but convincing people to listen and accept them is a separate challenge. There are no alternate facts, but interpretations do come from different points of view. You never shout anyone out of an opinion. Contempt for each other is the birth of misinformation. So if you’d like to know how to support more facts in a very complicated and scary world, the best way to start is by listening.
“The truth is, truth will die when we stop listening to each other.”
Dr Richard Matthews is Associate Professor of Medical Ethics at Bond University. ‘Anti-vaxxer’ is a terrible term. It conjures up the image of the irrational, irresponsible, reprehensible parent - often a woman - the science hater that wilfully exposes their children, other children and the larger population to the dangers of various infectious diseases. It is highly stigmatising, in that it generates a mark of disgrace in the public mind. Thereby it exposes the population so designated to ridicule, humiliation and the possibility of coercion and violence – all ‘legitimated’ in the minds of those who hold the stigma. Why is such a stigma so terrible? If the dehumanisation of the population isn’t already significant enough, consider its impact in medical ethics. Foundational to modern clinical and research ethics and much of public health is the idea of respect for persons. Each person should be treated as an agent with their own life histories, interests, values and goals. As health workers, we are obligated to treat such agents respectfully. Conversation and dialogue are thereby the foundation of any legitimate health care encounter. If we stigmatise and humiliate a given population, then we destroy the possibility of dialogue before we even begin.
We assume the irrationality of the agent; we assume that they are dangerous and immoral and we immediately reach for coercive and violent means in order to deal with them – for example, mandatory vaccinations, exclusion of unvaccinated children from schools and other important public goods, among other things. For this reason, we must use the language of vaccine-hesitancy, instead of ‘antivaxxer.’ We forget that every person has a story. Stigmatising language encourages us to overlook that people have reasons – for good and ill – for their choices and that effectively engaging with them requires us to understand their histories and their reasons. Many who are vaccine-hesitant have had terrible experiences with healthcare workers. Terrible experiments – including on vaccinations - have been carried out on oppressed individuals and groups and the primary investigators were doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. If you, your parents, grandparents, siblings, had been poorly treated and exploited by researchers and healthcare workers, then surely it would be rational for you to approach any healthcare interventions cautiously. The lesson is that we have to understand people’s stories. With care, love and good dialogue, much vaccine hesitancy can be overcome. With humility, we can acknowledge the legitimacy of refusal for those who remain hesitant. The right to refuse is foundational in health ethics and needs to be recognised and worked with, not crushed.
“With care, love and good dialogue, much vaccine hesitancy can be overcome.”
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Tatiana Carter (Class of 2017) was Dux of Bond’s February 2021 graduation cohort. Her Master of Communication thesis examined the spread of COVID-19 disinformation and conspiracy theories. In the battle between truth and lies, fact and fiction, only one thing is certain: Disinformation is fighting to win. For social media users across the world, this new reality is not so easily understood. Last year, social media played an integral role in the global fight against COVID-19. Although more people were connecting and participating in pandemic-related conversations online, trust in the media continued to hang in the balance. From conspiracy theories about COVID-19, to claims of mass voter fraud, to disarray at the US Capitol – social media users have been buried under piles of false information. Like an information dumping ground, the current social media ecosystem is littered with garbage. While some of the information is unintentionally false (misinformation), there has been a growing network of bad actors using the platform to intensify political divisions and weaken democracies around the world. This deliberate and intentional spread of false information is known as disinformation.
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In a recent study I conducted about the spread of COVID-19 disinformation through Twitter, I uncovered a significant presence of conspiracy theories and intentionally false information within the network. Looking at 5000 individual Twitter posts, I was able to gain a better understanding of the overall landscape. Online, medical conspiracy theories about the use of Hydroxychloroquine and the far-right conspiracy theorist group QAnon dominate public discourse. To spread their problematic messages, some of the disinformation has been disguised as journal articles and professional media. One of the most unexpected findings of this research was the presence of bot accounts – or automated social media accounts that inflate hashtags, spread propaganda and inflate political and social discourse. Two of the bot accounts shared a deepfake, or synthetic media that alters a person’s likeliness, of North Korean and Russian leaders criticising Western democracy. As the media continues to be highly polarised, from both the left and right, questions remain about the future of facts: How can we escape the information landfill? The answer: Holding social media companies accountable for content on their platforms. Although an information gatekeeper (filter) is problematic, it may be necessary to limit the spread of disinformation and conspiracy theories on the internet. Being that companies like Twitter and Facebook are some of the largest publishers in the world, it is time they are held to the same standards and practices of traditional media. Only by holding social media companies accountable for the actions of their users will we regain the upper hand in the fight for facts.
“Like an information dumping ground, the current social media ecosystem is littered with garbage.”
Give Students A Hand DONATE TODAY TO THE STUDENT HARDSHIP FUND A contribution to the Student Hardship Fund will help ensure disadvantaged students receive the help and tools they need to succeed.
