MAGAZINE ISSUE 55 | 2024
▶ Australian of the Year
Professor Richard Scolyer AO on driving change
Art for species’ sake Antarctic mountains made to measure
The legacy of a life lived large
Acknowledgement
We acknowledge the Palawa/Pakana of lutruwita/Tasmania and Gadigal people of Sydney, the traditional owners of the land upon which we live and work. We pay respects to Elders past and present as the knowledge holders and sharers. We honour their strong culture and knowledges as vital to the self-determination, wellbeing and resilience of their communities. We stand for a future that profoundly respects and acknowledges Aboriginal perspectives, culture, language and history.
▲ (L-R) Jane Bamford | Photo: Ivett Dodd, Damien Power (director)
Photo: John Platt, Mars Buttfield-Addison | Photo: Oi Studios
Scolyer AO (story p.7)
Photo: Oi
Welcome
An update for alumni on the new era for higher education and what it means for the University of Tasmania – from the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rufus Black.
Australian higher education is entering a new era. The scale of change is the most significant since the Dawkins’ reforms of the 1980s, which will be familiar to many of our alumni and have benefited many more.
Those reforms led to an overall expansion of the higher education system, moving further from the elite system that had prevailed until the early 1970s by opening higher education up to more, albeit mostly middle-class, Australians. This was necessary because of the changing nature of the workforce and for equity reasons.
Coinciding with the arrival of the internet, these policies changed the nature of universities in very important ways. As a university that serves a whole population, the University of Tasmania mirrored the national changes in a single university, becoming a lot larger with multiple locations and teaching students from a much wider age group, including many who are mature age, and studying part time and online.
For the current reforms, the government has once again looked forward at what the nation’s needs are in a process that has led to what is called the Australian Universities Accord. That work identified by 2050, 80 per cent of all jobs will require tertiary education. Already today 9 out 10 new jobs require it. In practice that means 90 per cent of students will need to go on to university or TAFE.
Effectively, we are moving to a universal higher education system in which moving from secondary school to higher education will be as typical as the transition from primary to secondary school.
The only way this will occur is through expansion of higher education for regional and lower SES students. This is important in Tasmania given how regional the State is and that approximately 45 per cent of people are in the bottom SES quartile.
Appropriate support will be required to ensure these students succeed in their studies and needs-based funding, like that proposed by the Gonski review for schools, will ensure that is available.
These are ambitious, necessary, and far-reaching reforms – touching our schools, TAFEs, and universities – all with the shared mission of creating a more prosperous, inclusive, safe and healthy society for Australia.
As the only university based in Tasmania, we embrace these reforms which support so well our mission to make a positive difference for Tasmania and, from here, the world.
▶ For the third year running, the University has been rated as the number one university in the world on climate action in The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. (L-R) Researchers Dr Emily Flies and Dr Chloe Lucas with Professor Rufus Black.
Photo: Peter W Allen
In doing so, we will continue to be a university that values education, inquiry and creativity for their own sake. Quality and excellence will also remain as hallmarks, and we will continue to have high entrance standards for our bachelor degrees, with expansion enabled by government funding of pre-university programs that will help students to meet those standards. We will continue to educate most of the Tasmanians who choose to go to university and, as that number expands, we will become even more involved in community life and nearly all of Tasmania’s jobs and workplaces.
To do this well, we must also continue to evolve and change, as we have throughout our history. A university like ours, so closely enmeshed with the place we serve, cannot do otherwise.
So too, you will witness a new generation of fellow graduates contributing to the changing face of Tasmania and the world, adding to the outstanding work of our current alumni, some of which is featured in these pages.
As this new era unfolds, your ongoing engagement and connection with the University will be of deep importance and is very much valued.
Alumni welcome
Welcome to the 2024 University of Tasmania Alumni magazine. We’re delighted to share with you inspiring alumni stories and some of our highlights of the year.
Words by Rebecca Cuthill, Director, Advancement and Rob Blandford, Associate Director, Alumni Relations
Among the exceptional alumni we celebrate in this magazine are our 2024 Alumni Award recipients. Their achievements across various fields – from international relations and politics to the arts and sciences – highlight the excellence and opportunities the University aims to foster. We are especially pleased to see past award winners, like Australian of the Year Dr Richard Scolyer, remaining closely connected with the University and significantly contributing to our community.
It is difficult to choose highlights from the year, but reconnecting with alumni at the Donor and Volunteer Thank You and our North-West alumni event with University Council were among them. On the mainland, events in Canberra and Melbourne reminded us of the strong bonds between alumni, including those no longer living in Tasmania. Our gatherings in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore further showcased the love people have for their University and the experiences they shared as students.
In terms of leadership, our revitalised Alumni Committee has met three times this year. This special group of volunteer alumni leaders works to enhance engagement and foster a culture of service and giving back.
▼ Rob Blandford and Rebecca Cuthill at Old Parliament House where the February 2024 Canberra alumni event was held
Indeed, volunteering remains a cornerstone of our alumni activities. We are grateful for the dedication and generosity of all our volunteers, whose involvement in mentoring, events and various programs makes a significant impact on students and new alumni.
One of our new initiatives in this space is the Career Conversations platform, an online mentoring and career advice service. This platform connects alumni with recent graduates, offering valuable guidance and support.
Thank you to those already engaged in helping young people grow their lives in this way. We look forward to building on these successes and continuing to strengthen our alumni community, including your connections with each other and with your University. We hope you enjoy the magazine. Thank you for your ongoing support and for being an essential part of the University of Tasmania community.
Alumni Committee
Ex officio
• Rebecca Cuthill (BA ’93) Chair Director, Advancement
• Rob Blandford Secretary Associate Director, Alumni Relations
Representing professions
• Tom Knight (BBus ’15)
• Sarah Leary (BA ’13)
• Dr Rhea Longley (BMedRes Hons ’09)
Dr Tony Sprent AM (PhD ’84)
Representing campuses
• Angela Bird (BA ’79, DipEd ’80)
• Dr Mary Duniam (BAdVocEd Hons ’02, GradCertBus ’20, GradCertRes ’17, PhD ’17)
• Lara Hope (BA ’10)
• Robert Hogan (BA Hons ’82)
Representing international
• Carl Hollingsworth (BCom-LLB Hons ’00)
University update
Making a difference for and from Tasmania, and beyond.
Our university has a mission to make a positive difference to Tasmania and, from Tasmania, to the world. It is a mission we strive to deliver every day at the University of Tasmania, working for and with our community and in partnership with industry, government and fellow teachers and researchers around the globe.
A clear focus on our mission is an important navigational tool for us as we steer the University through a time of great change in our sector.
As the Vice-Chancellor explained in his welcome message, Australian higher education is entering a new era. Through the Australian Universities Accord process, the Federal Government considered what role tertiary education needs to play in our future. One of the key findings in the Accord was that by 2050, 80 per cent of all jobs will require tertiary education. That means 90 per cent of students will need to go on to university or TAFE requiring the nation to effectively move to a universal higher education system. Achieving such a large expansion in access to education will require significant reforms and the opening up of pathways into university or TAFE for many more students from regional and low SES areas of the country.
This pathway set out by the Accord aligns with our mission and presents an opportunity for Tasmania. For individuals, education is the most powerful tool available to change your life for the better; for communities, education is how we make sure we have the skills and the knowledge to look after one another, grow the economy, and rise to the challenges of a changing world. As the only university operating on and for our island home, we have worked hard to shape the Accord and influence policy reforms in ways that will benefit Tasmania.
