UQ Alumni Awards

Introducing the 2022 Alumni Award winners

Image of UQ St Lucia campus with Jacarandas in bloom

UQ Alumnus of the Year

Award created by Alumni Friends

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Dr Graham Colditz

Dr Graham Colditz

Dr Graham Colditz

Dr Graham Colditz
Doctor of Medicine 1998
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery 1979
Bachelor of Science (Medicine) 1978

UQ Alumnus of the Year for outstanding impact in the field of cancer prevention and chronic disease epidemiology.

Graham Colditz is the Associate Director, Prevention and Control at Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University in St Louis and a chronic disease epidemiologist. He is an internationally recognised leader in cancer prevention and is ranked as one of the most highly cited researchers in the world.

Dr Colditz spent 23 years at Harvard University, is a Fellow of the Australian Faculty of Public Health Medicine, the Royal Australian College of Physicians and for more than 15 years has been a member of the Institute of Medicine, an independent body that advises the US government on many issues affecting public health.

If you could change one thing about the world for the next generation, what would it be?

That everyone has access to adequate healthy nutrition and safe spaces for physical activity.

Advice to your younger self

Stay focused on your long-term goals and priorities, avoid being distracted by what others think you should be doing.

Prevention is the best medicine

During my medical training, I became interested in preventing the diseases that we were learning to treat, particularly chronic diseases and those caused by smoking.

Professor Douglas Gordon, then head of social and preventive medicine at UQ, had given a lecture to our class describing his work throughout Queensland to motivate women to seek pap smears when they became available.

He recounted how providers were slower to change practice and how holding town hall meetings for women motivated them to ask their GPs for a pap smear to prevent cancer! This was an awesome story of action, and it resonated with me and inspired me to seek training in prevention-focused research methods.

What’s a surprising fact about you?

During my year studying the Master of Public Health, I spent time training for long-distance running. I ran the New York Marathon in October 1982 – after being mugged on the way to the start line. I finished my first marathon in 3 hours, 6 min and 27 seconds. I haven’t had time to train for another one at that pace!

Which song shaped you as a student?

Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Waters.

Vice-Chancellor's Alumni Excellence Awards

Leeanne Bond
Bachelor of Engineering 1987
Master of Business Administration 2008

Vice-Chancellor’s Alumni Excellence Award for excellence in business and engineering and a deep commitment to innovation and sustainability.

Leeanne Bond is an influential engineering industry leader, with more than 30 years of corporate experience. Throughout her career, she has led professional bodies and advised on government policy, advancing engineering and infrastructure outcomes both within Australia and internationally.

Ms Bond is a dedicated and passionate advocate for women in engineering and was the first woman to be elected as the President of Engineers Australia (EA) Queensland Division. She was also the first woman recognised as Australian Professional Engineer of the Year.

What inspired you to pursue chemical engineering?

I loved STEM and wanted to do something interesting. My father worked in the engineering industry and was able to introduce me to a variety of companies, and through him I found chemical engineering. I loved the combination of technical skills, creative solutions and working with people.

Stay connected to your tribe

Stay in touch with your classmates as you all become alumni. They will be great contacts during your career, and you will enjoy seeing how their careers emerge in very different ways.

My creative side

I love encouraging creativity and relax by making fine jewellery and art. During COVID-19, I converted my office to an art gallery for local and emerging artists.

What was the soundtrack to your university years?

ABBA was a stayer – lots of 70s and 80s music. Now my teenage daughter thinks its retro!

If you could change one thing about the world for the next generation, what would it be?

I would encourage a growth mindset rather than divisive politics. This should include a greater voice for youth to consider intergenerational equity, and minorities should be better reflected in parliament.

Did you have a lightbulb moment during your degree that guided you on your career path?

My lightbulb moment was when chemical engineering Professor Don Nicklin asked a question in a first-year thermodynamics class: I knew the answer but was too shy to respond. I learnt not to doubt myself and vowed to back myself next time – it was a turning point for me.

Image of Leeanne Bond

Brett Clark
Bachelor of Pharmacy 1988
Master of Business Administration 2005

Vice-Chancellor’s Alumni Excellence Award for excellence in business and commitment to fostering positive outcomes for the community.

Brett Clark is a well-respected figure across the Australian business management sector and is considered a leader in business innovation and not-for-profit boards. He is the co-founder of successful online healthcare brand ePharmacy, and is managing partner of Chemist Warehouse for Queensland and northern New South Wales. The CW Retail Group now employs over 17,000 staff with revenues in excess of $6.5 billion.

Mr Clark is the current Chair of the Queensland Rugby Union and Queensland Rugby Union Foundation, of which he helped establish two years ago.  Mr Clark has also recently been appointed as director of the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee for the Olympic Games.  Mr Clark is a past Chair of QLD Ballet having served 10 years on the board, the last six years as Chair.  With his wife Maria, Mr Clark has been involved with the Mater Foundation and Sisters of Mercy for the past 21 years via roles as donors, fundraisers and Chair of Bridgeworks, and they both currently serve as Patrons of the Foundation. 

Rec club romance

After graduating from pharmacy at UQ in 1988, I was fortunate enough to attend a UQ event at the Rec club a year or so later where I met an amazing UQ physiotherapy student. 32 years on and I’m still happily married to my wife, Maria. We have one daughter who graduated from UQ last year, and another who is a current student, so our UQ story continues.

