Drivers of positive change

Congratulating our Alumni Award winners for 2021.

Our Alumni are making a world of difference, driving change in remarkable and far-reaching ways.

The University of Tasmania’s 2021 Alumni Awards have recognised four such people working across diverse fields, from life-saving international aid and world- leading medical research to fairer workplaces and award-winning indigenous law.

Distinguished Alumni Award winner

Professor Richard Scolyer

AO (BMedSci 1987, MBBS 1990)

Professor Richard Scolyer is co-director of Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA), working at the forefront of melanoma research that has seen life expectancy of people with advanced melanoma increase ten-fold over the last decade.

A world-leading expert in diagnosing skin cancer, the Launceston-born pathologist was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to medicine in June 2021.

“It’s a privilege to be in a position of being able to make such a difference to people’s lives,” Richard said. “MIA is the largest melanoma treatment and research centre in the world and, as a consequence, we can see patterns (in the data) and make discoveries that others can’t ... it’s a responsibility, given we have this opportunity.

“I’d like to acknowledge the grounding I received in pathology as an undergraduate in medical school at university. It was that that provided me with the building blocks and inspired me to make a difference in the field.” Richard said if he could use the award as a platform it would be to firstly raise awareness of the dangers of excessive UV exposure, urge people to check their own skin and stress the importance of early detection of melanoma. Secondly, “I’d like to inspire young upcoming clinical and research stars to aim for the sky.”

Young Alumni Award winner

Ms Leah Cameron

(BA/LLB 2006, GradCertLegPrac 2007)

Leah Cameron, a proud Palawa woman, is the founder and Principal Solicitor of Marrawah Law, a practice providing legal services in the areas of native title, cultural heritage and commercial law.

In May 2021 Leah was named Indigenous Businesswoman of the Year by Supply Nation, and Marrawah Law, one of the largest Indigenous owned and operated legal practices in Australia, was named Certified Supplier of the Year. “Doing what I do in my everyday life and my business gives me such joy; working not just for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people but for other businesses in their dealings with mob makes such a big difference in the community,” Leah said.

Leah said she was immensely proud of the opportunity her business’s growth has provided to employ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, particularly women.

“The skill set they have is phenomenal,” she said. “It’s the most pressing problem.”

“This recognition is an incredible platform to demonstrate to people the importance of the University’s values of inclusivity and diversity in particular; they’re not just trendy buzz words, these values mean something to a lot of people.” As a result, Care for Africa set about installing water wells within or near schools, meaning girls who had previously spent much of their day collecting water could attend school and take water home to their families.

Joint International Alumni Award winner

Mr Greg Vines

(LLB Hons 2000)

Swiss-based Greg Vines is Deputy Director-General at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Switzerland, where he provides leadership and represents the ILO across the UN and multilateral system.

Greg said his work has seen him work across the full range of international labour issues to achieve consensus between governments, trade unions, and employers on many of the most challenging issues facing the world of work.

“Highlights have been seeing the impact of the ILO in improving the lives of some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people across the world,” he said.

“I am particularly proud of what we have achieved in reaching global agreement on the ILO’s Centenary Declaration for a Human Centred Future of Work and its role in setting the agenda for an inclusive and resilient recovery from the COVID pandemic.”

Throughout his career Greg has held statutory roles in Tasmania, senior roles in the Victorian public service, as well as having experience as a trade union leader and as a diplomat.

Joint International Alumni Award winner

Mrs Diana Butler

OAM (BNurs 2001, GradCertN 2004)

Joint International Alumni Award winner and nurse Mrs Diana Butler OAM is the co-founder and CEO of Care for Africa, a not-for-profit charity alleviating poverty in Tanzania.

Diana began Care for Africa after meeting a Tanzanian doctor working in Tasmania.

“She told me of her father’s work as a doctor in a remote area in Tanzania where there was no foreign aid and operations were conducted under candlelight,” Diana said.

“There was no electricity and no running water in the hospital.”

Diana continues to work as the after-hours nurse manager at the Launceston General Hospital, translating many of her nursing skills to running the not-for-profit charity during the day.

For community aid in Tanzania, “Water is category 1 in terms of triage,” she said.