In this time of change, as we seek to shape and respond to the future of the sector for Tasmania, the University is strengthening the contribution we make to the State right now. We are doing this through the breadth and quality of our education programs, the scale and impact of our research, and the development of the facilities that enable this critical work.
When it comes to our physical infrastructure, we are in a period of transition. We recently opened The Shed, the final and largest building of the University of Tasmania’s expanded Inveresk campus in the heart of Launceston.
The Shed is the state-of-the-art home for science and health in the North, and its completion marks the culmination of a decade of collaboration, planning and investment, delivered in partnership with all levels of government. Thanks to this partnership and the hard work of an enormous number of people, the North and North-West of Tasmania can now access some of the best university facilities in the country. Indeed, in 2024 the Inveresk library was named the best-designed academic library in the country and the neighbouring River’s Edge building won the top award for educational architecture from the Australian Institute of Architects.
As the Northern Transformation project has been reaching its conclusion, the University has been continuing the work of mapping a future direction for our campuses in the South. Our Council has reflected on important matters including the educational needs of Tasmania, staff and student requirements, community feedback, the policy, funding and legislative plans of the State and Federal Governments, and the City of Hobart’s planning directions.
▲ Students studying nature, people and place at the Tamar Wetlands Reserve, Launceston | Photo: Oi Studios
With those factors in mind, we have formed a plan for the South, which is contingent on securing support and significant government funding, that would see four key sites, each providing students with experiences built around the best the city has to offer.
These sites would be a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Campus at Sandy Bay; a City Campus encompassing existing facilities offering medical sciences and creative arts teaching, learning and research spaces, and a new iconic city building for business, humanities, and social sciences; a Historic Campus on the Domain, the University’s original home; and a Waterfront Campus comprising the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) at Salamanca and Taroona.
Many of these elements are already in place. The Medical Science Precinct next to the Royal Hobart Hospital, the creative arts facilities in Hunter Street and the Hedberg by the Theatre Royal, and IMAS at Salamanca have long been part of the fabric of the city.
The recent completion and opening of the Philip Smith Centre, a carefully restored and renovated heritage building, has seen more of the University return to its first home on the Domain. The International School moved to the space at the end of 2024, and from 2025, new courses will be delivered on site. It is helping to address teacher shortages, train nurses in the South, and support people to improve their English language skills. Other elements, like the former Forestry Tasmania building in the city and IMAS Taroona, are well underway and on track to be complete in 2026. The Forestry redevelopment is already attracting significant attention. In November it was crowned the winner of the best future building in the education category at the World Architecture Festival in Singapore.
We want to provide our students and our staff with the best possible facilities because they help us provide the best possible education and research. Great spaces are important for all the face-to-face teaching and hands on research we do. Buildings are enablers. It is what happens inside and around them that makes an incredible difference in people’s lives and in the future of Tasmania.
In Burnie, our new campus at West Park allowed us to introduce the Bachelor of Nursing to the region just a few short years ago. Last year we added pharmacy to the suite of courses available in the North and North-West. From next year, following a successful pilot program and with funding from the Australian Government, students will, for the first time, be able to study a full medical degree without having to leave the North-West Coast. This both opens doors to new careers for people in the region and helps train a much-needed workforce. Based in Launceston but offered statewide, our new allied health offerings are also helping to fill critical health service roles. This year saw the graduation of the very first cohort of locally trained physiotherapists and speech pathologists and every one of them is working in the Tasmanian healthcare system.
Offering courses students want to study, where they want to study them, that align with regional needs is important. We have seen an increase in the number of Tasmanians commencing with us this year, and in the number of students from other states choosing us. Our graduate outcomes are very strong with the percentage of undergraduates in full-time employment well above the national average and their median salary the second highest in the country.
As our quality educational programs are attracting students and training future workforces, our research is searching for answers and pushing back the boundaries of what we know. Last year we secured almost $200 million in total research funding, including $14.8 million to tackle some of the State’s most urgent health issues. Supporting seven projects across the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, the Tasmanian School of Medicine, and the Wicking Dementia Research Centre, the funding was the largest amount ever awarded to the University in a single round of the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Ideas Grant Scheme.
From life on land to life in and on the water, from the future of sea ice to the changing intensity of bushfires, from the geology of the earth beneath our feet to the movement of the stars above our heads, and so many things in between, our scientists live our mission every day as they make a difference for Tasmania and from Tasmania.
For some of the creatures we share this planet with, the work of our scientific teams could mean the difference for their very survival. IMAS researchers are playing a leading role in efforts to save the Maugean skate and the spotted and red handfish species from the precipice of extinction and have developed world-first captive breeding programs.
Philip Smith Building exterior, Hobart
Photo: Adam Gibson
As we look ahead, the future is bright for the University of Tasmania. The changes set out in the Australian Universities Accord chart a course towards a higher education system that is more accessible, more equitable, and more sustainably funded, particularly for universities like ours that serve and are so much a part of regional communities. We are navigating a complex time on the way to that brighter future. The Federal Government’s changes to international student policies have been particularly challenging for universities like ours but we continue to work hard to manage the impact.
We are a university that has shown it can rise to a challenge. In the face of the great global challenge that is climate change, the University of Tasmania has emerged as a world leader. In 2024, we ranked #1 in the world for climate action in the Times Higher Education Impact rankings and #2 in the world for sustainability overall.
We take great pride in the impact we have on the lives of Tasmanians, on the lives of people who chose to come to our university to study and work, and on the future of the places we call home: our island and the planet we all share.
▲ The Shed opens, Inveresk | Photos: Bruce Moyle
▶ (L-R) The Hon Jason Clare MP, Jo Palmer MLC, Professor Rufus Black and Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood cutting the ribbon at the opening | Photo: Bruce Moyle
Professor Richard Scolyer AO on driving change
When world-leading pathologist Richard Scolyer was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2023 he became patient zero for a radical new treatment, one he helped pioneer.
Words by Katherine Johnson
Ateacher at Launceston’s Riverside High School wrote in Richard Scolyer’s yearbook: Reach for the sky, and you'll get to the treetops; reach for the treetops, and you won't get off the ground.
“I think it's good advice,’ Scolyer said. ‘Be ambitious. Think big and be bold. Contribute to society and enjoy it. Take chances.”
The 2024 Australian of the Year is proud of his Tasmanian connections and upbringing.
“It’s a special place,” he said.
▶ Professor Richard Scolyer at the Cataract Gorge Reserve, Launceston | Photo: Oi Studios
Scolyer studied a Bachelor of Medical Science and a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Tasmania. After four years of clinical medicine, he went on to specialise in pathology, completing his training in 2000. He has worked in Sydney ever since, with his choice of specialty having impacts across the globe.
Together with the co-director of the Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA) and joint 2024 Australian of the Year, Professor Georgina Long AO, Scolyer’s research on melanoma has saved thousands of lives.
“Fifteen years ago, if you had advanced-stage melanoma, that’s melanoma that had spread around your body, most people would die within a year,” Scolyer said.
“Now the five-year survival rate for Stage 4 melanoma is about 55 per cent, and we think most of those people have been cured.
“This is an incredible turnaround; it's making a massive difference.”
But Scolyer stresses the importance of prevention as well as early detection to help combat what he calls Australia’s national cancer, and he and Long are pushing for a national targeted screening program.
“Roughly 95 per cent of people will be cured with simple surgical excision of their primary skin melanoma,” he said.
“Our goal at the Melanoma Institute is to get to zero deaths from melanoma.”
But there is still a way to go.