alumni.bond.edu.au/student-hardship
ACADEMIA
ARCANE LAW IN THE DOCK PROFESSOR JONATHAN CROWE’S 15-YEAR PURSUIT OF JUSTICE
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egal philosopher Professor Jonathan Crowe is drawing heavily on the philosophy side of his academic repertoire these days. Last year, at the height of the COVID crisis, Professor Crowe redoubled his 15-year quest to change a Queensland law that has let wrongdoers evade justice since 1899. One year and a Queensland Law Reform Commission (QLRC) report later, the law is stubbornly the same. “You just have to accept it is going to take a long time. But it can be disappointing when you see an opportunity for change and it doesn’t happen.” Professor Crowe is talking about his push to reform Queensland’s sexual consent laws, particularly the controversial “mistake of fact” excuse in rape cases which allows attackers to walk free. Defendants can argue they “honestly and reasonably” believed the other person consented to sex, even if their victim did not. The Bond University law professor became aware of the get-out-of-jail excuse as a law student in Brisbane and has been working to change it ever since. Together with one of his former students, author and activist Bri Lee, Professor Crowe campaigned to bring the loophole to public attention in 2020, culminating in Queensland AttorneyGeneral Yvette D’Ath asking the QLRC to examine the mistake of fact defence. “Unfortunately, the commission’s report when it came out was very disappointing because it didn’t recommend any substantive
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change to the law,” he says. “That was primarily because of the attitude of the legal profession - the Queensland Law Society and the bar association - which both came out publicly and opposed any change. To some extent that is justified because you don’t want to be mucking around with law, but my view is when there’s an evidence base that shows that change is needed, you need to make those changes, otherwise you have injustice in the system. I think we’ve reached that point with the rape laws in Queensland.” The Queensland legal fraternity may not be ready for change but it could be coming nonetheless. The alleged rape of Brittany Higgins in the office of then-Defence Minister, Linda Reynolds and historic rape allegations against Industry, Science and Technology Minister, Christian Porter, which he denies, turned out tens of thousands of people to marches across Australia. The sexual abuse and harassment of women has exploded into a movement that is demanding action at political and legislative levels. “We are getting to a point where people won’t be able to avoid taking the issue seriously and responding in a more decisive and appropriate way,” Professor Crowe says. Confronting evidence for change can be found on a website set up by Professor Crowe and Ms Lee, consentlawqld.com. It details the cases of defendants who were acquitted because their victims were drunk, disabled, struggled with English or froze in fear.
But even a change in laws will not change societal attitudes that drive sexual assaults. “We have to focus on what people are learning in schools and universities because that’s where these attitudes are formed,” Professor Crowe says. “Young people are also confronting challenges arising from the availability of online pornography which is shaping attitudes to sex and consent. It is very challenging to be navigating that space as a young person today.” To help, Professor Crowe has coauthored a sexual consent toolkit in his role as Director of Research at Rape and Sexual Assault Research and Advocacy. RASARA was formed last year and fellow members include prominent law reform advocates and sexual assault survivors Saxon Mullins and Nina Funnell. It is hoped the toolkit, funded by the Queensland Government, will be taken up by schools and universities. In the meantime, Professor Crowe is returning to the trench warfare of rape law reform. “It is such an important issue and I am very passionate about it,” he says. “Even if we did get some change I think there would still be more work to do. I certainly see myself persisting with this for a long time.”
“Young people are also confronting challenges arising from the availability of online pornography which is shaping attitudes to sex and consent.”
Professor Jonathan Crowe in the Moot Court.
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anity Bondies making a difference Amid the chaos of the past year, alumni across the globe have been going the extra mile to help out. From supporting vulnerable babies, to preventing injuries to first responders and even promoting peace in war-torn Afghanistan, the compassion of Bondies has been on full display.
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Lavinia Thanapathy
Pierre Hugo
Danielle Ireland-Piper
(Class of 1989) is a motivational speaker and Founding Chair of Inspiring Girls Singapore.
(Class of 2004) is the Senior Director Access and Product Management, Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV).
(Class of 1998) is an Associate Professor in Bond’s Faculty of Law specialising in international and constitutional law.
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU AIM TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT THROUGH YOUR CURRENT ROLE/ PROJECT? I’m an original Bondy who graduated Law but fell into a career in branding and communications and loved it. I’ve been a Press Officer for the European Union and was Head of Communications for the National University of Singapore’s Law School.
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU AIM TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT THROUGH YOUR CURRENT ROLE/ PROJECT/RESEARCH? After more than 10 years in the private healthcare sector, I joined Medicines for Malaria Venture in 2010, working closely with global partners to identify and respond to emerging threats to the global production and delivery of antimalarial medicines. This strengthens supply security across geographically diversified manufacturing sources.
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU AIM TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT THROUGH YOUR CURRENT ROLE/ PROJECT? I’m an author, teacher and lawyer. In addition to academia, I’ve worked in federal and state governments as well as in the private sector, both in Australia and internationally. I have a PhD from the University of Queensland and a Master of Laws from the University of Cambridge. I’m also proud to say my first two degrees are from Bond. I aim to have a positive impact through advocacy, education and law reform. I’m motivated by a passion for justice and an interest in the big questions facing humanity.
Non-profit boards I’ve served on include as Vice President of the Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations and becoming founding chair of Inspiring Girls Singapore. I was President of the PrimeTime Business and Professional Women’s Association, a Founding Member of the Keynote Women Speakers Directory and on the Executive Committee of the Board of HCA Hospice Care. I co-wrote the bestseller, Unleash Your Voice: Powerful Public Speaking for Every Woman and am a professional speaker all over the world. LinkedIn named me one of its Top Voices for 2020 and for International Women’s Day 2021, my theme was ‘inclusion as opportunity, not charity’. WHAT IS YOUR POWER PHRASE TO HELP YOU GET THROUGH TOUGH TIMES? a. Embrace the crazy. b. Unleash your voice. c. An equal future. WHAT IS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE YOU SEE FACING THE WORLD RIGHT NOW? Gender equality. The impact of closing the gap will be enormous. IF YOU HAD $1M FROM A BENEFACTOR, HOW WOULD YOU PUT IT TO BEST USE? For the Inspiring Girls program, bringing girls together with female role models. HOW CAN ONE PERSON MAKE A DIFFERENCE? We all make a difference. I live my life with a compass rather than a stopwatch as my guide. IN 2050, I HOPE… For a world that is inclusive. Poverty, climate change and violence will be problems of the past.
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WHAT’S YOUR POWER PHRASE TO HELP YOU GET THROUGH TOUGH TIMES? “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” WHAT IS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE YOU SEE FACING THE WORLD RIGHT NOW? The main ones are 1) overcoming COVID-19 and preparing for future pandemics 2) developing and delivering affordable essential medicines 3) being able to make economical clean energy available to the masses and 4) reducing unemployment. IF YOU HAD $1M FROM A BENEFACTOR, HOW WOULD YOU PUT IT TO BEST USE? Firstly, private sector collaboration for locally produced, quality approved antimalarials and, secondly, targeted support for leading African manufacturers of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACTs) to secure WHO prequalification of their products. This will reduce import dependency while enhancing the quality of medicines in both public and private sectors. HOW CAN ONE PERSON MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Look at Bill and Melinda Gates. They have made a huge difference to millions of people across the world. One person can inspire others and change the way people view the world. I love this quote from Mahatma Gandhi: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” IN 2050, I HOPE... To be living in a happy and healthy world.
