CoS list of commendation recipients 2024

Excellence in Supervision

Matthew Colless
Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics
College of Science

No matter how stupid my doubt is, I can always go to him without worrying. He has always talked to my convenors and teachers on my behalf. He is the best in what he does. He is a great academic and the best supervisor.

Stewart Fallon
Research School of Earth Sciences
College of Science

Professor Fallon is an exemplary supervisor. With an unmatched open-door policy, he is always accommodating to discussion and questions despite his busy schedule. Other than his credits in supervision, Stewart produces teaching experiences of an unmatched level, running the Coral Reef field course at the RSES teaching the rigor and finesse of research in a very restricted timescale.

Philip Gibbons
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

Professor Gibbons brings unparalleled expertise to his supervisory role. He has consistently demonstrated a commitment to nurturing independent, ethical researchers while being sensitive to the unique challenges faced by HDR students.
He has demonstrated extensive time and effort to supporting the HDR cohort as a whole, and his PhD candidates in particular.

Simon Haine
Research School of Physics
College of Science

Simon is a brilliant scientist and an exceptional communicator and supervisor. He excels at simplifying complex concepts for novices, making every interaction educational and empowering. Simon's guidance helps students discover results independently, and his patience and dedication are evident in every meeting.
His exceptional mentorship has shaped my academic journey and inspired me to pursue a career in research with confidence and enthusiasm.

Matthew Hole
Mathematical Sciences Institute
College of Science

Matthew Hole supervises many students, and the outcomes for those students are amazing.   He puts a lot of time into his students and excellent things happen.

Gavin Huttley
Research School of Biology
College of Science

I have developed more academic skills under his supervision in the past year than in the four years of my undergraduate and honours education at ANU. He provided an environment that allowed me to leverage my skills to fit into a unique role as a developer of bioinformatics methods. Professor Gavin Huttley is a leading bioinformatics expert and an outstanding mentor whose professionalism, depth of knowledge, and commitment to student development are widely recognised. His kindness, empathy, and genuine care inspire confidence and ambition in those he mentors, creating a culture of excellence and continuous learning. Two hundred words is not enough the describe how phenomenal his supervision has been. He advances his students as researchers by developing their intellectual rigour, disciplinary expertise, ethical research practices and a spirit of innovation, and continuous learning.

Peter Kanowski
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

He actively encourages me to publish my work in high-quality journals, consistently providing prompt and constructive feedback. Peter is a highly devoted supervisor and brings an extraordinary amount of time and care to his student interaction. Beyond academic guidance, the extent of his pastoral care is exceptional. As Master of Graduate House, that care extends to many students who are not under his direct guidance.

Andrew Kingston
Research School of Physics
College of Science

Andrew has provided invaluable mentorship through regular meetings, constructive feedback, and tailored resources, which have significantly enhanced my research skills and academic performance. He actively engages with students, ensuring that we all feel supported and motivated to achieve our goals.

Mark Krumholz
Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics
College of Science

Mark Krumholz is an excellent supervisor with a passion for teaching and his work.I believe he deserves more praise for his wisdom and character.Even with his vast knowledge and intelligence, he was always patient and never became frustrated with my seemingly basic questions. It would not be far-fetched for me to say that his enthusiasm and passionate supervision have invigorated my interest in interstellar medium physics and it constantly encourages me to be a better researcher and continue my journey in academia. Mark’s deep expertise allows him to guide students through the cutting-edge developments in the field, helping them connect critical insights from the latest research. His mentorship is marked by his patient, responsive, and supportive approach. His guidance ensures that his students not only achieve timely completions but also develop into independent and ethical researchers, equipped with the skills and networks to excel in the global scientific community.His hands-on approach, from solving mathematical problems on a whiteboard to patiently explaining fundamental concepts, has been invaluable.

Robert Lanfear
Research School of Biology
College of Science

He thoughtfully cultures a working environment that is flexible and inclusive, while setting individualised goals for students depending on their career objectives. Rob has been a supportive and enthusiastic supervisor who facilitated my development into a thoughtful and rigorous biological researcher. Perhaps more importantly, Rob has modelled a way to conduct a prestigious science career while living a considered life built around his personal values.