“We've got the highest incidence of melanoma anywhere in the world: One Australian gets diagnosed every 30 minutes, an Australian still dies every six hours from melanoma, and it's the commonest cancer in 20 to 39 year olds in our country,” he said.
Scolyer and Long are keen to use their Australian of the Year platform to educate people that prevention is better than cure. They remind people to slip-slop-slap, seek shade and wear sunglasses. They also urge people to “know the skin you’re in”, and to get medical advice if they notice any changes.
A year to the day that Scolyer and Long presented their research on melanoma to the National Press Club, they gave a second presentation – this time, with a very personal tone.
Scolyer had developed brain cancer, which was picked up in May 2023, a glioblastoma with a particularly poor prognosis. Treatment options hadn’t improved for twenty years.
“The average prognosis for a patient with the sort of brain cancer that I've got, if you’re over 50, is about 12 months,” Scolyer said.
Long and Scolyer decided on a radical route that Long proposed: to apply what they had learned about using immunotherapy in melanoma to the brain cancer Scolyer had. The key was using immunotherapy before the brain tumour was removed, and before any chemotherapy, which lowers the effectiveness of the immune system.
“It didn't take any convincing for me,” Scolyer said, but he knew there were risks that the treatment could shorten his life or lead to serious and permanent side effects. So far, more than a year later, the results are remarkable, with no recurrence.
“We were able to show that there was an increase in the number of immune cells within my tumour, that they were activated immune cells, and also that the drugs I was given crossed what's called the blood brain barrier to get inside the tumour,” he said.
“I just feel so fortunate that I'm still here and still able to contribute and enjoy my life.”
Professor Richard Scolyer
But Scolyer hastens to add that this result doesn’t mean the treatment worked. He says he might just be a lucky outlier, and important work is now underway to set up clinical trials to determine whether the treatment is effective.
Immunotherapy first used in melanoma is already being used to treat many other cancers including lung cancer, breast cancer, kidney cancer, and head and neck cancers.
But it has not all been plain sailing. Scolyer has battled with seizures from the treatment, requiring careful management. One thing that helps him stay positive is exercise.
In August this year he represented Australia in the Triathlon Multisport World Championships in Townsville with two of his children.
He had previously competed with his daughter in Spain, just before he had his brain cancer diagnosis following a seizure in Poland. He says he is fortunate the tumour was picked up then, and that his wife, also a medical doctor, was with him when he had the seizure.
His advice to young graduates? “Work is important to all of us,” he said. “We really want to make a difference ... but other things, particularly your family, but also the other things you like doing, are also important in your life. Make the most of them.
“Also, be courageous, and don't just lean in, leap in. That's how you can make a difference.”
▲ Professor Richard Scolyer AO at the World Championships in Townsville with his daughter, Emily | Photo: Supplied
◀ Professor Richard Scolyer AO won the 2021 University of Tasmania Distinguished Alumni Award. His memoir, Brainstorm, was published in October | Photo: Oi Studios
Curiosity leads the way to new treatments and a new career
Medicine alumna Meredith Edwards’ advice to new graduates – find what energises you.
Words by Katherine Johnson
For Dr Meredith Edwards (BMedSc Hons ’01, MBBS Hons ’02), curiosity has been a key driver of her evolving career.
The new Medical Director of international biopharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) didn’t set out to work in medicine development, a field she is passionate about. She wants others to know that, while not all career journeys are obvious, it is important to follow your curiosity and interests.
Edwards’ career journey has taken her to the UK, France and the US, but Tasmania has played a central role.
“Because Tasmania is a smaller community, you make strong connections with people and that gives you confidence to follow your curiosity and take risks,” she said.
“If it didn’t work out, I always knew I could go home.”
But it did work out. Edwards started working as a doctor in Tasmania and then the UK, although soon realised that being a hospital clinician wasn’t for her.
Having always wanted to study a language, she moved to France and, after a short stint teaching business English, took a role in a clinical research organisation as their Director of Medical Affairs. The company ran clinical trials for pharmaceutical companies.
“It was my first taste of working in a non-clinical space, and I wanted to learn more,” she said.
Edwards then took a role in a life sciences consulting company and developed a deeper understanding of medicines development.
▲ Meredith Edwards competed as a member of the Australian Young Rider Equestrian Team while studying at University | Image: Supplied
“It takes such diverse skills sets and expertise to bring medicines to market; it is a true team effort,” she said.
From there, her career moved to the US where she learned more about market access for medicines.
A Master of Public Health and a Master of Business Administration followed.
Now as Medical Director Australia and New Zealand at BMS, she works alongside her colleagues to bring new medicines to patients in the areas of oncology, haematology, cardiovascular disease, immunology and neuroscience.
“As a company we run a lot of clinical trials in Australia, and that’s something I’m really proud of,” Edwards said.
“I find it very fulfilling and energising.
“We are fortunate in Australia to have incredible physicians and researchers; we are known for it.”
Dr Meredith Edwards
She said her broad training has served her well in her current role.
“It has taught me to love learning and to get across new things quickly. It’s a necessary skill in a world that is evolving quickly.
“When you study medicine, you cover a lot of ground. You have to learn to learn very quickly. Whilst subject matter expertise is important, ongoing learning agility today is equally important.”
Her message for new graduates?
“It can be disconcerting when you see people around you who are certain of their direction, and you’re not sure.
“I like to encourage people to put yourself out there and talk to people working in areas you are interested in, understand what it is they do and how they got there. Foster those connections throughout your career and go to those people for advice.
“We’ve got a lot of amazing graduates from UTAS doing incredible things. I feel very fortunate to have grown up in Tasmania. It has grounded me wherever I am.
“You get to try a lot of things as a kid growing up in Tasmania,” she said. “It develops a mindset of giving things a go.”
Edwards made the most of those opportunities, competing for Australia in both rowing and equestrian.
“If I can inspire anyone, I’d say, you’re on your own unique career journey. Trust that and be patient with that.
“It’s good to try things. Don’t be put off if you don’t have the right expertise. It’s more important to have the right mindset. If you’re not stepping out of your comfort zone, you’re not learning new things.”
Meredith (right) represented Australia in the Trans-Tasman Cup rowing regatta as a student | Image: Supplied
Above: Dr Meredith Edwards | Photo: BMS
Art for species’ sake
How fine-arts alumna Jane Bamford is using ceramics to create havens for threatened species.
Words by Katherine Johnson
For ceramicist Jane Bamford, hearing that the critically endangered spotted handfish had laid eggs around an artform she made was a career highlight.
It was also a game changer.
The thread of precious eggs had been carefully wound around her stalk-like artwork in a research tank at Seahorse World. Seeing the scientists’ photographs, Bamford realised the important role artists can play in collaborating with researchers to design art for species conservation.
Bamford explains that her porcelain creations are in the shape of stalked ascidians, also known as sea tulips.
“The incredible thing about spotted handfish is that the male and female do this mating dance around the stalk of an ascidian,” Bamford said.
“She lays her eggs, and it appears the male fertilises them. She then stays 6–8 weeks; she’s very maternal. She pushes away predators, moves sand out of the way. The maternal behaviour is very unusual for a fish.”
However, in recent decades, introduced sea stars have preyed on the ascidians, reducing this vital habitat for the once-common spotted handfish, which is found only in Tasmania. It is an example of the interconnectedness of natural systems and the need to protect biodiversity.
Following successful field trials of Bamford’s ceramic habitats, CSIRO commissioned her to make more. Over two University of Tasmania residencies, in 2018 and 2019, she made 5,500 of the ceramic stalks. The residencies saw further refinement, including strength testing by University engineer and alumnus Dr Assaad Taoum.