What are you most proud of?

I’m proud that my wife, Maria, and I were able to deal with the tragedy of losing our daughter, Olivia, at a week old and turn it into something so positive. Funds we have helped to raise in her memory have helped so many other premature babies win the battle she lost. Tragedy can affect us all, but it is how you deal with it that will shape your legacy.

I like to run

I recently ran the Abbott World Marathon Majors – the world’s six major marathons, which includes Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York. Now, I’m working on completing the Seven Continents Marathon Club medal by running the Antarctic Ice Marathon in December this year. After this, I’ll have South America and Africa to complete. 

What is your top read and why?

The Diamond Cutter by Michael Roach. I spent three months in India and Nepal when I was 22 as part of a year travelling. I was also fascinated with how people who were less fortunate in my eyes were so happy and optimistic. On my return, I raised this with a close Buddhist friend of mine, and he gave me a copy of the book. It’s a great read to empower yourself with a different lens on how to approach business, family and friends. I still refer to it today 30 years later and it has helped set the tone with how I approach life.

Did you have a lightbulb moment during your degree that guided you on your career path?

In my last year of my MBA studies at UQ, I asked my lecturer if, instead of doing one of my last strategic management assignments on a company they assigned, I could do it on my own company ePharmacy, which I was trying to grow. He fortunately allowed me to do this which gave me three or four months to work on the next phase of the vision, using academic rigour. This gave me confidence that I was on the right path and was part of my eventual decision to merge the company with others to create and grow Chemist Warehouse. 

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Dr Rolf Gomes

Dr Rolf Gomes
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery 2001

Vice-Chancellor’s Alumni Excellence Award for commitment to improving healthcare to people living in regional and rural Australia.

Rolf Gomes is a cardiologist and founder of mobile medical service, Heart of Australia. Dr Gomes used his background in engineering to revolutionise the way specialist doctors provide medical services to regional, rural and remote communities across Australia. Under his leadership, the program has treated more than 14,000 patients and saved more than 500 lives.

The early days

I remember very vividly the feeling I had waiting to be called into my medical school entry interview. I was excited, I had the sense that this would be a fantastic vocation, and I hoped to have the ability to positively affect people in a meaningful way.

Medicine is certainly all that and I remind myself of that feeling during challenging times. I also recall my university years as one of the most fun-filled times in my life. The social life, the balls (dressed in a tight purple lycra phantom suit – photo available on request), the sporting days and most of all the friendships.

If you could go back and give yourself a piece of advice on graduation day, what would it be?

I would tell myself to invest more time in finding mentors and reading more biographies about people who had been where I wanted to go, so I could learn how they got there. Be prepared to ask for help more often, as more often than not people want to help. I would also invest in developing stronger communication skills as I realise how important this is as a determinant to success and furthering an idea.

A personal soundtrack

As a student, I liked Bob Dylan because of his lyrical talent and thought-provoking views. I dabbled in playing the guitar and piano so found song writing a good form of expression. I also like the line from the song ‘Me and Bobby McGee’ by Janis Joplin: “freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose”. I think there’s an element of truth there – on my journey with Heart of Australia, I was starting from scratch with no reputation at stake and I saw this as a great advantage.

What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my children who are growing up as considerate human beings, developing a generosity of spirit and an awareness beyond themselves. I am also extremely proud of what has been achieved through the Heart of Australia program.

Image of Dr Rolf Gomes

Dr Rolf Gomes

Dr Rolf Gomes

A portrait image of Debbie Kilroy OAM

Debbie Kilroy OAM

Debbie Kilroy OAM

Debbie Kilroy OAM

Debbie Kilroy OAM
Bachelor of Social Work 1998

Vice-Chancellor’s Alumni Excellence Award for commitment to social justice, and advocacy for Australian women and girls experiencing poverty, violence and addiction.

Debbie Kilroy OAM is a qualified social worker and one of Queensland’s leading criminal solicitors. She has integrated her lived experience of imprisonment and her academic studies in social work and law to become a leading advocate for social justice, with a strong focus on women experiencing poverty, violence, and addiction.

Ms Kilroy founded Sisters Inside, an award-winning advocacy organisation that has been fighting for the human rights of women in the criminal justice system for 30 years. In 2003 she was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for services to the community for her work with women in prison and was awarded the Australian Human Rights Medal in 2004.

Inspirational connections

Undertaking Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Unit electives was the highlight of my UQ degree. Connecting with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academics and other students was the most memorable as many of them are still my friends and inspiration today.

What inspired you to pursue social work as your career?

Social workers convinced my parents to remove me from their care and place me in a youth prison. I wanted to have the same [social work] degree so that other children did not experience the trauma and separation from their parents and families like I did. I wanted social work to be different – working from a position of power with, not power over.

What are you most proud of?

I started my degree when I was in prison. I never finished high school so to finish the Bachelor of Social Work was a milestone in my life. Gaining this qualification gave me the confidence to go on to study a Bachelor and Master of Laws.

What's a surprising or fun fact about you?

I love performing slam poetry.

Is there a band, song or film that shaped who you were as a student?

Suzi Quatro - The Wild One.

If you could change one thing about the world for the next generation, what would it be?

That no child born from today onwards would ever experience any form of violence or racism.

Dr William Yang

Dr William Yang
Bachelor of Architecture 1968
Doctor of Letters honoris causa 1998

Vice-Chancellor’s Alumni Excellence Award for outstanding contributions to Australian culture.