Denisse Leyton
Research School of Biology
College of Science

In her lab, you’ll have the freedom to lead your own projects without worrying too much about making mistakes, as she’ll always do her best to support you.

Celeste Linde
Research School of Biology
College of Science

The topmost bold characteristic of Linde is the ability to foster a productive, open environment for asking questions. This has not only encouraged critical thinking but also improved my problem solving skills. Her feedback is consistently constructive, offering insightful suggestions that drive my research forward. Professor Linde's dedication to her student success and development is truly commendable and her thoughtful approach to mentorship has been invaluable to me, making her highly deserving of recognition.Her approach towards diversity, equity and inclusivity favours high-quality student outcomes Dr. Linde creates an environment where students feel supported both professionally and personally, empowering them to achieve success even during the most challenging times.

Lara Malins
Research School of Chemistry
College of Science

She is an exceptional educator who inspires her students to strive for the best outcomes, as evident by high quality publications by the group, and challenges them to continue their development. No matter how busy Lara is with other commitments, she ensures that she takes the time to provide advice and guidance to her students, ensures feedback is always given within a timely manner, and ensures the group have access to snacks to fuel their work! :)

Christoph Nitsche
Research School of Chemistry
College of Science

A/Prof. Christoph Nitsche is an inspiring role model, committed to shaping the next generation of researchers. Extremely open-minded in guiding our research work, always encouraging us so that we have the confidence to persevere when the experiment fails, a very, very good supervsior!

Amit Seta
Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics
College of Science

He ensures that the student receives best support to clearly define the main goal of their research, select appropriate projects, and identify beneficial collaborations. Amit is also dedicated to connecting his students with the broader academic community, facilitating networking with researchers worldwide, and encouraging participation in workshops, conferences and collaborative projects. Dr. Seta’s supervision style embodies the university’s ideals of integrity, intellectual rigour, and inclusivity. His research group reflects a strong commitment to equity and diversity, welcoming students from a range of backgrounds, across the academic scale, from undergraduates to PhD candidates, ensuring their development as independent and ethical researchers.

Adrian Sheppard
Research School of Physics
College of Science

Adrian's approach to supervision is marked by a deep understanding of the complexities of research, providing personalised guidance that empowers students to explore their ideas fully. He encourages independent thinking while always being available for support, creating a nurturing environment that fosters both academic growth and personal confidence.

Paul Sibley
Research School of Physics
College of Science

Dr. Sibley played a key role in fostering my independence as a researcher. He enhanced my knowledge of the field and helped me develop critical planning and project management skills. His guidance has been instrumental in finding my feet as I consider a future in research. Dr. Sibley’s kindness, thoughtfulness, and encouragement have made my research experience a greatly positive one. His consistent support and motivation have ensured I persevered through a strenuous honours program. His demeanour has meant I am always comfortable asking questions, and his approach to supervision have consistently helped me overcome challenges during this course.

Cedric Simenel
Research School of Physics
College of Science

Cedric has gone above and beyond in building a research program that gives students new opportunities. He has worked to make research in particle theory accessible to students, which was not available to us prior to 2021.Cedric should also be commended for working to ensure research opportunities are available to women, gender-diverse people, and people of colour.

Hrvoje Tkalčić
Research School of Earth Sciences
College of Science

More importantly, Hrvoje guides me along my academic path, giving me lots of chance to present or networking. He is definitely one of the best supervisors I have ever met, and I am happy to work with him!

Brad Tucker
Australian Centre for the Public Awareness of Science
College of Science

Dr Brad Tucker has assisted me immensely with my research project thus far by being available for meetings all year long, including the teaching breaks, and has a wealth of knowledge as to appropriate search engines to use for searching for news articles for my project. Dr Tucker is known to be a highly dedicated and engaged research supervisor.

Albert Van Dijk
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

Albert is a fair, kind and generous individual who has mentored many students at ANU Fenner School and I am very grateful for his supervisory guidance.

Tingbao Xu
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

He is a very dedicated and responsible supervisor who maximises students' independent learning and exploration, while providing us with essential help and guidance.

Excellence in Tutoring or Demonstrating

Callum Breeze
Research School of Chemistry
College of Science

Callum goes the extra mile by incorporating student feedback into the course as required and responding to endless queries, even while on holiday and outside work hours. Callum's dedication is seen by his tireless work during labs and while conducting tutorials to ensure students receive the best possible education experience.