Now, in 2024, with the knowledge that wild female handfish are gravid with eggs, Bamford is once again making another 1,500 of the ceramic structures for CSIRO researchers to ‘plant’ on the seabed at selected sites south of Hobart.
“I believe artists, working closely with scientists, are uniquely placed to translate scientific knowledge into possible practical solutions,” Bamford said. She is keen to elevate the work of the researchers involved, including former and current CSIRO Principal Investigators Dr Tim Lynch (BSc ’90) and Carlie Devine. Bamford’s pioneering collaboration was recognised in the 2019 Design Tasmania Awards, where, together with CSIRO, they won the Design for Impact category.
With funding from the Australia Council in 2021, Bamford also created 1,100 ceramic forms in the shape of razor fish shells as foundations for a native oyster reef restoration project headed by the Kangaroo Island Landscape Board, South Australia.
“Razor fish act as ecosystem engineers,” Bamford said. “They stand upright on the seabed like a miniStonehenge, providing an important substrate for oyster reefs in these coastal waters.”
Both ceramic conservation designs are made of Southern Ice Porcelain, developed by one of Jane’s former teachers, the late Les Blakebrough AM, an associate professor at the University.
Bamford also builds clay penguin burrows for little penguins to nest in. Prior to that, she wove strands of endangered giant kelp into an artwork after scientific discussions with alumnus Professor Craig Johnson.
“I really love working in collaboration,” Bamford said. “I feel very privileged to spend time with people whose working life is at the pointy end of extinction – it’s big work.”
Bamford is recently back from a US studio residency at Haystack Mountain School of Craft. While there, she met with alumna Abby Barrows (BSc ’06) who, together with husband Ben Jackson (BA Hons ’06), runs an oyster lease off Deer Island, Maine, using alternatives to plastics in their operations.
Bamford trained in ceramics in Japan before completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Tasmania. Her work has been shown nationally and internationally.
More recently, by offering her work to be sold only to ‘gift into habitat’, she provides ordinary people with a unique opportunity to become philanthropists of art and science.
“We all want our children to live in a biodiverse world,” she said.
▲ 1,000 ceramic razorfish shell forms for native oyster reef regeneration project, Kangaroo Island, SA | Photo: Peter Whyte
▶ Left: Jane Bamford Little Penguin Nesting Module 2021 Stoneware | Photo: Peter Whyte
Right: Ceramic razor fish shell forms in marine environment Kangaroo Island, SA | Photo: Brodie Philp
Peace, travel and the art of diplomacy
Ben Rhee owes his distinguished career in diplomacy, foreign affairs, and peace mediation to his humanities degree, and an eye-opening travel experience.
Words by Tim Martain
Ben Rhee was studying environmental science at the University of Tasmania in Hobart, and planning to become a park ranger or Antarctic expeditioner, when his entire life was jolted onto a different trajectory by an extraordinary event and an extraordinary place.
“I’d gone to India to spend 10 months walking around the Himalayas,” he said.
“It was my first trip overseas; I was 20 years old. It was 2001. The 9/11 terror attacks happened while I was over there.
“I’d been seeing all these aspects of Indian society –abject poverty beside extraordinary wealth, border issues in Kashmir, the political situation there – it all shook me out of that path I was on.
“And then I had that moment, on the day of those terror attacks, in a Pushkar camel market in the desert, waking up and seeing everyone reading the newspaper in the street with this visible sense of an imminent third world war starting; it changed me.”
A year and a half into his environmental science degree, Rhee eventually returned home to Tasmania and switched to a Bachelor of Arts instead.
He majored in International Relations and Asian Studies, working towards a career in diplomacy, as a way to make a real difference in world conflicts, security and peace efforts.
He studied the final year of his degree in Sweden as an exchange student and remained there to study his Master of Eurasian Studies at the University of Uppsala.
He went on to work with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) as a junior diplomat in Fiji, and Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the latter Middle East posting seeing him play a role in the IsraelPalestine peace process from 2013–2016.
Following that, he returned to Sweden for a few years to work for the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA), eventually ending up as head of FBA’s Dialogue and Peace Mediation Unit.
“It was amazing, I learned so much being part of a team of specialists working in places from Myanmar to Iraq.
“We were plugged into all these conflicts, trying to support peace-building through dialogue and mediation efforts.
“You could say we helped provide the scaffolding to create a bridge between two sides that, in violent conflicts, will usually have a gulf between them filled with a history of grievances and trauma.”
Now back in Australia, Rhee lives in Canberra, where he works as an advisor at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, International Division (Europe and Latin America).
“After working on operational programs on the ground with the peace and security sector in Sweden, now I’m more on the policy side of things.
“It’s more about the bigger picture now, looking at the geopolitical environment and helping the Prime Minister and Cabinet make policy decisions.”
Ben Rhee
Rhee said his time working on both ends of the international relations spectrum gave him a unique perspective that made him more effective in his current role.
And he said the ability to think critically and consider multiple perspectives was the most vital skill his Bachelor of Arts taught him at the University of Tasmania.
“I studied things like Asian studies and foreign affairs that have been very relevant to my career but the BA, for me, was never about the courses, it was more about changing the way you think.
“The best and most memorable lecturers were the ones that really aligned their teaching to make you think in a way that was useful and practical.
“It taught me critical thinking skills that were very aligned with what I do now and that help me with crafting sharp, clear, practical messages for the Prime Minister.”
Antarctic mountains made to measure
He has led eight expeditions to the high mountains of Antarctica and two expeditions to the South Pole, so what advice does alumnus Damien Gildea have on achieving the extraordinary and learning from failure?
Words by Katherine Johnson
For accomplished mountaineer Damien Gildea, there is personal satisfaction in looking at a map of Antarctica and knowing he determined the height of certain summits. More than that. He led teams that were the first to climb many peaks of the frozen continent, a passion that consumed every summer throughout his thirties.
So how do you measure the height of a mountain?
For Gildea (GradDipASOS Hons ’91) it was a matter of patiently waiting for the right weather window, ascending a summit, setting up a GPS receiver, and letting it run for at least an hour, but the longer the better.
One of the first Antarctic mountains he measured was Mt Shinn, the third-highest mountain in Antarctica. Before his climb in 2002, no one knew exactly how tall it was.
“We climbed Mt Shinn and slept on the summit with the GPS running,” Gildea said.
“We had a satellite phone and a laptop, and sent the data back to Geosciences Australia who converted it into a PDF which contained the answer: 4,660 metres.
“We then shared the data with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the British Antarctic Survey, and they were able to incorporate the new information into their maps.”
For the next decade, Gildea and his small party of two or three other independent climbers returned to Antarctica most years. In many cases, they were the first to make ascents, or they discovered new routes.
In 2004–2005, Gildea led a trip to remeasure the highest mountain in Antarctica, Mount Vinson (4,892 metres) in the Sentinel Range. He camped on the summit for eight hours with his Chilean team, Rodrigo Fica and Camilo Rada. Temperatures dropped to a low of -46 degrees Celsius.
“No one had camped up that high in Antarctica.”
Supported through the US-based philanthropic Omega Foundation, his work in the Sentinel Range led to detailed maps of the area. But Gildea recognises that the trips he led built on those who came before him. On his recommendation, a group of climbers from the 1960s had peaks in the Sentinel Range named after them.
“They didn’t chase the recognition, but they were chuffed,” Gildea said. The USGS Board on Geographic Names also named a glacier after Gildea himself.
But for him, the highlights are not about being the first to reach a summit. They are about planning and orchestrating a climb well, and sharing the experience.