William Yang is one of Australia’s most important living artists, with his social documentary photography exploring issues of cultural and sexual identity over the last five decades. He integrates his photographic practice with writing, performance and film.

Dr Yang’s artworks have been exhibited at major institutions including Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Gallery of Australia and Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art.

If you could go back and give yourself a piece of advice on graduation day, what would it be?

Seek what you want to do, and do this with determination and conviction, even though it may seem hard at times.

The Brisbane arts scene

I studied Architecture and at one point I connected with the Brisbane Arts Society. I don’t think I actually joined, but I would go to their parties. Up until then I had no dealings with the artistic world. Now I found myself drinking cheap claret at art openings and parties, having an opinion about paintings, and I liked that. I felt I had found my tribe.

I also saw Barry Humphries at a live show where he parodied the claret-drinking art scene, about which I laughed loudly and thought Barry Humphries was a genius.

From playwright to photographer

At university I directed the Architecture Reviews and wrote plays. I liked theatre, it was a world I could escape into, and a world I wanted to pursue. I dropped out of Architecture and moved to Sydney. I tried to make a living as a playwright. But that was too hard, so I became a freelance photographer. I’d always had a camera as an architect, and now I turned it from buildings to people. Since I moved in the theatre world, I was surrounded by actors who needed head shots for their portfolios, so I began my freelance career photographing actors.

What is your top read and why?

I like the writings of Helen Garner. She writes novels, personal non-fictions, and diaries. It’s a bit like my own practice of photographic reportage. One of my favourite books of hers is True Stories, an early book, when she wrote for the magazine Digger. I remember her story when she was a teacher and she talked frankly to her teenage students about sex, and how they reacted to an honest discussion, but the parents complained and she lost her job. I like her books about court cases. Joe Cinque’s Consolation and This House of Grief are gut wrenching in their reveal of wretched humanity. I like her diaries. Often, they are emotionally piercing, and I marvel that she can leave herself so open.

Did you go to a UQ College?

I went to King’s College, in the sixties and I enjoyed the experience, although I was in the closet while I was there. When I left for Sydney and came out as a gay man in the seventies, I kind of disassociated myself from King’s. I felt I was a different person than the person who had lived there. Decades later, when I was awarded my Honorary Doctorate with UQ, they offered to make me a Fellow of the College, which I accepted and met the Master, Greg Eddy. He was very friendly, and not judgemental of my lifestyle, and I found the college had changed too. Now it was co-ed, and it seemed to have changed for the better.

Image of Dr William Yang

Dr William Yang

Dr William Yang

Distinguished Young Alumni Awards

Daniel George

Daniel George
Bachelor of Economics 2010

Distinguished Young Alumni Award for outstanding achievements and innovation in the finance, technology and education sectors.

Daniel George is the founder of UK-based fintech company, StepEx. This organisation provides a new way for students to finance tertiary education, through a new kind of financial product called Future Earnings Agreements (FEAs), making high-quality education available to everyone.

StepEx was named the Top UK Emerging Fintech 2019 (St James Palace) and Top 10 Disruptive Companies in Europe 2019 (Tech Crunch Berlin).

Carefree uni days

During university, we bought an old van, split between six of us. We attached an old bed frame on the top as roof racks to hold our kiting and surfing gear and swags. Any possible weekend we would all head for a deserted beach, surfing, playing cricket and soccer and eating fresh fish on the fire.

What are you most proud of?

It makes me very happy to see the thousands of people who have been able to undertake millions of pounds of qualifications and earn tens of thousands of dollars per year more because of the company we started.

If you could change one thing about the world for the next generation, what would it be?

I want everyone to have the opportunity to be all they can be. With StepEx we have broken down the price barrier to top-tier education, but we still have further to scale.

What's something we didn't know about you?

I thought cufflinks were another word for handcuffs until I was 26 years old.

If you could go back and give yourself a piece of advice on graduation day, what would it be?

Be kind whenever you can and not just to those who show kindness to you. Everyone has their own challenges in life and they are not always visible.

Image of Daniel George

Daniel George

Daniel George

An image of Bianca Goebel

Bianca Goebel

Bianca Goebel

Bianca Goebel

Bianca Goebel
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) 2011
Master of Business Administration 2018

Distinguished Young Alumni Award for outstanding contributions to policy, engineering innovation and sustainability, as well as commitment to advocacy for young people and future generations.

Ms Goebel has a background in engineering which she is using to progress the clean energy transition via green hydrogen, ammonia and batteries. She was part of the team which launched project 'Spark' - a camp which gives underprivileged youth a taste of university life, through the not-for-profit organisation Youth Without Borders.

Most recently she co-founded Foundations for Tomorrow, where she is leading a global agenda to protect future generations. As a part of this role, she released the Awareness to Action Report with 10,000 submissions, making it the largest survey of young people, by young people in Australia’s history. Subsequent work in developing future literate leaders with the UN Foundation and Welsh Commissioner for Future Generations saw her co-present a 'Contract for Our Future' at the UN's Stockholm+50 conference. 

What inspired you to pursue multiple career paths?

A big case of FOMO – I actively chose not to pick a single path but to pursue multiple paths at once. I’ve been lucky enough to juggle careers in engineering, strategy consulting, not-for-profits and working on boards. This has exposed me to diverse ideas, thinking styles and organisational practices that I take and use in new contexts.