Chad Burton
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

His initiative and dedication have significantly enhanced student learning. Chad is generous with his time, consistently providing support to students on their 3-week research projects and offering creative ideas for them to further develop and demonstrate the skills gained during the course. His deep knowledge of remote sensing, combined with his passion for teaching, has inspired students and greatly contributed to their academic growth. Chad’s ability to provide timely, meaningful feedback and his commitment to continuous improvement in teaching practices make him an exemplary tutor, deserving this recognition.

YunHeng Chen
Research School of Physics
College of Science

YunHeng Chen was my tutor/demonstrator for the course MATH2305. He carefully resolved all my confusions regarding the coursework and was very easy to approach and helpful when I had doubts. He made my experience with the course much better and was easily one of the best demonstrators I have ever had.

Stanley Li
Mathematical Sciences Institute
College of Science

Stanley Li is one of MSI’s most outstanding demonstrators. He is diligent, precise, and knowledgeable. He is very committed to students and their learning experience. He maintains a tight contact with them through the Wattle discussion forum far beyond the standard communication.

Lewis Miller
Research School of Physics
College of Science

His work encouraged me to delve deeper into the subject and find increasing enjoyment. Additionally, his exam review drop-in sessions were extremely helpful and his extra work is appreciated by all.

Dinithi Rajapaksha
Research School of Biology
College of Science

A wonderful and kind tutor who goes out of her way to help students understand concepts in the tutorials. She caters to the individual needs of students and spends extra time to ensure students are on top of the coursework requirements. This tutor satisfies all the nomination criteria of this award and more.

Alexandra Williams
Research School of Biology
College of Science

Alex’s passion for her subject and for teaching is exhibited in everything she does from engagement with students in the lab and the feedback she provides when marking to the improvement of curriculum and assessment.  Alex’s contributions go well beyond normal expectations for a demonstrator.

Outstanding Contribution to Education Experience

Mark Ellison
Research School of Chemistry
College of Science

Mark’s contributions, passion and overall commitment to the course has helped uplift hundreds of tentative and struggling first year science students.

Benjamin Schwessinger
Research School of Biology
College of Science

Benjamin Schwessinger designed BIOL3106/6106 Biosecurity to combine multitude of valuable student experiences, each prize-worthy by itself: on-demand online lectures, workshops delivered by biosecurity experts representing government and industry, excursion to Birrigai to learn from First Nations rangers, state of the art laboratory practicals and authentic research reports. These elements combine to create an amazing course, greatly enjoyed by all students.

Alison Scott
Science Teaching and Learning Centre
CHM and College of Science

Alison has been working tirelessly to ensure consistency in the HDR administration across both CHM and COS.  Alison exemplifies the category of Innovations in service and support for students, through her collaborative approach to HDR student support across two Colleges and 11 Schools.

Michael Sherburn
Research School of Chemistry
College of Science

I am amazed with the people in Mick's group, and the environment that has been cultivated, driving knowledge and curiosity. I feel I have gained invaluable experience this semester and immense confidence in my organic chemistry understanding.

Bai-ling (Bryan) Wang
Mathematical Sciences Institute
College of Science

Associate Professor Wang is a key part of the teaching and learning environment at the Mathematical Sciences Institute. He often teaches two special topics courses a year on top of his pre-existing course load and while also supervising 4 honours students. These special topics courses are a way for students interested in mathematical physics and differential topology to have a chance at learning those subjects prior to undergoing honours or PhD.

Wang's philosophy that you need to uplift your community to be a true academic has led to a noticeable positive effect in students both under his supervision and undertaking his courses engendering an environment of mutual respect and collaboration. Additionally, Wang has been an ally to all students.

Programs that Enhance Learning

Robert Dyball
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

Rob Dyball is at the cutting edge of thinking and supportive engaging facilitation. The field trip to Kosciuszko with a First Nations river guide was exceptional and life changing.

Anna-Sophie Jurgens
Australian Centre for the Public Awareness of Science
College of Science

Dr. Jurgens has cultivated a path towards publication and career building for pop culture investigators. Dr. Jurgens’ support for her Popsicule students is unparalleled in its ability to foster authentic, innovative research creations.