“I remember climbs by the people I was with,” he said. Importantly, he says you need experience and to be always willing to fail, because the consequences of even small accidents can be disastrous.
“If you break a leg and can’t get out, you’ll die. You’ve got to manage risk.”
Damien
Gildea
It means that sometimes an expedition isn’t completed. But Gildea believes you learn more from failure than success.
“You refine the process.”
To talk with Gildea is to hear a staggering list of years and peaks climbed, along with their exact heights, which he has committed to memory.
Asked to pick four highlights, he chose: the personal satisfaction of leaving his farm in Goulburn with threeweeks’ notice to guide a blind expeditioner to the South Pole; climbing Mt Anderson in 2007, the highest unclimbed mountain in the Sentinel Range; finding running water in a part of Antarctica where water wasn’t normally found, a sign of climate change; and, his ‘biggest’ Antarctic climb, Mt Epperly (4,509 metres) in 2008, which took 38 hours.
Gildea has also climbed in India, Pakistan, Alaska, South America and New Zealand, to name just a few of his non-Antarctic expeditions. He is a writer of numerous journal articles and books, including Mountaineering in Antarctica: Climbing in the Frozen South.
In Antarctica, he never stays at the government stations. Instead, he camps for two months at a time, sledding to get around. So how does he view the frozen continent? Not in the clichéd way.
“I view it affectionately. It’s not mysterious and it’s not fragile. It’s massive and powerful, on a foundation of solid rock,” he said.
“It’s not under threat from what is happening there, but from global change. It’s the things we do at home that threaten Antarctica.”
in January 2007
▲ Omega Foundation teammates resting in rare perfect weather
between sledging and climbing the western side of the Sentinel Range, seen in the background | Photo: Damien Gildea
◀ Damien Gildea on the summit of Mt Shinn (4,660m) in 2002, setting up the GPS unit | Photo: Rodrigo Fica
Queenstown woos acclaimed writer and director
Damien Power’s films have been shown at Sundance and in Venice, but the writer and director has always wanted to make a film in Tasmania, the island where he was born.
Words by Katherine Johnson
That dream is getting closer to reality with development funding from Screen Tasmania for Lyell, a crime thriller based on the State’s West Coast.
So why Tasmania? “It still feels like a big part of me. And there’s something about the atmosphere,” he said.
Power (BA-LLB ’94) has been interested in film since he was a boy growing up in Launceston, where he and his grandfather were members of the film society. The University of Tasmania Arts-Law alumnus went on to complete his Masters in Directing in Sydney and has since enjoyed significant success.
His film Killing Ground made its international debut in the Midnight Section at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017 and has played at over 20 international festivals. Power directed the feature film No Exit (2022), a 20th Century Studios / Disney production, which premiered on Hulu in the US and Disney+ internationally. It was listed as one of the New York Times’ Five Horror Movies to Stream Now.
He also has a string of award-winning short films to his name, works in film classification for organisations including SBS and Foxtel, and is a member of the Commonwealth’s Classification Review Board.
Tagged, an 18-minute educational drama about being cybersmart, won the Gold Award at the WorldMediaFestival, Hamburg, Germany, in 2012.
Here, we ask Damien about his career highlight, the scoop on the new film, and any advice for young alumni.
What was your biggest career highlight?
I think probably the biggest highlight was Killing Ground getting into Sundance. That was a careerdefining moment for me.
What opportunities did that festival open up to you?
After the screening at Sundance, I opened the reviews from Variety and Hollywood Reporter, and passed the phone around to the actors to read them out to the room ... they were good reviews. After that, we just had a dream festival. We sold out all our sessions and they added an extra screening. We sold the film to a US distributor, and I got US representation – agents and manager. I came home and quit the day job at Foxtel. Took the plunge.
Why did you decide on Tasmania for Lyell, the script you’re developing with funding from Screen Tasmania?
I've always wanted to make something in Tasmania. It's an incredibly cinematic place; even the light is different. And I've always wanted to make something in Queenstown, on the West Coast.
When I was growing up in Launceston, filmmaking didn't seem possible. Films were made by other people somewhere else. But I really think that's changed now. There's a real energy. We're seeing Tasmania on screen, which is fantastic.
What interests you about thrillers like Killing Ground?
I'm interested in how people react under pressure. That's the kind of film and story that I gravitate towards.
Have you got advice for new graduates in the creative space?
I always encourage people, in whatever field, to make the thing that they would want to read, or to see, or to hear; to not try and make what they think the market wants.
It really helps to get out there and meet people. The industry is pretty small and most people are really encouraging.
Can you talk more about Lyell, the film you’re writing, to be set in Queenstown?
Lyell tells the story of a rookie cop who is posted to a remote mining town on the west coast of Tasmania. Over a period of years, women disappear from the town, but because no bodies are found, no one thinks to connect the dots. It's only her that thinks there's something wrong ... that a killer lives among them. I want to thank Screen Tasmania for development support that will enable me to go back to Queenstown and write. The story has been percolating for a long time now, and I’m excited to get the words on the page.
▲ Damien Power on set of No Exit | Photo: Kristy Griffin
Above: Aerial view of Queenstown, TAS
◀ Damien on location for Killing Ground | Photo: John Platt
Art confronts the hard truths of the past
Fine arts alumnus Josh Prouse journeys from creator to curator, elevating Aboriginal voices and Indigenising the University’s cultural collections.
Words by Lucie van den Berg
Art doesn’t have to be pretty or nice, for Josh Prouse; it’s often the antithesis.
“It’s a strong and accessible medium for telling hard stories,” the Tasmanian Aboriginal artist explains.
Prouse is a BLAKsmith, a term referring to his technical skills and identity as a member of the paredarerme people from Turrakana (the Tasman Peninsula).
By using reclaimed and found materials – symbols of Tasmania’s colonisation – he explores the injustices of the past that continue today.
A striking example of his work is the artefact that he created as part of his Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours (’21).
Crafted from reclaimed materials, it represents a cutthroat razer to signify the mutilation of Aboriginal man William ‘King Billy’ Lanne upon his death.
Prouse studied Jewellery at TAFE Tasmania before joining the University.
It was here that his artistic horizons were broadened during an excursion to Hobart-based blacksmith Pete Mattila’s workshop. He soon started working for Mattila, gaining experience that would later inform his own practice.
Prouse also received the 2019 Jon Lajos Prize in Fine Arts, allowing him to invest in new tools and expand his craft during his University degree.
He says his artistic process is deeply intuitive.
“I feel the material kind of speaks from its life before, and then through the act of making, that’s where a lot of my work evolves,” Prouse said.
He recently created a large skeleton whale tail on Bruny Island. Sticks were threaded through the bones.
▲ Artefact derived from the waste of a bastardised nation
Photo: Jess Oakenfull
“As the sun was setting, we set fire to the whale, drawing inspiration from Aboriginal regenerative burning practices.”
Josh Prouse
“It burnt to just the bare bones.”
Prouse took the charcoaled remains and recreated the whale tail at the Creative Arts and Media campus on a white plinth, allowing the charcoal to bleed into it.
“Sometimes it can be quite hard to represent Aboriginal art within a gallery, it’s not always a safe space,” he explained.
However, it has been the perfect place to forge the second stage of his career.
As Exhibitions and Collections Technician at the Plimsoll Gallery, he installs exhibitions, assists with archival work, and promotes First Nations art.
It’s a powerful opportunity to extend himself from creator to curator, elevate Aboriginal voices and Indigenise the University’s cultural collections.