WHAT’S YOUR POWER PHRASE TO HELP YOU GET THROUGH TOUGH TIMES? “Society grows great when (wo)men plant trees in whose shade they will never sit.” WHAT IS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE YOU SEE FACING THE WORLD RIGHT NOW? There are two: climate change and the management of human activity in outer space. These are big issues for law and other disciplines to tackle. The way we work together on these challenges, including through law and regulation, will impact the future of humanity. IF YOU HAD $1M FROM A BENEFACTOR, HOW WOULD YOU PUT IT TO BEST USE? I’d seek out renewable energy projects that will protect the environment but also preserve jobs and help alleviate the effects of poverty. I would also invest in affordable housing for the vulnerable. HOW CAN ONE PERSON MAKE A DIFFERENCE? By not turning away from causes that matter. IN 2050, I HOPE... Climate change has been addressed, we have identified intelligent life on other planets, invested in renewable energy sources, reduced violence against women and children, invested in meaningful mental health and aged care systems and are kinder to animals.
Ms Lavinia Thanapathy
Mr Pierre Hugo
Dr Danielle Ireland-Piper Arch, Edition 28
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The pursuit of nappyness HOW CARLY FRADGLEY TURNED DONATIONS ON HER DOORSTEP INTO A CHARITY HELPING THOUSANDS OF NEW FAMILIES by Andrew Bryan
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arly Fradgley (Class of 2004) knew she was onto something big when she came home one day to find bags of clothes, prams and baby items piled high on her doorstep. “The garage got full really quickly,” says the Founder and CEO of Baby Give Back, a charity that helps vulnerable babies, children and families. ”There was a serious amount of need much greater than I ever realised right in our own backyard. From then, it was a matter of growing quickly so we could keep matching that need and keep accepting donations from amazing families in our community.” For 18 months, Mrs Fradgley’s home at Tallebudgera on the Gold Coast was packed full of donations, her rooms and garage overflowing with generosity. What started as a way to donate some of her son’s baby equipment had morphed into a full-time operation that needed more space, more volunteers and all her time. The rapid growth of Baby Give Back was matched only by the incredible need in the community. Mrs Fradgley realised she needed to give up her work as a lawyer and focus full-time on the new venture. The transition was stressful but guided by the skills she learned at Bond University.
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“I couldn’t do what I do and grow an organisation like this without the foundations I had from that legal experience at Bond,” she says. “Having a law degree accelerated through Bond enabled me to start working quite young. I was 20 when I started as a lawyer so I had 10 years of a law career before I started wrapping up and working for Baby Give Back.” For a long time she tried juggling her two roles but eventually, feeling burned-out, she decided to devote 100 per cent of her energy to the charity. “You can’t really work part-time as a lawyer,” she says. “I’m so thankful for everything Bond gave me and it has really helped me in my new path at Baby Give Back.” Meanwhile, the donations continued to pour in, also filling friends’ homes and garages. “It was a real community effort,” she says. “We knew we needed to get a warehouse and that was critical in being able to help more people. When we realised there were so many people wanting to donate their baby stuff, we had a meeting with a case worker who supports vulnerable families. She told us of families who had escaped domestic violence with nothing, families who had gone through really severe financial hardship and had to
“I couldn’t do what I do and grow an organisation like this without the foundations I had from that legal experience at Bond.”
Baby Give Back Founder and CEO Ms Carly Fradgley
watch
alumni.bond.edu.au/arch28
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choose between nappies or food for their children. That was when it was really evident to me that we had to grow this and support more families.” One in six Queensland children suffer in poverty, a statistic that motivates Mrs Fradgley to not rest on the success of her growing organisation. The pandemic presented more challenges, but also drove demand. The work of Baby Give Back was more vital than ever. “In 2020 we had a 37 per cent increase in terms of children helped,” she says. “It was massive for our team to cope with, but it also proved we were able to provide practical support. We’ve been able to help case workers connect with more families, provide that immediate support and give people a sense of hope - that there is a community around them. I think one thing COVID has done is force a lot of us to look more locally.” Baby Give Back’s next goal is to expand into Brisbane where Mrs Fradgley says there is no similar organisation. “There is incredible need in Logan and if we can secure a warehouse in Brisbane we
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could meet that demand. We also help a lot in Northern NSW. We know what we do works, we know bringing the community together is the best way to help families in need.” The best of humanity was on display at Christmas when Baby Give Back was able to supply 2500 gifts to children who otherwise would not have received anything. “Christmas 2020 was one of the hardest times we’ve had since we started Baby Give Back. In a year like 2020, I couldn’t bear the thought of any kid missing out at Christmas, but there were a lot of gift collections that normally happen that didn’t because of COVID restrictions. We had case workers telling us there were so many kids that weren’t going to have any gifts. We managed to fulfil every single request, so that was incredibly special although a very chaotic time for us. Courage in 2020 for us - my team and everyone I saw - was never giving up. No matter how hard, tired, emotionally depleted we were, there was always something bigger to focus on.”
“I couldn’t bear the thought of any kid missing out at Christmas but there were a lot of gift collections that normally happen that didn’t because of COVID restrictions.” Baby Give Back volunteers prepare a care package for a family.
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On the frontlines of research WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING FIRST RESPONDERS, FORMER SOLDIER DR ROB ORR HAS BOOTS ON THE GROUND by Andrew Bryan
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ilitary, law enforcement and firefighting packs adorn Professor Rob Orr’s office at Bond University’s Institute of Health & Sport. A whiteboard to his left is crammed with information on 16 PhD candidates he is supervising. In front of him another whiteboard displays 56 research papers he is authoring that are near completion. Dr Orr spent 23 years in the military and continues to serve first responders around the world with his research. His motto: “The officer we save today could be saving our life tomorrow.” Dr Orr is the Director of the Tactical Research Unit and an Associate Professor of Physiotherapy and specialises in preventing injuries among those performing some of the most dangerous jobs on earth. “Whether it is military, fire and rescue or law enforcement, if we keep them on-the-job fit, able and capable, they are the ones that are going to save our lives and those of our family,” Dr Orr says. “That is our mindset. They are serving their country, putting their lives in harm’s way every day. How can we make sure they are safe and can go home to their families?” Dr Orr’s research is global, spanning Australia, the USA, the UK, Singapore, the UAE, Germany and Serbia. “We work with countries all over the world which have totally different perspectives,” he says. “In Singapore they have conscription in their military. They have to take everybody, not just the fittest. How do they train them?