Teaching Excellence

Vigleik Angeltveit
Mathematical Sciences Institute
College of Science

Vigleik Angeltveik is a truly outstanding teacher.   He teaches our honours pathway students in the very first semester and their very last semester.  His courses push them in all the right ways and his colleagues notice how well prepared his students are when we see them.

Yunheng Chen
Research School of Physics
College of Science

Yunheng is not just an excellent tutor - he is an educator whose impact extends far beyond the classroom.  What truly sets Yunheng apart is his ability to inspire. He doesn't just teach; he instills in his students a passion for tackling challenging concepts head-on. His enthusiasm for physics is infectious, and thanks to him, my interest in the subject has grown immensely.

Nick Cox
Research School of Chemistry
College of Science

He teaches the best!

Mark Ellison
Research School of Chemistry
College of Science

Mark is an understanding and caring convener/lecturer who values student input and preference. He Inspires and motivates students through effective communication, presentation and interpersonal skills, he integrates assessment strategies to enhance student learning and influences the overall academic experience of higher education. Assisting students from equity and other demographic subgroups to participate and achieve success in their courses. Fostering student development by stimulating curiosity and independence in learning. Mark ensures all students are heard and understood, ultimately, enhancing the experience of higher education, especially in a first-year course. He is always striving to improve the course even more, by taking on student feedback seriously and implementing them efficiently. Mark, thankyou for making our first year so amazing! I am so appreciative of all the effort you have gone through to help me learn and grow!

Philip Gibbons
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

Phil has inspired countless students to love and appreciate biodiversity. His approachable persona welcomes students into the world of biodiversity, and his wit and probing mind keeps them there. He is far too generous with his time, supporting anyone who reaches out to him in a timely and detailed manner. His network is extensive and he is not afraid to share it. He probably quadruples his teaching impact through being humble and calling in experts in specific fields to support his own knowledge. His own curiosity and contagious love of learning is obvious when he joins students in asking questions. Phil provides excellent real-world content and experiences. He continually looks to innovate and engage.

Joseph Hope
Research School of Physics
College of Science

Joe has definitely enhanced my experience with the course and has helped me understand the content very clearly. He is also very approachable and comes up with brilliant ways to clarify our questions when we are stuck.

Peter Kanowski
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

His passion for teaching and his admirable character are truly inspiring. He is dedicated to supporting students' learning and growth beyond the classroom. Through his innovative teaching methods and genuine enthusiasm for the subject matter, Professor Kanowski transforms complex concepts into accessible and engaging discussions. His dedication to fostering student growth and collaboration makes him an exemplary candidate for the Teaching Excellence Award

Gregory Lane
Research School of Physics
College of Science

Greg has painstakingly crafted his assessment tasks to be much more than mere evaluations of student understanding - his assignments are excellent learning opportunities in their own right.  By clearly communicating objectives and expectations, he helps students navigate their learning paths with confidence. Moreover, Greg demonstrates exceptional empathy and support for all students, and dedicates considerable time to offer guidance, often outside of regular hours, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive.

James Latimer
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

James shows unparalleled enthusiasm for the pedagogic process, and encourages students to pursue further knowledge as they find an area of interest. His broad knowledge makes him an inspiring conversation partner for students searching for a specialisation. James balances lab work, field work and outdoor lectures with knowledgeable and curated guests. He has considered carefully what content is requried, how best to deliver and how to engage in modern teaching landscapes.

Alexander Maier
Research School of Biology
College of Science

Professor Alex Maier makes learning engaging and approachable. He’s always there for support, providing helpful feedback and encouraging students to grow both academically and professionally. Alex's dedication to teaching and genuine care for student success make him truly deserving of this recognition.

Rod Peakall
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

Rod’s dedication to creating a diverse and applicable curriculum truly made the subject worth it. I was very pleased with the interactive nature of the course content, assignments, and tutorials, which made the learning process both enjoyable and effective.  His enthusiasm and expertise as a course convenor made a significant impact on the learning experience.