▼
▶ Josh Prouse | Photo: Joanne Grant
A tool of flight | Photo: Michelle Dracoulis
Distinctively
different, by design
Designer highlights fusion between accessibility, sustainability and aesthetics.
▲ Duncan Meerding looking at spirals lights | Photo: Jenny Davson Galle
Words by Lucie van den Berg
Behind Duncan Meerding’s distinctive designs is difference, in perception and perspective.
The Tasmanian furniture and lighting designer’s work is a reflection of his technical skills, natural environment and his unique sensory world.
A genetic eye disease reduced the Bachelor of Arts alumnus’s peripheral vision to less than 5 per cent.
“My vision does directly inform my designs,”
Meerding explains.
It’s evident in his cracked log lamps, made from salvaged wood with shafts of light slicing through the natural gaps in the timber.
“Light shining through dappled forest canopies and how light interacts with objects has been current throughout my work,” he said.
His design process accounts for his low vision with assistive technology, such as talking machines and tape measures.
“Not being able to draw using Computer Aided Drawing (CAD) is probably the biggest challenge.”
It also brings benefits.
For instance, when Meerding couldn’t create the form he wanted on the computer for a new light, he experimented directly with the materials. His exploration led to the design of his well-known flatpacked propeller pendant light.
Meerding’s designs have global appeal with showings in Europe and commissions for clients from Hobart to Oklahoma.
More recently he has been back in his North Hobart studio using his newly acquired skill of hand-cut dovetailing, a distinctive and ancient joinery method.
Beyond his own practice, Meerding is passionate about changing accessibility in design. He was a guest teaching fellow in the Architecture Beyond Sight program, a world-first University College London course encouraging more vision impaired and blind people to become designers.
It also challenges designers to think beyond the visual sense, inviting them to imagine and create spaces in new ways.
“It turns the concept of accessibility on its head from being an audit and compliance model to having it integrated into the design process,” he said.
“Accessibility in design is not just functional, it can be aesthetically engaging.”
Meerding is also passionate about sustainability; he opts for recycled or reclaimed materials and fast-growing timbers, but also shuns fast-fashion in furniture.
“I want to design furniture that lasts, not just in terms of its rigidity and strength, but also to ensure it has a lifespan beyond trends.”
Left: Stump on moss with ferns | Photo: Jan Dallas
Right: Propeller copper polished underside
Photo: Cesar Carvasco Molina
Jack’s giant leap into sports management
Discovering the right course at the right time, with the perfect specialisation, helped Jack Soward secure his dream career and a place in Tasmanian sporting history.
Words by Tim Martain
Landing his dream job straight out of uni was a huge thrill for sport-obsessed Jack Soward, but a much bigger career highlight was still to come just a few years later.
Soward had only just finished his Graduate Certificate in Business Studies when he started working for the newly announced Tasmanian NBL team the JackJumpers in 2021.
Just three years later, the JackJumpers would win their maiden NBL championship, with Soward as the team’s Head of Basketball Operations.
Soward grew up in Longford and always loved sport but he couldn’t see himself becoming a professional sportsperson himself.
After briefly considering a career as a sports journalist or teacher, he found another way to enter the world of professional sport: sports management.
“It was at that time that the Associate Degree in Applied Business was first offered, with a specialisation in Sport, Recreation and Leisure,” he said.
“It was an applied business focus; it could lead me into a career in sports management – we ran events, we networked and made connections – it was the perfect blend for me."
Before he had even finished his degree, he landed his first gig as an intern with the Melbourne United Basketball club and finished the rest of his degree online.
He was still living in Melbourne in 2020 when the COVID pandemic sent the city into lockdown. To make the most of his time, he took advantage of the University of Tasmania’s offer to study a Graduate Certificate in Business Studies for free.
In October that year, the NBL announced the license for the JackJumpers and Soward applied for his dream job as an operations coordinator.
He started in April 2021 and, in 2024, the JackJumpers won their first championship, with Soward now Head of Basketball Operations.
Soward said there was a growing emphasis on the importance of higher education among the athletes as well, often to ensure they are prepared for a career after basketball.
▲ Jack Soward (holding trophy) with the JackJumpers’ front office team after the Grand Final win | Photo: Solstice Digital Photgraphy
The legacy of a life lived large
“We have a doctor shortage on the North-West. We want to train local kids who want to be doctors and who don’t have that opportunity. If we support one student at a time to be a doctor, it might inspire someone else to support another one.”
Kerry Wescombe.
Words by Katherine Johnson
Dr Leon Wescombe (BSc Hons ’05) lived large, whether in his research into cystic fibrosis and thyroid disease or participating in his love of adventure sports and the great outdoors.
Having grown up on the North-West Coast, Leon, one of three brothers, travelled to Hobart to study medical sciences and later went on to complete a PhD in Sydney. A keen kayaker and traveller, he travelled to a conference in Italy after winning an emerging scientist award.
“He sent pictures home of himself in a Fiat 5000 with a kayak poking out the window,” Leon’s father, Kerry, said.
“When he was doing his research, he was very focussed, working weekends, and his supervisor said he’d often find him still working in the middle of the night. Then he would take the next three days off and kayak down the Franklin or go on another adventure.”
Sadly, Leon lost his life in a kayaking accident in California in 2010. It was a devastating loss and one that saw the community of the North-West Coast rally.
“When we lost Leon, we thought, let’s do something for kids who couldn’t afford to go to university otherwise. It’s a crying shame that there are kids missing out,” Kerry Wescombe said.
The idea of a scholarship in Leon’s name was born, with the family donating money and the community generously supporting the cause.
So far, 11 students have been assisted. Initially, the scholarship was to support honours students studying cystic fibrosis, but, recently, it has been expanded to assist students on the North-West Coast to study medicine.
The first student to receive the Dr Leon Wescombe Scholarship in Medicine is third-year student Ty Cunningham, who was raised in Devonport.
“Moving down to Hobart was a big financial burden on my parents after my father suffered a brain injury and needed to move to casual employment,” Ty said. “The scholarship released some of this burden from them, which I am super thankful for.”
While still deciding on his future career, Ty said he would enjoy being a GP, particularly “the continuity of care and building long-term relationships with people”.
▲ University of Tasmania medical student and Dr Leon Wescombe Scholarship in Medicine recipient Ty Cunningham (left) with Kerry Wescombe | Photo: David Bellamy © The Advocate/ACM
Architect of her own maritime career
Monika Lemajic’s studies with the Australian Maritime College (AMC) gave her the boost she needed to shift her already impressive career path up another notch.
Words by Tim Martain
Growing up on a farm in Sydney, the daughter of refugee/migrant parents, Monika Lemajic said higher education was never really on her radar.
“My parents wanted me to finish high school and get a job, but there was never any kind of expectation that I should go to uni, get a degree, anything like that,” she said.
“I was terrible in high school, and by the end of grade 12 I still didn’t have any idea what I wanted to do.”
In the end, Lemajic's method for choosing a career path was to let the universe decide for her.
“They had this big book of jobs at school, with information about what you had to study for each career and so on.
“So, I flicked through the book and put my finger on a random page and it said ‘naval architect’.
“I didn’t know what that was – I grew up on a farm, I could barely even swim. But I never hesitated, I just said, yep, okay, I’m going to be a naval architect.”
Lemajic’s career has now seen her work as a naval architect, assistant dockmaster, and project manager, and she is currently the Asset Operations Manager (Marine) for the Port Authority of NSW.
Starting out, she spent two years studying an Advanced Diploma in Naval Architecture at TAFE in Melbourne, before going on to study her Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) at the University of Technology in Sydney.