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“In Abu Dhabi they have Ramadan, so they can’t eat or drink during certain periods of time which then creates a nutritional challenge when training officers. “The more we know, the more holistic we can think about the challenges, the better effect we can have.” Dr Orr was named the winner of the Vice Chancellor’s Research Excellence Award in 2020. He has an impressive research output including 142 peer-reviewed publications that have led to changes in government policy, industry product design and the establishment of new standards in fitness training and rehabilitation that now impact thousands of Australian tactical personnel each year. “For me, the motivation comes from serving in the Australian Regular Army for 23 years - you want to give back,” he says. “Because the reality is, I was a high school dropout. I dropped out in Year 11. I now have a PhD. A lot of that comes from the lessons and character development I learned and experienced in the military. Before following my full-time service and engagement with other tactical organisations, I started to realise a lot of the problems the military face are also faced by law enforcement. They have very similar problems - constraints of training time, high levels of injury, requirement to carry load, need for mobility – and I started to see a lot of synergies. I then started working with fire and rescue who share similar challenges again. The reality is we are proud of the fact we are making a difference.”
“For me, the motivation comes from serving in the Australian Regular Army for 23 years - you want to give back.” But Dr Orr has bigger plans ahead. “The majority of our research goes unfunded,” he says. “We do on occasion get some grants or some sponsorship and that allows us to increase capacity. If we could have sponsored PhD students, sponsored positions which allows someone to crunch information and data, we have 56 research articles that are almost finished that I just haven’t had time to finish. Any one of these could have a huge impact on our serving personnel. Blue sky is that we end up with a funded institution, we even have a name for it, the Tactical Institute of Education and Research or TIER, where we can devote all our efforts to helping law enforcement, firefighters, first responders and military personnel. If they have a problem they come to us and we help them find a solution. We want to assist them to make real-world change.”
Dr Rob Orr (left) watches a drag test to assess body armour and backpack fit, form and function.
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Our man in Kabul Rohan Titus (Class of 1991) reflects on eight years living in a warzone
by Reon Suddaby main images by Kiana Hayeri
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etween October and April, the Hindu Kush mountain range is covered in heavy snow. For the rest of the year, the jagged peaks and the surrounding Afghanistan countryside are bone-dry. It is a harsh, unforgiving environment. Even the name Hindu Kush translates to ‘Killer of Hindus’. Afghanistan is a country steeped in tradition, but also in violence. From Alexander the Great, to Genghis Khan, through to the Afghan Civil War, the Soviet invasion of 1979 and more recently coalition operations against the Taliban, alQaeda and ISIL, for centuries the soil of the socalled ‘graveyard of empires’ has been stained with blood. For the past eight years, Afghanistan has also been home to Rohan Titus, firstly at the end of his 24 years of service with Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and in the past two years in his role as
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Chief of Political Affairs for the United Nations Assistance Mission. Mr Titus leads a small team in the Afghanistan capital of Kabul, a team which also has offices in Islamabad (Pakistan) and Tehran (Iran). His role is broad, encompassing stabilisation of the region and how its political leaders and Parliament function together. He views the character of the Afghan people as inextricably linked with their surrounds. “That countryside, that extreme highaltitude, dry, dusty, dirty atmosphere shapes the people. These are gutsy, gutsy people, their sense of survival in harshness is ten times ours. The Afghans are amazing in their fortitude and their perseverance. “You won’t ever meet a more generous or warm-hearted people, they’re very conscious of hospitality and their honour and their sense of personal dignity.” He is also acutely aware of the region’s turbulent past and its reverberations into the present.
“What is fascinating about this place is that humanity has been here for as long as humanity has been pretty much everywhere outside of Africa, they’ve walked through, ridden through, flown over, driven through, but they’ve stopped at some point and some part of their culture and identity has remained. “And when you put that together, what you’re looking at is an extreme version of all of our problems as well as all of our solutions.” In Afghanistan, those problems are manifold. The treatment of women and children as well as minorities and non-Muslims remains an issue which is being addressed, albeit slowly. The region has been badly impacted by climate change, which has led to a poor season for crop production. Afghanistan is one of
the world’s major producers of heroin and methamphetamine is now making its insidious presence felt. The country’s medical facilities have been placed under enormous strain by the COVID-19 pandemic. Afghanistan has not held a census since the Soviet invasion 40 years ago and while the current population is believed to be around 32 million people, about 18 million of those are estimated as being in extreme need, including 5 million children. The risk to those living and working in Afghanistan remains very real. Mr Titus cites the example of one of his colleagues, whose daily commute to work with her husband is carried out under the constant threat of car bombs.
Karte Sakhi Cemetery in Western Kabul, Afghanistan.
“These are gutsy, gutsy people, their sense of survival in harshness is ten times ours.”