Melanie Rug
Research School of Biology
College of Science

Melanie supplied a challenging, inspiring and thorough learning experience. She developed a strong relationship with all of the students and successfully fostered motivation and dedication to the challenging topics and techniques throughout the course. Melanie would be an excellent candidate for this years Excellence in Teaching award and has my upmost respect and admiration for her ongoing work in CAM and teaching. Melanie’s enthusiasm for research-based learning motivates students to explore biological systems and molecular structures, fostering curiosity and a love for inquiry. Through her innovative, research-led curriculum, Melanie emphasises real-world applications of microscopy, directly engaging students in professional research. Melanie convenes the best course that I have ever done. She was exceptionally passionate about the subject matter and about teaching us.

Dan Santos
Australian Centre for the Public Awareness of Science
College of Science

Dan is an approachable and engaging educator. Throughout his course convenership, he fostered student development by stimulating curiosity and independence in learning. He achieved this by establishing tutorial and lecture activities that invited learners to critically analyse the content of discussion and collaboratively work together to reach an outcome. He managed to do this with a hybrid class - which is no mean feat!

Eric Stone
Research School of Biology
College of Science

Eric is a wonderful lecturer who puts extra effort into teaching students and making sure the content of lectures is presented in an accessible as well as understandable format.  He is truly deserving of the award for Teaching Excellence, and aside from that is a wonderful human being that I hope others have the privilege of getting to learn from!

Giel van Dooren
Research School of Biology
College of Science

Giel van Dooren convenes and teaches BIOL2117/6117 Cell Biology with unwavering, highly contagious enthusiasm. The course incorporates excellent practicals where students not only learn diverse, cutting-edge techniques to study cells, but, perhaps more importantly, experience the true nature and unpredictability of experimental science.

CHM list of commendation recipients 2024

Excellence in Supervision

Richard Burns
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health
College of Health & Medicine

Dr. Burns has consistently demonstrated a commitment to student success through personalised guidance and innovative teaching methods. His dedication to fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment has made a remarkable impact on both the academic and personal growth of his students. 
This is particularly striking for candidates who come from developing countries and who require due to cultural and language reasons, more intense and careful supervision.

Nicolas Cherbuin
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health
College of Health & Medicine

I would like to nominate Prof Nicolas Cherbuin as he has systemic approach that furthers the researcher's and the student's academic skills, thinking and research outcomes along with an sustained record of excellent supervision throughout the years. I would like to nominate him for excellence in supervision for his systemic approach, sustained record, constructive support and encouragement to broaden and widen the students' network.

Tegan Cruwys
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Tegan is more than a supervisor who oversees her students' projects. Tegan is a genuine mentor and guide, walking beside her students as they venture on the (often daunting) journey to becoming researchers. Tegan's supervisory approach allows students to feel safe and supported enough to approach challenges confidently and independently, take intellectual risks, engage in ambitious and innovative research projects, and focus on researching their passions Most notably, she provides a living example that academics can be incredibly successful whilst maintaining a good work-life balance and be kind and generous whilst having strong boundaries.

Peter Davis
Medicine &Psychology, Rural Clinical School
College of Health & Medicine

Peter has a lifetime of GP and Obstetric experience to offer our students and undertakes his teaching with characteristic compassion and good humour. His approach allows students to work through a problem engaging with their tutor without didactic teaching.

Anselm Enders
John Curtin School of Medical Research
College of Health & Medicine

A/Prof Enders’ compassion and advocacy for student welfare, combined with his focus on academic excellence, have earned him the respect and admiration of  those he supervises. His approach to supervision fosters both professional and personal growth, making him a highly deserving candidate for this commendation.

Louise Farrer
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health
College of Health & Medicine

Lou has consistently delivered outstanding supervision in sometimes challenging circumstances. She is firm but caring, and has demonstrated highly organised and effective supervisory practices while also allowing candidates to florish.

Saba Gharaei
John Curtin School of Medical Research
College of Health & Medicine

Under Saba’s guidance, I've developed into an independent and ethical researcher, and I know many of her previous students have successfully moved into academic and research careers.  The achievements of her students and the high standards she maintains reflect her outstanding supervisory skills.