By the time she was in her mid-20s, she was working at Sydney’s Garden Island, the largest dry dock in the southern hemisphere.
“I was working as a dock naval architect, designing the docking cradles and doing stability calculations for the ships being taken out of the water for maintenance,” she said.
“That was when I really found my love for it, in that practicality of working with ships in dry dock, doing the stability calculations for the cradles.”
Lemajic also quickly realised that, while she was in a stable job, she was also in a very niche area with few avenues for further advancement.
“I didn’t know what kind of change I wanted, but I knew I would want one soon; I wanted to expand my knowledge and diversify my skillset.
“Around that time, I came across the Australian Maritime College and I called them to ask for advice: What could I do? What options were available?”
Monika Lemajic
“They basically said, yep, we have a course for you!” Lemajic enrolled in a Bachelor of Applied Science through the AMC, specialising in Maritime Technology Management, completing it by correspondence in a year-and-a-half, thanks to her previous degree.
Her new qualification allowed her to move into project management work, eventually leading her to her current role, which pulls all of her accumulated skills together into something more strategic and big-picture.
She also caught the eye of the prestigious Copenhagen Business School in Denmark, who offered her a place in their Executive MBA in Shipping and Logistics (the ‘Blue MBA’).
And she spent two years as president and chair of WISTA Australia – the national branch of the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association – where she worked to promote equality and remove barriers for women entering the industry.
She has even written a children’s picture book, Emma Sails Sydney, which is a counting book, dedicated to her niece, that helps children learn about the different boats they might find around the harbour.
“Removing the barriers to entry is important for me and I want to explore other ideas for education in the future,” she said.
“I basically picked this random career and I still succeeded at it, and I want that to be an inspiration to others.
“There’s no failure, just an opportunity to pivot and change direction a bit. Life isn’t pass-or-fail, it’s all just part of the path.”
▲ Monica Lemajic on the deck of the Emma Maersk in Hamburg, Germany | Photo: Supplied
◀ Monica Lemajic training on the simulator at the Australian Maritime College | Photo: Supplied
Celebrating alumni success
Congratulations to our Alumni Award winners for 2024
Our alumni never fail to inspire with their significant contributions both at home and across the globe. Congratulations to this year’s Alumni Award recipients whose achievements we look forward to celebrating throughout the upcoming year.
Distinguished Alumni Award
The Hon. Warwick Smith AO LLB ’78
Warwick Smith has made notable contributions across business, government and international relations. His advocacy within the Business Council of Australia as Immediate Past Chairman – Global Engagement and Security Committee, and his advisory roles in the Asia Society, the Australian American Leadership Dialogue, and the BOAO Forum for Asia have driven global economic cooperation and policy development. He was made a Fellow of the Australian Institute of International Affairs for his distinguished contribution to international affairs.
Smith holds leadership and director roles at Seven Group Holdings, Capilano Honey and Marinus Link, and is a strategic advisor to some of Australia’s top listed ASX companies. He was Australia’s first Telecommunications Ombudsman, Former Chairman of the Council of the National Museum of Australia, and Director of the Foundation for Australian Studies in China.
His leadership has advanced policy, industry standards, community engagement and cross-cultural understanding. Smith held senior roles at Macquarie Bank and ANZ Bank, and was a Federal Government Minister 1984–1998. He has been recognised with the Order of Australia and the Centenary Medal.
International Alumni Award
The Hon. Lisa Singh BA ’94, BA (Hons) ’96
As a former Australian Senator and current CEO of the Australia India Institute, Lisa Singh has championed human rights, climate action and international relations. Her advocacy for the abolition of the death penalty, gender equality, and stronger Australia-India relations has resonated globally, influencing international policy and public awareness. She has strengthened ties between Australia and India, developing educational, cultural and economic partnerships that serve as a model for global collaboration.
As the first woman of South Asian heritage to be elected to the Australian Parliament, Singh has served as a role model for women and minority groups. She holds a Master of International Relations and has served as Deputy Chair on the Australian Government’s AustraliaIndia Council and sat on the University of New South Wales’ Human Rights Institute Advisory Board.
Singh sits on the advisory board of Asialink, is a Cricket Australia Multicultural Ambassador, and a board director of Beyond Blue. She also served as a Tasmanian parliamentarian and government minister.
Paris Buttfield-Addison
BA-BComp ’07, BComp (Hons) ’08, PhD ’14
Dr Paris Buttfield-Addison, a world-renowned creative technologist, has had a significant impact on the global game development industry. As co-founder of Secret Lab, he has led innovative and award-winning projects for clients as diverse as Apple, Qantas, ABC, CSIRO, and the Port Arthur Historic Site. As a director of Yarn Spinner, he works to make interactive narrative creation accessible to all. An internationally best-selling author, he has published over 20 books on topics from AI to astrophysics.
Buttfield-Addison co-founded the West Coast Space Centre, a non-profit working towards a community science centre in Strahan, Tasmania. He has held roles as an Executive of the Australasian Apple University Consortium, President of the Tasmanian Game Makers Association, and Branch Executive Committee member of the Australian Computer Society.
Buttfield-Addison’s contributions have significantly advanced the field of creative technology while inspiring and empowering countless individuals worldwide.
Naarah BMus ’19
Naarah is an actor and musician, making notable contributions to the creative arts both in Australia and internationally. She won the 2024 Tasmanian Young Australian of the Year and is the first Aboriginal person to study a Master of Musical Theatre at the Royal Academy of Music in London, paving the way for future First Nations artists. Naarah also won the 2024 Creative Talent Award at the national NAIDOC Awards and the 2023 Creative Australia Dreaming Award for her upcoming musical theatre project Broadway but Blak – a cabaret journey of musical theatre from a First Nations’ perspective.
Naarah has been working across theatre, television and content creation, and is a national radio host for ABC Classic. She shares powerful stories and is passionate about mentoring emerging artists with a major focus on community.
A Gija woman from the Kimberley who grew up in lutruwita/Tasmania, Naarah debuted the new First Nations role of Killara in Our Country’s Good on London’s West End in September–October 2024.
▲ Photo: CMR Photography
Young Alumni Award
Young Alumni Award
Information and Communication Technology turns 50
Whether it’s designing apps, running virtual reality tours, building the latest gaming sensation, or working in cyber security or space communications, ICT graduates are everywhere.
Words by Katherine Johnson
Mars Buttfield-Addison (BICT Hons ’19) is a computer scientist who uses supercomputing to monitor space debris.
Now completing her PhD, she is an example of just how far the world of ICT has come at the University of Tasmania over the last 50 years.
Mars’ work on adapting astronomical radio telescopes to track debris or ‘space junk’ was showcased at the Falling Walls conference in Berlin in 2022. She has also been named a Superstar of STEM in an Australiawide program that promotes women in science and technology.
ICT was born at the University in 1974 when Arthur Sale became the Foundation Professor. One of his early tasks was to help choose the University’s first computer to replace the 20-year-old Elliott 503 it had shared with Hydro. The following year, the University was the joint first university in Australia (with Melbourne) to offer a three-year bachelor degree in computing.
Now, ICT at the University has a focus on providing students with the skills to compete in the constantly changing ICT industry globally.
Mars explains the field this way. “ICT is in everything we do. Learning about it and teaching others about it means we can leverage technology for its full benefits, keep safe from its potential harms, and contribute to advancements which could change the world,” she said.
“The important thing is that improving lives is the goal, that technology works for us and not the other way around, and that people strive to keep understanding and improving it even as it advances so quickly.”