A phenomenal leader

Volunteering alongside and learning from, 2015 UQ Distinguished Young Alumni award winner, Yassmin Abdel-Magied was very memorable for me. Yassmin approached me in fourth-year engineering, having remembered a conversation we had about my volunteering with youth in first-year engineering, to ask if I would help her launch a project. That project was Spark Engineering Camp, which is still running today. It’s a week-long university experience camp for those least represented at university – to give them a taste of potential future pathway they could choose. I ended up volunteering at her NFP, Youth Without Borders, for seven years with the last two as CEO. Working alongside and learning from this phenomenal leader was the starting point of many opportunities which lead to the impact I am making today.

If you could change one thing about the world for the next generation, what would it be?

We are currently facing endemic short-term thinking which is harming both living and future generations. Just a few examples include inaction on climate change, on redefining our social contract and restoring trust and stability in our democratic institutions. If I could change one thing about the world, it would be to take more lessons from First Nations wisdom on living sustainably, to embed this long-term thinking, leading to systems change that benefits current generations and protects future generations.

If you could go back and give yourself a piece of advice on graduation day, what would it be?

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better” - Maya Angelou. Making mistakes is unavoidable, how you learn from those mistakes is what’s important - that determines your character.

Dr William Hawker
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) 2009
Graduate Certificate in Research Commercialisation 2012
Doctor of Philosophy 2015
Graduate Certificate in Higher Education 2017

Distinguished Young Alumni Award for excellence in innovation and a commitment to sustainability.

Will Hawker is the Chief Technology Officer of Pure Battery Technologies (PBT), where he leads the development of this technology as the organisation builds Australia’s first battery material production facility.

During his UQ PhD studies, Dr Hawker invented, developed and commercialised the process technology that PBT uses for production of battery materials, which consumes up to 20 per cent less energy than the standard processes. He has also lectured in the field of metallurgical engineering at UQ and published research in this field.

A family calling

I generally tell the story that my “career” began a long time before my first job because I was exposed to the industry at a very young age: my father also studied metallurgical engineering, working as a process engineer at a handful of remote resource industry sites around Australia before eventually settling in the city. He became a principal process engineer during stints at some of the major engineering design companies in the industry. He would travel for work and come back with handfuls of mineral samples to show off, and he’d tell stories of the huge processing plant equipment he was designing, building and running. This early childhood exposure and family connection to engineering and the resource industry meant that I always wanted a career in this area, I just didn’t know how or where. My brother also studied engineering, as did many of my friends and extended family.

Did you have a lightbulb moment during your degree that guided you on your career path?

Following on from what inspired me, at the end of my first year of undergrad engineering, I landed a vacation job with BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) in the Tech Services department (with the mining engineers rather than with the metallurgical engineers in the processing plant) at one of their coal mines in Central Queensland. I didn’t particularly enjoy the tech services role, because with few technical skills at that stage I couldn’t contribute much, so the work consisted mostly of driving around site looking at large piles of dirt. No offence to the mining engineers, it just all looked like dirt to me. I did get to visit the on-site processing plant for a few days and found that much more interesting because things were happening, pumps were pumping, mixers were mixing and so on. This combination of experiences was the lightbulb that guided me towards my career path. Once I got back to the city, I changed my major to metallurgical engineering.

The metallurgy master

There are plenty of memorable moments, places and people from my time at UQ, however the most impactful would have to be Professor Peter Hayes. As head of the metallurgical engineering group at UQ, Peter developed the metallurgical engineering curriculum that I studied as an undergrad, providing me with the knowledge and skills needed for modern industrial practice. Peter was also one of my PhD supervisors, providing indispensable advice and guidance especially during the final and most difficult stages of my thesis preparation, and during my time as an early career academic. Peter’s steadfast and determined leadership of the metallurgy group provided me with a model for dealing with challenges and resistance through my own career.

What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of being able to have an impact – on my students, on the team of engineers I currently work with, on my profession, and on a global scale through the commercialisation of my company’s low-emissions battery material-production technology. Our entire business is driven by the need for climate action, and we can make a real impact through this work.

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Image of Isabella Higgins

Isabella Higgins

Isabella Higgins

Isabella Higgins

Isabella Higgins
Bachelor of Journalism 2021
Bachelor of Communication 2021

Distinguished Young Alumni Award for excellence in the field of journalism.

Isabella Higgins is a well-known journalist who has reported across both regional and metropolitan areas of Australia as a reporter, as the national Indigenous affairs correspondent, and she is now Australia’s first Torres Strait Islander Europe correspondent, working for ABC News, based in London.

Based on her detailed coverage on the First Nations suicide crisis, Ms Higgins was awarded the 2019 Walkley Award for Young Australian Journalist of the Year, and her recent work reporting from the war in Ukraine has shed light on the atrocities of that conflict.

From QLD to NYC

One of the most influential experiences I gained from UQ was the opportunity to travel abroad to the University of New York on student exchange. It was there while searching the streets of Manhattan for a story that I found a real passion for journalism.

What inspired you to pursue journalism as a career?

I’ve always been an avid reader and writer, and as a high-school student journalism sounded like a career where I might get to do both of those things all day long. Of course, it’s much more complicated than that, but thankfully it all worked out.

If you could go back to your graduation day, what would you tell young Isabella?