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Peace signing in Kabul, Afghanistan. “When he drops her off, she doesn’t know whether she’ll see him again, then he comes to pick her up to take her home – rinse and repeat forever.” Mr Titus remains in awe of the resilience of the Afghan people in the face of these challenges. “The quality of the people, the dedication in the face of extreme threat to keep going and make things better around them, it’s been absolutely eye-opening. “The Afghan people are just like any other people in the world, they have the same hopes, the same desires, they want to live in peace, they want their kids to grow up safely, become educated, get good jobs, they want to see their grandchildren grow up in a safe place. I think that’s very similar for people everywhere I’ve been all over the world.” “All over the world” is no exaggeration. Mr Titus’s current posting is just the latest stop in a storied global career that has seen him work in India, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Brunei and Jordan. Events of the past year, in particular, have led Mr Titus to reflect on the human condition and the impermanence of functioning societies. “I think we have to remember how close we are to the edge of chaos, no matter what country we’re in, whether it’s Germany in the 1930s or … what we all watched happen
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in the United States at the beginning of the year. I’m not saying those are necessarily tipping points, because often common sense does prevail, but they can lead to periods of madness and civil wars are essentially national level suicide attempts, they’re not decisions made by people in their right minds.” And while it is easy to view these global ruptures from a safe distance, Mr Titus feels it is also important to look closer to home. “Disrespect for individuals, disrespect for people who are different, these are the same problems whether it’s civil war in Afghanistan or whether it’s the national debate in Australia about gendered violence, the treatment of all Australians as equals, whether they’re Indigenous or have different sexual orientation or gender or ethnicity, it’s exactly the same disease but played out to the point where it becomes fatal.” Despite this, he remains optimistic for the future of humanity, describing us as “beautifully different”, although hindered by short-termism. “If we’re all going to get along and make this work, we’re going to have to collectivise on many, many levels, no matter how much that is upsetting and threatening to our sense of self. “Our problems are not personal, they’re global, whether it’s climate change or
transnational terrorism, transnational drugs, the rise of global intolerance, major trade shifts and power politics, whatever it might be – at a minimal level it’ll affect the price of your Amazon purchase, but at a maximalist level, the world is a better place if we say that’s not actually the best way to go forward collectively.” Part of the solution, he feels, can be found in education, with a particular focus on humanities. “You can’t tell me that any of the people who’ve busted a gut trying to create a COVID vaccine haven’t got a profound sense of humanity. “Our best politicians are the ones who studied humanities as well as their professional discipline, because they have a broader view.” Turning his mind to the benefits of education leads Mr Titus to his time at Bond, from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws in 1994, having begun his studies as part of a small intake of about 35 students. “Even among that small group there was such magnificent diversity, from our rugbyplaying partying Fijians who were taking on the law faculty and really trying so hard to get their degrees and then there was a really great mix of Japanese and Indian students and people from all over Australia.” He still has close links to the University even now, regularly visiting campus whenever he returns to Australia and has retained close friendships with many of those he studied with. Mr Titus is grateful for the opportunities life has given him, opportunities which he freely acknowledges were not available to others less fortunate, but who were potentially more deserving than he was. “My message to people is, if you do have privileges, seize the advantages they present and step back out of the way of people who are struggling, who have better skills and are more meritorious and help them forward. It doesn’t do you any harm at all if people climb on your back over the wall and then reach out a hand to help you over. That’s not a bad thing. “If we’re struggling for things, we’ve stuffed up. If we’re struggling for principles, we’ve kind of got it right.”
“Disrespect for individuals, disrespect for people who are different, these are the same problems whether it’s civil war in Afghanistan or whether it’s the national debate in Australia about gendered violence.”
Overlooking Dahan-e Bagh neighbourhood on the foot of Sakhi Mountain in Kabul, Afghanistan.
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P H I LANTHRO PHY
Mr Alex Kirchner, a role model for the deaf community, has a goal of competing at the 2024 Olympics.
“Accepting my disability was a big deal and it only happened in recent years.”
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ALEX EMBRACES STROKE OF FATE DEAF SWIMMER CLAIMS WORLD RECORDS AND MANTLE AS ROLE MODEL
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lex Kirchner used to cover up his deafness at school, desperately wanting to fit in with his classmates. Four world deaf swimming records changed that. Today he is loud and proud about being a role model for the hearing-impaired community. Mr Kirchner, 18, is studying a Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Laws on an Excellence Scholarship while he pursues a dream of competing at the 2024 Olympics. Attending Bond University was a long-held ambition, but the swimmer had a difficult time in primary school. “There are a lot of social challenges growing up deaf and not everyone accepts it,” Mr Kirchner says. “Primary school was very secluded for me in some parts. Accepting my disability was a big deal and it only happened in recent years.” The turning point was international success in the pool. Mr Kirchner holds four deaf world records across freestyle (50m and 100m) and backstroke (50m and 100m). “When I started competing and representing Australia I began to really understand the weight that carries and how much it means,” he says. “I came to realise that my hearing disability was a part of me and that living in defiance was not the way to live. I embraced my disability, let it become a true part of me and stopped letting it prevent me from being who I wanted to be.” Mr Kirchner is now an ambassador for the deaf community.
He gives speeches, participates in awareness advertisements and helps raise funds to ensure deaf children “can live a normal life and not let their disability hinder them from achieving their dreams.” Mr Kirchner was born with the connexin 26 gene, the most common cause of inherited deafness. His parents Libby and Brett got him into swimming at just six months old, believing sport would help him assimilate and give him confidence. During competitions his mother would hold his ankle on the blocks before releasing it to let him know the race had started. “Mum and dad didn’t miss a session when I was growing up, driving me to the pool every morning at 4:30am,” he says. “There is a lot of emotional support from my parents. They experience my problems if I’m suffering or feeling left out, that hurts them a lot.” International success has freed Mr Kirchner from his self-consciousness but it has also brought new pressures. “I put a lot of pressure on myself because the whole idea of representing your country is a big deal,” he says. “The amount of fundraising that goes on by family and friends and the people that are supporting you to get you over to international events carries pressure. It’s good pressure, but it is a lot. It’s friends and family’s money that gets you over there. You are representing them when you are on the blocks.”
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The Melbourne-born athlete is currently focused on performing well at national titles after fulfilling an ambition to swim for Bond. “I’ve wanted to come to Bond for a very long time,” Mr Kirchner says. “At my first age nationals many years ago I saw the Bond team in their swimmers and thought their uniform looked pretty cool. I always had the idea I’d move up to Queensland when I was old enough and Bond seemed the perfect fit: swimming and university. “My goals are swimming in Brazil at the Deaflympics next year. I hold the world record currently, so it’s a good chance to medal. Long term goal is the Paris 2024 Olympics. That’s the ultimate.” watch
alumni.bond.edu.au/arch28
Class of 1990
Class of 1998
Deanna Nott was recently awarded a Chief of the Defence Force Commendation and is now the longest serving public affairs officer in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), marking 27 years of service. In March, Ms Nott played a lead media engagement and communication role for the RAAF’s 100th birthday celebrations in Canberra. “I feel very honoured to have been asked to take on a senior role in my Reserve capacity for the Centenary,” she says. “I have a great team of staff here on the Gold Coast at Wings PR - including two Bondies - Kylie Perrett (Class of 2018) and Soleil Ritchie (Class of 2018).”