Mars’ husband, Dr Paris Buttfield-Addison (BA-BComp ’07, BComp Hons ’08, PhD ’14), is a creative technologist who works with everything from games and apps to narrative tools and educational resources.
He is co-founder and creative director of long-running Tasmanian game development studio Secret Lab.
“I’ve enjoyed watching ICT go from something that was a niche field to something that’s literally everywhere! We’re more relevant than ever,” he said.
▲ Mars Buttfield-Addison | Photo: Jess Oakenfull
Living and learning together on campus
How the University is bringing back the residential college model familiar to many members of our alumni community.
Words by Katherine Johnson
College is a central part of the university experience for many, with 2024 seeing a reinvigoration of the college model that created such positive memories among alumni.
A model where students eat together, play together in sport and other activities, and socialise together are the hallmarks of a rich college life.
Casey White, Director of Residential Communities and Principal of Hytten Hall, is leading the charge to bring back this college model across the State.
“We’re bringing the model back because we know it’s high impact in terms of the quality of a student’s education,” he said.
“One of the key things about a college model is that it’s an extension of your learning experience at university.
“We’re reinvigorating shared dining, boosting intercollegiate activities across sport and the arts by versing each other in friendly competition as well as socialising.
“We also want to remain strongly connected with the relevant historic elements of our colleges, which is most prominently displayed, some 40 years later, by re-establishing Hytten Hall in the city.”
White said one of the wonderful things to come from this reinvigoration has been hearing from alumni about their experiences and reintegrating some of the traditions they have shared, including the fortnightly High Hall formal dinners, supported by generous donations from alumni, including the Cuthill Family Foundation.
Hytten Hall alumnus and former University Chancellor Dr Mike Vertigan AC (BEc Hons, ’65, honoris causa ’06) was invited to be the first Hytten High Hall speaker.
White said, “I’m really proud to say that after several months of having the collegiate model in place, the students are the happiest they have been, living on campus, in five years.
“We need to keep building on academic opportunities, mentoring and more partnerships with alumni.
“We would love to hear from alumni, whatever college they attended, receive old photographs and hear stories. It all adds to the richness of our heritage.”
Contact Alumni.Office@utas.edu.au if you would like to get involved or update your details (including the college you attended). For donations, please contact utas.edu.au/community-and-partners/giving/contact
▲ Brick from the old Hytten Hall building | Photo: Peter W Allen
Above: Anusha Ganti and Casey White at the 2024 Hytten Hall Opening Ceremony | Photo: Peter W Allen
Connecting through volunteering
A broad range of opportunities exist to give back at the University, from talking with students to sitting on the Alumni Committee. Here are just a few.
Words by Katherine Johnson
In our University community, where people form strong bonds within their schools, institutes and colleges, as well as across them, there are many ways people continue to connect after graduating. Volunteering is one of them. As people re-embrace opportunities for face-to-face gatherings, we celebrate the joy of giving back.
Career Conversations
A recent development at the University has been Career Conversations, an online toolkit for navigating the workforce. Career Conversations is a digital hub where recent graduates can watch short videos or book 1-on-1 video sessions for career tips with University of Tasmania alumni from around the world.
It’s a valuable way for graduates to connect with experienced alumni who have had notable careers and can offer recruitment advice.
A recent guest was Marj Glazebrook (BA-LLB ’00, GradCertLegalPrac ’01) who is the Australia and New Zealand Talent Acquisitions Manager at Bunnings. Glazebrook provided advice to students who are looking to polish their job applications, whatever their field.
“I love knowing that any involvement I have had so far may help recent graduates kicking off their career,” Glazebrook said.
“The job market is quite challenging at the moment so any help, I am sure, is valuable.
“I am so glad I said yes to being involved; I can't wait for what I can help with next.”
Alumni Network Leaders
Another way our alumni give back to their University community is through becoming Alumni Network Leaders overseas.
One such leader is Masrina Md Saad (BCom ’99), a network leader in Malaysia. Now a PhD candidate at the Universiti Teknologi MARA, Saad has over 20 years’ experience in accounting and finance, procurement and human resources, locally and abroad. She is Senior Manager (Finance) in MW Advantech Sdn Bhd, and is an associate member of CPA, Australia.
“The alumni network is the bridge that reconnects friends, all of whom have various achievements and backgrounds which UTAS Alumni can be proud of, and I am proud being part of the UTAS family,” she said.
Alumni Committee
We also have our revitalised Alumni Committee, which has met three times this year. This special group of volunteer alumni leaders, voted by fellow alumni, are working to enhance engagement and foster a culture of service and giving back.
More information is available at utas.edu.au/community-and-partners/ alumni/career-conversations, Alumni Networks utas.edu.au/communityand-partners/alumni/get-involved and the Alumni Committee utas.edu.au/community-and-partners/alumni/alumni-committee
▼ Masrina Md Saad at the UTAS Malaysia-Alumni Event
Photo: Stephen Jun Zhi Ng
Alumni in numbers 2024
161,023
403 Number of alumni donors
Contactable alumni by Australian state/territory
138
Age profile of contactable alumni
123,970
Total contactable alumni
115,833
Total contactable alumni via mail
Top 8 countries where alumni reside
Alumni receptions
With a network of over 161,000 alumni spread across 138 countries, the University of Tasmania’s global community continues to grow and thrive.
Your involvement strengthens our community and fosters meaningful connections, both with each other and with your alma mater. We are delighted to provide opportunities for you to explore new experiences and build lifelong relationships. We invite you to reflect on some of the memorable events our alumni have enjoyed over the past year.
Shanghai Alumni Event 10 June 2024
Canberra Alumni Event 27 February 2024
Malaysia KL Alumni Event 19 July 2024
Singapore Alumni Event 22 July 2024
Melbourne Alumni Event 2 October 2024
Graduation ceremonies
These graduation ceremonies are more than just a celebration—they are a recognition of your dedication, perseverance, and pursuit of excellence. Each of you has worked tirelessly to reach this moment, and we couldn't be prouder of all that you have accomplished. Welcome to a lifelong community of achievers and innovators.
Launceston 14 March & 22 August 2024
We are incredibly proud to welcome thousands of students into our remarkable community of alumni. You can enjoy more moments from the celebrations at: bit.ly/Graduations2024
20 March & 27–28 August 2024
Cradle Coast (Devonport) 15 March 2024
Hobart
Shanghai Ocean University 12 June 2024
Sydney 15 April 2024
Highlight events
20 April 2024
Thankyou celebrations for donors and volunteers
29 August 2024 North-West Alumni with University Council
14 May 2024
Hanoi Alumni Dinner
15 May 2024 NYC Alumni Social
30 June 2024 Timor-Leste Alumni Dinner
5 July 2024 London Alumni Dinner
Keeping in touch
You are part of the University of Tasmania alumni community
We hope you enjoyed the 2024 Alumni magazine and take inspiration from some of the stories about our growing global community.
We love hearing from members of our alumni community and want to keep in touch with you.
Share your story, learn more about opportunities and services available to University of Tasmania alumni, or update your contact details by visiting: utas.edu.au/alumni
Call us: +61 3 6324 3052
Email: Alumni.Office@utas.edu.au
Other ways to stay connected
Alumni and Friends eNews – alumni updates in your inbox: utasalumni.org.au/eNews
Get involved through volunteering, reunions, alumni networks and more: utas.edu.au/community -and-partners/alumni/get-involved
Find out more about University of Tasmania events: utas.edu.au/events
Follow us on Facebook
Join our Alumni LinkedIn group
Scan the QR code to donate online at utas.edu.au/giving or call us on (03) 6226 1920