The journey is just beginning, hold on tight and get ready for a lot of tight deadlines.

What are you most proud of?

As a proud Torres Strait Islander woman, becoming the ABC’s National Indigenous Affairs Correspondent was a huge honour and responsibility. I travelled to all corners of the country and met some extraordinary people in the role. I’m incredibly proud of some of the work I produced in these places, which I hope changed the conversation about the First Nations communities. Similarly, the time I spent in Ukraine as war broke out earlier this year was especially significant for me. I tried to elevate the voices of women in these places who were going through the unimaginable. Their stories will always stay with me.

What was your study soundtrack while at uni

I never stopped listening to Triple J as a student. I always hoped I might work there (and I did for a little bit!)

Sophie Yao

Sophie Yao
Master of Engineering 2011

Distinguished Young Alumni Award for excellence in the venture capital industry.

Sophie Yao is an accomplished venture capitalist, with experience with multinational technology corporations like Microsoft and Intel. Ms Yao is now the Managing Director of Pegasus Tech Ventures China, a Silicon Valley-based firm.

Ms Yao runs the Startup World Cup – a global startup pitch competition that covers more than 70 countries. She also manages three incubators and regularly lectures, judges and mentors at conferences around the world. She is also a passionate supporter of women’s entrepreneurship and gender equality.

Did you have a lightbulb moment during your degree that guided you on your career path?

While completing a lab experiment in class one day, the materials science engineering professor described the life-cycle theory. I was shocked to learn that it took so long for good technology to go from the lab to finally a workable product – he taught us that it takes more than 100 years for an idea to become a product we can use in our daily lives. I wondered if there was something I could do to accelerate the process. From that moment, I had made up my mind that I would work to do just that. Now, I work in early-stage technology product investment, because I believe that capital can make a big difference to the product cycle.

What inspired you to pursue a career in science and engineering then finance?

My parents were both in the finance industry, so they always expected me to work in a bank when I grew up, but as a kid I preferred science and technology, so I chose to study materials engineering and science instead. I found out there are a lot of good technologies in labs but it’s hard to turn them into workable products.

This shifted my interest to accelerating the process of commercialisation and productisation of technology. After graduating from UQ, I took my first job as investment manager to find mergers and acquisitions for a publicly listed US microchip company. I also worked for Microsoft and Intel as a senior product manager. I gradually learnt the method to transform tech into products. My current role with Pegasus has been the pinnacle of everything I’ve learnt up until now.

I truly believe in technology and how it can change our world for the better – ‘tech for social good’ is one of my basic investment principles.

What’s a fun fact about you?

I am a part-time lifestyle vlogger! I love to explore and experience restaurants in different cities, recording my dining experiences. I also like different sports like skating and surfing. As the philosopher Rousseau said: “I want to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life”. Also, because I am a female leader as well as a working mother, I care deeply about women in leadership and gender equality at work, so I volunteer as a mentor and speaker in order to help raise up the women around me.

An image of Sophie Yao

Sophie Yao

Sophie Yao

Indigenous Community Impact Award

Image of Will Davis OAM

Will Davis OAM

Will Davis OAM

Will Davis OAM

Will Davis OAM
Bachelor of Arts 1996
Graduate Diploma in Education 1998
Master of Education (Leadership) 2009

Indigenous Community Impact Award for outstanding contributions as a community leader, celebrating Murri identity and advocating for equality for Indigenous peoples.

Will Davis is an Aboriginal man from the Cobble Cobble people of Queensland and a highly esteemed teacher, community worker, university lecturer and tutor. In the 1990s, he contributed to the founding of Durithunga, which supported Indigenous cultural integrity and equality through school-based community projects. Mr Davis is an ongoing participant and founding member of Gnirigomindala Karulbo, an Indigenous leadership group striving for change and equity in Logan, and has been the CEO of the Beenleigh Housing and Development Company since 2014.

During his time as an educator at Beenleigh State High School, Mr Davis ran the Murriland Cultural and Homework Program. In 2022, he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Mr Davis has completed a master’s thesis at UQ exploring revitalising cultural practices for learning programs, and he continues this research as a UQ PhD candidate.

What inspired you to pursue the career you chose?

There wasn’t just one thing: it was poverty, family, learning, knowledge, spirit…pathways my Mother and Uncle had done, pathways of my Father. It was all mixed in.

What’s a memory that’s important to you from your university days?

There were so many. Leaving my family home in Eagleby during my first year, packing my mates rusted Holden Kingswood because we never had a car (not that I had much to carry), and having my family and mob who came to see me off crying as I was leaving – that impacted me. I knew I had to get through it. 

Another key memory was experiencing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Unit. I was involved in activities in community and with community as part of the University’s Indigenous student body. We had Elders to speak to us as young students. We participated in protests and being active. There were horrific racist things happening in and to my community, locally in Logan and in Brisbane. You do what you can in the time and the place you’re at.

What advice would you give your younger self?

A brother told me once – you only get 70 odd summers in this life. Use them.

What’s your top read and why?

I’m not a big novel reader, but I’d say Pemulwuy by Uncle Eric Willmot. I’ve revisited it a few times since I read it as a young man. I often recommend it to others. It’s about us, by us, in the context that is us – it’s a song that we know and it’s uplifting and sad, but it’s us in this Australia.