Cr Clare Stewart is the first female Mayor of Noosa. Cr Stewart was elected Mayor of Noosa Shire Council in last year’s Local Government elections. She is also a former Barrister at Law, a published author, nationally accredited mediator, keynote speaker, wife and mother. After graduating from Bond in 2000 Cr Stewart was admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court of New South Wales and was called to the Private Bar in Queensland as a Barrister at Law. Cr Stewart is also a Board Director of the notfor-profit charities Youngcare and Youngmac.
Deanna Nott
Class of 1992
Class of 2002
Ken Petty has been appointed as Chair of Saint Stephen’s College Ltd on the Gold Coast. Mr Petty is also the Managing Partner of MinterEllison Gold Coast, a Board Member with Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce and a Board Member on the Study Gold Coast Business Advisory Board. Mr Petty graduated from Bond with a Bachelor of Laws in 1994 and became a Corporate Partner with MinterEllison in 2001, a firm he has worked in for nearly 25 years, predominately in mergers and acquisitions, governance and commercialisation projects.
2020 may have been quite a year, but Manish Hathiramani hit the ground running. Mr Hathiramani was featured in the 2020 March edition of Forbes India and was recently awarded the Proprietary Trader of the Year 2020 by The Economic Times. “I am both humbled and honoured to have received this award,” he says. “Moving ahead, I sincerely hope to do better as a trader and deliver better results.” Mr Hathiramani graduated with a Bachelor of International Business in 2004 and is now a Proprietary Index Trader and Technical Analyst at Deen Dayal Investments in Kolkata, India.
Ken Petty
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Clare (Sultmann) Stewart
Manish Hathiramani
Class of 2008
Class of 2010
Class of 2012
In October 2020 Patrick Aboud was awarded the Property Council of Australia’s Academy Champion Award for the highest achiever. “I felt and still feel very proud of winning this industry-recognised achievement,” he says. “I’m looking forward to continuing to grow my asset and funds management expertise.” Mr Aboud graduated from Bond in 2010 with a Bachelor of Property and Sustainable Development and has held roles at Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL), DB Property and Propertylink Group (now ESR). Mr Aboud is now an Asset Manager at 151 Property, a Blackstone portfolio company, in Sydney.
Justin Bernstein has been appointed Director of sportswear manufacturer Cutter and Buck Australia. Mr Bernstein was previously a Chartered Accountant at MWM Advisory and graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Commerce. Since the move to Cutter and Buck Australia, Mr Bernstein’s new role focuses on the daily operation of the business as well as bigger picture strategy and sustainability. “I want to be a part of the future of Cutter and Buck Australia,” he says. “The brand has massive potential. We are already successfully diversifying into corporate and lifestyle apparel where I would like to see continued growth over the next 12 months.”
Jesse Green has been promoted to Head of Sport Science with NBA team the Sacramento Kings. Previously a Performance Analyst with the Kings, Mr Green has led sports science integration for the team since the 201819 season. Originally from country South Australia, he completed a Bachelor of Sports Science with Honours from Bond in 2015 and spent over three years working on the sidelines with the Brisbane Lions. As for the future, Mr Green continues to aim high. “I’m loving my time in Sacramento and I think I’ve only scratched the surface of what I want to achieve at this level.”
Patrick Aboud
Justin Bernstein
Jesse Green
Class of 2009
Nicolene Lottering Dr Nicolene Lottering has been appointed the new Assistant Professor in Medicine and Anatomist at Bond University. A Bondy herself, Dr Lottering graduated with a Bachelor of Forensic Science in 2011. “I’m excited to be back on the Gold Coast and at Bond University, where my tertiary studies and love for forensic anthropology all started,” she says. As part of Dr Lottering’s innovation in teaching, she also runs the YouTube channel Musculoskeletal Anatomy with Dr. Nikki, amassing almost 6000 subscribers and 270,000 views. “I receive weekly emails from medical students around the globe requesting new content, which shows the impact these videos have had on student learning.”
Class of 2012
Nick Dodds
Nick Dodds has been listed in the 2020 Doyle’s Guide as a Rising Star in Tax Law in Australia. “I was absolutely delighted by the listing,” he says. “Doyle’s Guide compiles its lists through surveys and interviews with clients, peers and relevant industry bodies, so that recognition meant a lot to me.” Mr Dodds graduated with a Bachelor of Laws in 2015 and relocated to Melbourne where he has now lived for four years. He is currently an Associate in tax at Thomson Geer and will be commencing practice as a barrister later this year.
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Bondies on the move.
Have you recently changed roles or want to share some exciting career news? Email your update through to alumni@bond.edu.au.
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BON D IES ON THE MOV E
Class of 2013
Class of 2014
Class of 2015
Bond University Limited member Jade Weller has been listed at number one on Yahoo Finance’s Start-up Coaches for 2021 list. She is the Founder of JadeStart, a Senior Consultant at PwC and a keynote speaker. In 2020, Ms Weller managed to turn the challenging year into a significant opportunity. “My husband and I teamed up in the business last year and we have expanded our team to create more support in the business,” she says. “During 2020 we expanded our reach into nine different countries and have plans to continue this growth and reach students across the globe.”