It’s always a constant on my bookshelves and has reverberated with me across the decades. There are enough ups and downs in community life that I have to be in a particular zone for the pull to read a novel. 

Georgia Birks

Georgia Birks
Bachelor of Architectural Design 2013
Master of Architecture 2016

Indigenous Community Impact Award for advocacy for architecture that welcomes people of all cultural backgrounds.

Georgia Birks is a Melbourne-based graduate of architecture and proud descendant of the Birpai, Dunghutti and Kamilaroi peoples. Ms Birks is an advocate for architecture that has purpose and meaning for people of all cultural backgrounds.

Through her work, she seeks to provide platforms to share First Nations Knowledge and experiences, with individuals and the greater industry, to reshape architectural thinking, processes and hopefully the trajectory of project outcomes in Australia.

She is currently an associate editor at Architecture Media, co-curator for the Asia Pacific Architecture Festival, a member of the Australian Institute of Architects First Nations Working Group and Cultural Reference Panel and a member of the City of Melbourne’s Design Excellence Advisory Committee.

Describe a memorable moment, place or person that impacted you when you were a student at UQ

There are many moments, many people and many places! If I had to pick one, my most memorable moment would be the Momoyo Kaijima research scholarship in Japan. I was lucky enough to spend six weeks in Japan exploring great architecture with wonderful people. An incredible experience mixed with culture, food and design.

What inspired you to pursue the career you did?

My dad encouraged me to study architecture. We renovated both of my childhood homes and he always shared the floor plans and taught me how to read them. I enjoyed the concept of imagining a space and then bringing it to life through drawings or visualisations.

My career in curating, publishing and media evolved over time because of the people I was lucky enough to meet and because of my intrigue in the opportunities that were offered.

What are you most proud of?

This is a tough one to answer. Personally, my resilience. Professionally, the people who I am surrounded by and the work we produce together.

If you could change one thing about the world for the next generation, what would it be?

I think the majority would agree: the climate.

I hope as a society, we further pursue and embrace reuse, regeneration and caring for Country to leave the climate in a better (or the best) health for the next generation.

An image of Georgia Birks

Georgia Birks

Georgia Birks

International Alumnus of the Year

Dr Alue Dohong - Indonesia
Doctor of Philosophy (Mapping Science) 2016

International Alumnus of the Year for outstanding contributions to the protection of threatened ecosystems. 

Dr Alue Dohong is an international environmentalist and the Indonesian Vice Minister of Environment and Forestry. His work has resulted in the protection of threatened ecosystems and empowerment of Traditional Owners.

Following his PhD at UQ, Dr Dohong was named Deputy for Construction, Operation and Maintenance at the Peatland Restoration Agency (Badan Restorasi Gambut), tasked with restoring two million hectares of degraded peatlands in seven provinces across Indonesia. In 2021, he was awarded the Australia Awards Indonesia Alumnus of the Year in recognition of his leadership and ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability in Indonesia.

For peat’s sake

Prior to coming to UQ to study my PhD, I had heard of UQ’s reputation and rankings as a world-class university in the field of environmental science. This motivated me and made me very determined to pursue my academic and scientific studies at UQ with the School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management. Getting a UQ degree to kickstart my career was the best choice I’ve ever made, and it has shaped my entire career.

After I returned to Indonesia, I was offered a great role by the Indonesian government to work on peatland restoration and I was able to introduce a '3R' approach (Rewetting of Peatland, Revegetation, and Revitalization of Local Livelihoods). The 3R approach is still implemented throughout my country and also in other places around the world.

After three years in this role, President of the Republic Indonesia H.E Joko Widodo appointed me as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry – I strongly believe that my study at UQ significantly contributed to my professional success.    

What is your top read and why?

The Land Use Policy Journal is my top read because I often discover new science and information, which are very relevant to my current role.

Is there a band, song or film that shaped who you were as a student?

Phil Collins, Adele and Sam Smith are my favourite singers. My best films are Mission Impossible and John Wick. 

If you could change one thing about the world for the next generation, what would it be?

I’d stop intact peatlands conversion and implement degraded peatland restoration for the sake of sustainability of humanity, wildlife and climate change.

Photo of Dr Alue Dohong in an Indonesia crop field

Colleges' UQ Alumni Award

Dr Robert McLeay - Emmanuel College

Bachelor of Information Technology 2005
Bachelor of Science (Honours) 2006
Doctor of Philosophy 2012
Doctor of Medicine 2021

Colleges’ UQ Alumni Award for outstanding contributions to Emmanuel College, and innovation in the field of healthcare.

Robert McLeay is the founder of medical startup company, DoseMe, the first company in the world to offer precision drug dosing software specifically developed for clinical use. Prior to this, Dr McLeay led software development teams and then completed a PhD in Bioinformatics at UQ’s Institute of Molecular Bioscience.

Today, DoseMeRx enables individualised dosing in hundreds of hospitals across 10 countries, supporting over 7,000 clinician users. It supports 42 drug models ranging from antibiotics to transplant medicines to chemotherapy, and to date has calculated over 1.4 million medication doses.

What inspired you to pursue the career you did?

I was always interested in science, and in high school attended the National Youth Science Forum, which was very eye-opening for showing the vast number of industry careers that are available. That said, “pursue” makes it sound like I had a plan! Curiosity and persistence (my wife may say stubbornness) and a generous helping of serendipity were probably the main factors.

I was first introduced to the concept behind DoseMe (calculating individualised medication dosages) at a BBQ attended by quite a few UQ academics. One asked a question “Have you ever wondered how you calculate a dose for a clinical trial… wouldn’t it be nice to be able to do this for individual patients?” This question, combined with being told by the same person who proposed the idea saying that I wouldn’t be able to make it work was enough inspiration to develop the prototype, and we just went from there.

If you could change one thing about the world for the next generation, what would it be?

World peace and climate change are of course both at the top of the list: but to be contrary and pick something different, I’d like to see an increase or return to third places – places that are neither work nor home. College provided a place where I could meet people across a range of backgrounds and interests. I used to play jazz (poorly, but for fun) with an insurance CEO, a chemistry professor, and an engineer. Without having spaces to meet others who are different to ourselves, we can separate ourselves into an echo-chamber, with harm to ourselves and society – and not to mention life becomes much less interesting and fun.

What are you most proud of?

My family – my wife Sarah, my son Ian, and daughter Isla. We need to keep our work in perspective, and nothing that I can do will be as important as my family.

That said, in healthcare we have an impact on other families – and everyone is someone’s child, or mother, or father. For example, we had hospitals report at conferences that by using DoseMe they reduced their acute kidney injury (AKI) incidence rate from 12 per cent to two per cent – a six-fold reduction – and having an AKI occur to you more than quadruples your risk of death at the hospital, so this was a significant impact we had on healthcare and ultimately, other families.

College life and lifelong friendships

I went to Emmanuel College for three years during my undergraduate study, and then later had the opportunity to serve on the college council. I think that most people underestimate the value that you obtain from living in college. I’ve been introduced to job opportunities through friendships made in college, and also hired people through recommendations from trusted friends. Most importantly, you meet people across a wide range of fields of study – not just from your own.

 

Photo of Dr Robert McLeay

Gatton Gold Medal

Image of John ‘Safari’ Ziro

John ‘Safari’ Ziro

John ‘Safari’ Ziro

John ‘Safari’ Ziro

John ‘Safari’ Ziro
Master of Agribusiness 2015

Gatton Gold Medal for outstanding leadership in agriculture innovation and development to benefit communities in Kwale, Kenya and beyond.

John ‘Safari’ Ziro is an inspiring international leader in agriculture and development in the Kenyan county of Kwale, where he is the Director of Agriculture. There, Mr Ziro leads projects including risk reduction policy implementation to improve the resilience of the Kenyan agricultural industry and its primary producers. His work on climate change-resistant technology was adapted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation and used around the world.

Inspired by his hands-on experience at UQ Gatton, Mr Ziro invites community members to his farm to witness outcomes resulting from sustainable farming practises. This approach has driven growth in community farming in his region and has led to significant improvements in the lives of women and young people.

What inspired you to pursue the career you did?

I came from a small-scale farming community in the rural area of the Kenya Coast in Africa. My education was financed from what my family could earn from the farm. I was concerned though, that my community was not getting optimal yields and profits from the farming business due to poor agronomic practices as well as changing climatic conditions, among other challenges. Seeing these issues inspired me to study agriculture, as this was what I knew would provide sustainable incomes.

Through my education in this field, I have managed to transform my community's practices from subsistence to semi-commercial farming – this has led to food and nutritional security for everyone.

Did you have a lightbulb moment during your degree that guided you on your career path?

When I visited the farms in Australia, I realised that the climatic conditions in Australia, and especially Gatton where I was studying, were not that different from our own in Kenya. The place looked like a desert, however they were harvesting water and using it for irrigation and using the most efficient irrigation systems. This coupled with well-mapped value chains where production was only done after addressing issues in the market (where to sell) made me realise that with the right technology and innovations, agricultural systems could be enhanced to be more resilient.

What are you most proud of?

I am proud and happy that I have been able to take what I learnt at UQ Gatton and use it to transform the farming community of Kwale County.

Through my teams of agricultural extension officers, we have trained farmers on good agricultural practices including conservation agriculture, which means the community has more food and a more sustainable income, while the environment is also cared for. Furthermore, by making agriculture more commercial, these changes have created employment for young people – the average age of a farmer in my county is now 47, down from 60.

My UQ mum

During my orientation in 2014 at UQ Gatton Campus, I met Cheryl Brugman who was the UQ Gatton Student Services Manager. She guided us in all aspects of life in Australia, and her kindness as a human being was exceptional. She helped us settle with ease and was always available to support us at all times. We as students wished we had known her much earlier in life. She reminded us all that good people exist, and it did not matter their age, economic status or race. I was very sad to hear of her passing in 2021.

UQ Graduate of the Year

Award created by Alumni Friends

Image of Lillian Rangiah

Lillian Rangiah

Lillian Rangiah

Lillian Rangiah

Lillian Rangiah
Bachelor of Arts (Honours) 2021

Lillian Rangiah is currently a journalist with the ABC, based in Brisbane, where she reports across television, radio, online news and social media.

As a student, Ms Rangiah worked as a tutor and research assistant at UQ, publishing scholarly textbook case studies and a peer-reviewed journal article. She was awarded the University Medal and first-class honours. She has also contributed to community journalism in Brisbane through 4ZZZ radio station.

If you could go back and give yourself a piece of advice on graduation day, what would it be?