Lauren Soars’ career has reached new heights. Ms Soars is now the Game Day and Events Coordinator for the Newcastle Knights, a role she is excited to be in after almost a yearlong break from the sports industry due to COVID-19. “I am looking forward to continuing the Knights’ proud traditions and assisting the organisation in becoming number one in crowd attendance for the NRL,” she says. “I am also excited to create a post-COVID game day experience that all demographics can enjoy.” Ms Soars graduated from Bond in 2016 with a Bachelor of Business and has held roles at Clemson University and at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Serving our People (SOP) is a delivery service, founded by Yas Matbouly to deliver groceries and supplies to those in need. SOP has been recognised as an Official Relief Organisation by Gold Coast University Hospital and Logan City Council. SOP has a network of over 250 dedicated volunteers and outstanding Bond alumni lending a helping hand. Founded in March 2020 as a way to provide relief to those most impacted by COVID-19 and its restrictions, SOP has already impacted the lives of more than 10,000 people, provided 720 meals in the last four months and made more than 5000 personal deliveries.
Jade Weller
Lauren Soars
Yas Matbouly
Class of 2014
Francis Filler
Class of 2013
Sam Lara
Sam Lara has recently completed a feature documentary and two-part ABC series, Laura’s Choice. Laura’s Choice looks at the complex issue of assisted voluntary dying from the lens of Ms Lara’s own experience with her grandmother, Laura and encourages a conversation about how loved ones enter their later years. “My grandma wanted to start a conversation about end of life choices for the elderly and I hope this film does that wish justice,” says Ms Lara. Ms Lara is a Western Australia-based director of music videos and factual and scripted content and is the WA chapter head of the Australian Director’s Guild. Laura’s Choice is available to view now on iView.
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Francis (Frank) Filler has successfully passed the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority (FASEA) exam, becoming one of approximately 150 Financial Adviser Professional Year participants across the country who have successfully completed the exam. Mr Filler is a Financial Adviser at National Super Solutions and graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Commerce. “The exam is 3.5 hours in length and covers regulatory obligations, applied ethical reasoning and financial advice construction,” Mr Filler says. “To be amongst the first cohort of post-Royal Commission financial advisers is a journey I’ve found both rewarding and at times quite challenging.”
Class of 2015
Mark Wallis
Mark Wallis has reached a significant career milestone, being admitted as an Associate of the Institute of Actuaries Australia. “Receiving my associateship from the Actuaries Institute Australia is one of my biggest career milestones to date,” says Mr Wallis. “It’s been a long and challenging journey to go through the accreditation process, one that would not be possible without the incredibly supportive network that Bond has helped me create.” Since graduating with a Bachelor of Actuarial Science (Honours) in 2018, Mr Wallis has become a Senior Consultant at EY Analytics in Melbourne and helps companies transform and adapt their businesses through data and analytics.
Showcase Your Bond LOOK BEYOND THESE UNIQUE STERLING SILVER CUFFLINKS AND YOU’LL SPOT A FAMILIAR PLACE. Each pair of cufflinks is engraved with the design of the Bond University Quadrangle and feature a mirror image of the waterfall with the Arch embedded on the side edge.
alumni.bond.edu.au/store
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BULL SHARKS MAKE THEIR MARK ON QAFLW WOMEN SURGE TO TOP OF THE TABLE
Bond Bull Sharks QAFLW players Ms Taylor Smith (left) and Ms Wallis Randell have gone on to represent the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns this season.
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AROUND THE GROUNDS Women undefeated in AFL The Bull Sharks have surged to the top of the table in an undefeated start to the QAFLW season. Bond’s performance in all conditions against all-comers has head coach Luke Mansbridge confident his side is heading in the right direction. “From a playing and senior group, they’ve really embraced our trademark of brave, united, formidable and committed,” Mr Mansbridge says. “Our culture is really positive. We’ve had a lot of new girls pull on the guernsey for the first time this year and they’ve really embraced it.” The Bull Sharks stamped their premiership credentials early with a victory in wet conditions in Round 3. After conceding an early goal in their clash with Wilston Grange, they did not concede another point for the entire match. It was a 58-minute shutout. The comprehensive 75-6 victory speaks to the heart of what is making the team tick this season. “The players have been really adaptable and embracing change, which has come off the back of COVID last year. We are not just a development pathway into the Gold Coast Suns. It is great for our players to be recognised in representative teams, but we are a club and that has been our focus.” While the Bull Sharks are flying high to start the season, their focus is very much on learning the lessons from last season when they were knocked out in the preliminary finals. “We believe we are in a position to contend for the silverware this year. We think we have enough talent within our squad,” Mr Mansbridge says. “Our first goal is to finish top three to get a second chance and hopefully win a premiership off the back of that.”
“We believe we are in a position to contend for the silverware this year.”
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Bond University and Queensland Reds players Mr Zane Nonggorr, Mr Alex Mafi and Mr Angus Blyth.
Bondies named for Wallabies, Reds Fresh off the most successful season in the club’s history, the Bull Sharks are preparing for a tilt at their maiden Queensland Premier Rugby premiership. While the Bond men and women chase silverware and will look to make an impact when the Queensland competition starts, they are also being recognised for higher honours. Alex Mafi has been selected in the Wallabies squad, while Bond rugby stalwarts and sport scholarship recipients Angus Blyth, Alex Mafi and Zane Nonggorr continue to impress with the Queensland Reds in the Super Rugby Australia competition. The Reds – helped by the Bull Sharks trio – have had a perfect start to the season, topping the table. Bond also has five players in the junior Wallabies squad: Wilson Blyth, George Blake, Zane Nonggorr, Hamish Roberts and Dion Samuela. For Mr Blyth, the call-up shapes as a chance to shine after missing the under 18s Australia team through injury. “It was very exciting news to let the family know and I was pretty stoked to make the first stage of the junior Wallabies squad,” Mr Blyth says. “It’s good to get recognised and let you know you are doing the right things on and off the field.” Bond’s women are also being recognised with Lucy Lockhart and Aleena Greenhalgh training in the Wallaroos squad towards a World Cup berth. While the 2021 World Cup in New Zealand was postponed due to COVID-19, Ms Lockhart and Ms Greenhalgh will continue to press their claims and are set for another big season with the Bull Sharks.