Never say you graduated with “just” Bachelor of Arts (BA). The humanities and social sciences are too often written off as trivial or useless, and there is stigma associated with the humble BA. But the humanities are integral to our collective understandings of who we are, how we relate to the world, and how we relate to each other. It is through the artists and activists that we come to imagine and build a better future.

What inspired you to pursue a career in journalism?

I originally studied a Bachelor of Arts to test out different career ideas and see what I liked the best. I studied psychology, philosophy, economics, world religions, film and television and communications. Much to my frustration, I found that I enjoyed them all and couldn’t pick. I eventually realised I simply loved learning in general…and if I became a journalist, I could ask questions about every topic imaginable.

 What are you most proud of?

I am passionate about stories that matter to young people and marginalised communities. I wrote a national, multi-platform story earlier this year investigating potential LGBTI+ discrimination in Christian schools, and I am proud of the feedback I have received about the impact this story has had on other young people.

I recently returned to my own high school for a speech about my career. A same-sex grade nine couple came up to me afterwards and thanked me for reporting the story. When I was that age, I don’t think many of my peers felt comfortable to be “out” and in a same-sex couple. It struck me that Australia is becoming a more inclusive place – and I feel immensely proud that my words may play some small part in that.

Is there a band, song or film that shaped who you were as a student?

When I was under pressure and stressed during my final few weeks of thesis writing, I would play Free by Aussie band, Parcels, which is – as you can imagine – an uplifting song. When I finally handed in my thesis, I played the song in my living room as loud as I could and belted out the chorus.

UQ Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year

Rachael Watson

Rachael Watson OAM
Current student - Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)

Rachael Watson is an outstanding para-swimmer, holding two gold medals from the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, and two silvers and a bronze medal from the 2019 and 2022 World Para Swimming Championships. She holds the Women’s 50m Freestyle S4 Paralympic record of 39.36 seconds, from her win in Tokyo, and the world record in the same category which she claimed in 2017 at the Australian Swimming Championships.

Ms Watson was born with mild cerebral palsy, but was independent and able to walk, and later acquired Guillain-Barré syndrome that led to severe muscle weakness and peripheral nervous system damage resulting in the use of a wheelchair. Swimming has formed a critical part of her physiotherapy. She holds a UQ Blue Award for Sporting Excellence, and was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2017.

What are you most proud of?

Achieving back-to-back gold in swimming at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games – as there were a lot of challenges and juggling to do. I am really grateful for the support I have to manage my study and swimming aspirations.

How did winning gold (twice!) feel?

It felt absolutely incredible! To win gold on debut as a rookie was so surreal as I didn't think that it would happen, but to do it all again five years later was unbelievably special. It was tough because COVID really impacted the preparations which also meant no training for a while due to the national restriction mandates. There was also the real possibility the Games may be cancelled. You put a lot of other normal life things on hold for this moment, so I was just grateful to have a chance to race.

There were also a lot of expectations that I’d be able to win again so I really had to block that out. It can be difficult for people to understand unless they go through the journey of preparing for, qualifying, and competing at the Paralympics. To be a back-to-back Paralympic Gold Medallist would have to be the biggest highlight of my life so far. I am lucky to have the support from my amazing team of people but I'm also very aware of the sacrifices and occasional stress this creates. So, the medals are a reflection of everyone's involvement albeit I'm the only one that receives the recognition.

What’s a surprising fact about you?

I’m a triplet!

If you could change one thing about the world for the next generation, what would it be?

I would like to see that people are more tolerant to each other and are willing to provide others with a chance to try in their chosen opportunity. Of course people aren’t hoping to just be given an opportunity without working for it and showing they can actually do the job, but, at the same, employers need to be open minded and remember that they once were in that same position as the new graduate.

What inspired you to pursue social work?

I really enjoy helping people and have a lot of interest in healthcare. I would like to continue to gain professional skills to become well equipped to support people the way they need and deserve.

Image of Rachael Watson

Rachael Watson

Rachael Watson

An image of Thomas Neill

Thomas Neill

Thomas Neill

Thomas Neill

Thomas Neill
Current student - Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours)

Thomas Neill is an internationally competitive swimmer, with a bronze medal from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games for the 4x200 freestyle relay. He competes in 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle events, and won gold and silver in the Australian Swimming Championships in 2021. Mr Neill was also awarded the prestigious UQ Blue Award for Sporting Excellence in 2021.

Describe a memorable moment, place or person that impacted you when you were a student at UQ

My first memory of UQ was going to pick up my older brother and driving past the entry. The beautiful lawn caught my eye and I thought: this is the sort of place you see in the movies. From then, I only wanted to go to one university and that was UQ.

What inspired you to pursue swimming?

I grew up loving sport. No matter what sport it was, my dream was to represent Australia at the Olympics – it just happened to be swimming! My older brother and sister were highly competitive swimmers and I simply followed their footsteps and fell in love with the sport. I do it because I love the thrill of racing and that feeling of working for something special. Especially working for something that you’re passionate about.

What are you most proud of?

From a sporting point of view, I am most proud of the Olympic Bronze medal earned in the 4x200m relay at Tokyo. Personally, it was an up and down journey to get to that point but at the end of the day we all succeeded and managed to bring home bronze.

Generally, I’m proud that I think I’ve become a person who doesn’t base themselves off sporting achievements, but rather the little things in life – like spending time with ones who you care about, being nice to people and remaining respectful.