Netballers shooting for top four in Sapphire Series Relentless in defence and calm in attack. That’s the key to a successful season for the Bull Sharks netballers, according to coach Sheryl Burns. “We will be ready to go, we’ve put in a lot of hard work,” says Ms Burns. “We just need to believe in ourselves and reach that top four to play semi-finals. Defensively we are really strong this year, as we were last year. We have some fantastic athletes and some quick athletes. Have patience – that is our learning from last year - we get so much ball in defence but our conversion rate needs to be better. In the past we have wasted too many of those opportunities.” Bond University began their campaign in the HART Sapphire Series against the Jets on April 18.
Shortcourse World Record Holder 100m BACKSTROKE
Minna Atherton
Dolphins race on campus in Tokyo warm-up Australia’s fastest swimmers took part in a surprise swim meet at Bond University to prepare them for the uncertainty of the Tokyo Olympics. Dolphins coach Rohan Taylor says the facilities at Bond University are the perfect launchpad for Australia’s Olympic campaign. “We have a high performance program that operates here at Bond under Richard Scarce and we come here a lot to use the facilities,” Mr Taylor says. “I think it is a no-brainer to have this activity here as well as the event camp because it is such a great facility. It has the versatility of the long and shortcourse pool, the gym … it is a great feel. We are really privileged to be here.” Multiple Olympic gold medalist Cate Campbell competed in several events in Bond’s state-of-the-art shortcourse pool and was excited to be racing again. “It’s a wonderful initiative and a great opportunity to get some friendly rivalry within the team and it makes everyone excited looking
forward to Tokyo,” she says. Bond’s elite swimmers and Georgina Hope Reinhart Swimming Excellence Scholarship students have given everything for their Olympic preparations and the results are showing. Minna Atherton, the world record holder in the shortcourse 100m backstroke event, is a strong contender for Tokyo while breaststroker Jenna Strauch (Class of 2017) is in the form of her life ahead of the Olympic trials in June. The Biomedical Science graduate has been racking up personal best times across the 50, 100 and 200 metre events as she prepares for a tilt at the world’s showpiece sporting event. Ms Strauch has never swum faster, but she knows better than most that nothing is guaranteed. “Doing PBs in the pool is really positive, but it is just a stepping stone,” Ms Strauch says. “There’s a lot of work to be done going into Olympic trials. I feel like coming into the Olympics you can’t get complacent but I feel like I’m on the right trajectory. “I’m in a really good place at the moment. I seem to be getting better and better, but you have to stay on top of things and keep things in perspective.”
“It’s a wonderful initiative and a great opportunity to get some friendly rivalry within the team and it makes everyone excited looking forward to Tokyo.”
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Bond Elite Sport Program student-athlete Ms Claire Dooley is training in Canada.
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CLAIRE CARVES OUT A FUTURE IN SKIING, MEDICINE SISTER’S HEALTH BATTLE INSPIRES SCHOLAR by Jessica Borten
I
n sport and life in general, Claire Dooley has a habit of turning the bumps along the way to her advantage. An avid skier since the age of seven, the Bond Elite Sport Program member is on track to represent Ireland in mogul skiing at the Winter Olympics. The sport is distinctive: skiers race down a slope covered in moguls – or bumps – using them to launch into aerial manoeuvres and are judged on both speed and style. Ms Dooley is currently juggling study and training in Whistler, Canada, in preparation for Winter Olympics qualifiers in December. “In primary school I got involved in a competition called Interschools which is this massive snow sports event that draws thousands of kids from around Australia,” she says. “My parents entered me and my siblings one year and it went from there - we were hooked.” Mogul skiing encompasses a range of mental and physical skills taught across other winter sports and it is this combination that excites Ms Dooley. “We have to be good at skiing on the groomed slopes and skiing on the flats, so we draw upon the technical foundation that they set in ski racing. But we also have to do aerial manoeuvres and be able to adapt to varying terrain like if you were free skiing.” The Australian-Irish dual national from Brisbane is a Vice Chancellor’s Elite Scholar whose choice of degrees was shaped by a family member’s health battles. Ms Dooley’s younger sister was diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of five and conventional treatments would have put her at risk of brain damage and hearing and vision loss. “There weren’t a lot of treatment options available for her, particularly in Australia and
to put it bluntly, the options the doctors did give her weren’t good,” Ms Dooley says. “That’s when my parents really had to take the situation into their own hands.” Both of the lifesaving treatments Ms Dooley’s sister required were pioneered in Boston hospitals, so the family has spent long stints in the US.
“I’m really goal-oriented and self-driven because I’ve had to manage both school and sport.” “I became fascinated by the work and research that my sister’s specialists were doing and the passion they showed for their patients,” Ms Dooley says. “I was beginning to recognise that medicine was possibly the career path for me.” Ms Dooley enquired about work experience at the Harvard Medical School’s teaching hospital, Massachusetts General in Boston, thinking “it doesn’t hurt to ask”. “I wanted to experience what being a doctor could be like,” she says. “I sent an email with my resume and the next month I had an application form from Harvard’s student medical intern program in my inbox.” Ms Dooley’s experience in Boston cemented her decision to study medicine and she has embarked on a Bachelor of Biomedical Science.
“I’ve watched my sister’s village of specialists across the world collaborate, communicate with her and my parents, show a vested interest in her wellbeing and pursue all avenues to provide solutions,” she says. “Although cliché, this has taught and instilled a passion in me to replicate those unique relationships with patients and the potential life-changing outcomes.” Ms Dooley’s average day involves watching lecture recordings, writing assignments, training on the slopes and trampolining sessions. Somehow, she still manages to catch up on her favourite podcasts. She says the skills developed during her athletic journey will complement her medical career. “Mogul skiing is a high-risk sport. It has taught me to trust in my abilities when it counts. That ability to work under pressure makes me confident that in high-pressure scenarios, I will be able to perform. “Secondly, I’m really goal-oriented and self-driven because I’ve had to manage both school and sport. I know I can always rely on myself to get things done. “Sport has also opened my eyes to the importance of taking a holistic approach and looking at every aspect of a person’s life.” Ms Dooley does not know what area of medicine she wants to specialise in yet but is eager to make a difference. “I think as an overarching lifelong goal, I’m really passionate about combining a clinical career with research. “I want to leave my mark and change something within the face of medicine, however big or small that might be.”
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