Simon Jiang
John Curtin School of Medical Research
College of Health & Medicine

Simon creates a supportive research environment and involves his students in setting ambitious, yet achievable, goals both experimentally and in career development. His research supervision has directly supported his students’ success at local and national conferences, and he proactively makes himself and others available to improve students’ presentation and science communication skills. Simon is an outstanding career mentor who strives to see his students develop the knowledge, skills, and professional attributes to become independent scientists. His dedication to student development, academic excellence, and compassionate mentorship make him a highly deserving candidate for this commendation.

Si Ming Man
John Curtin School of Medical Research
College of Health & Medicine

Prof. Man is a role model for the research process, guiding students in topic selection, setting clear expectations, and providing timely, constructive feedback. What distinguishes him is his focus on team cohesion and work-life balance. He organizes team-building activities that foster camaraderie and maintain motivation among our research group. His enthusiasm for scientific inquiry is inspiring, consistently encouraging us to maximize our potential. He patiently addresses students’ concerns, creating a supportive atmosphere that significantly enhances their learning experience. Prof. Man’s unwavering support and commitment to nurturing students’ talents make him an exemplary supervisor, highly deserving of this recognition. His dedication to student development, academic excellence, and compassionate mentorship make him the perfect candidate for this award.

Eryn Newman
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

A/Prof Newman goes above and beyond to provide support and training for her students, as well as meeting regularly and frequently with them. She is always on top of her responsibilities as a supervisor and is proactive about problem solving when any unexpected issues arise. She has also taken on a number of HDR students in the school who were left without supervision following staff changes, and has been equally dedicated and proactive in mentoring these students through their studies.

Lillian Smyth
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Many of the students have no prior research experience and that many students struggled because of this. In response to this and to ensure that students received relevant support during their project, Dr Smyth has provided  primary research design and statistical support for the MCHD Research Project and Advanced Research Project for approximately 10 years. Lillian effectively undertakes this supervisory role because of her extensive research experience that enables her to provide advice and training related to project design, data collection, data analysis and presentation.

Nicole Vargas
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

For effectively integrating the supervision of multiple student research projects into a newly developed research laboratory focussed on behavioural thermoregulation and human adaptations to heat stress.

Alexandra Webb
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

A/Prof Webb reserves an extraordinary amount of time, energy and enthusiasm for HDR supervision. She spends hours of one-on-one time ensuring that her supervisees are comfortable, competent and well-prepared for research tasks, presentations and projects. She ensures that students have access to relevant research and practice networks and opportunities and invests significant time and energy in building collaborative networks to support students through projects with clinical applications.

Excellence in Supervision (Team)

Emily Banks, Grace Joshy, Ellie Paige, Jennifer Welsh
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health
College of Health & Medicine

Professor Emily Banks, Associate Professor Grace Joshy, Dr Jennifer Welsh, and Dr Ellie Paige are exceptional supervisors who wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to supporting and nurturing many aspiring researchers. They embody the qualities of encouraging and inspiring role models, always offering guidance and reassurance when I am in doubt.
I am confident they will continue to inspire and support future generations of researchers, just as they have done for me.

Excellence in Tutoring or Demonstrating

Lachlan Campbell
Medicine &Psychology, Rural Clinical School
College of Health & Medicine

Doctor Lachlan Campbell aims “to articulate critical research capacity with Rural Generalism practice”. His enthusiasm for teaching had meant that as a very junior doctor he was involved in bedside teaching and other tutoring in Wagga, so he brings a maturity beyond his years to his ANU role.

Olivia Davies
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Olivia  prepares thoroughly for all her classes and is brilliant at communicating with the students and encouraging them to engage. She is attentive to all their individual concerns and created a great atmosphere in her classes where the students are all comfortable sharing ideas.

Ololade Fasugba
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dr Fasugba was a phenomenal CBL tutor who approached teaching in a supportive, open discussion manner. We found this to be very refreshing and practical. Dr Fasugba had a focus on making sure critical concepts related to the CBL were discussed thoroughly to ensure we had a good foundation in understanding common presentations

Annie Gale
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Annie maintains a consistently passionate approach towards student learning, and the development of clinical acumen among aspiring doctors . Annie continues to work alongside her team to refine the clinical skills curriculum for current and future students. My cohort and I will be better doctors for having worked with her.

Gabrielle Guillermo-Tregoning
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Gabby is highly professional in her approach, extremely organised, prepares thoroughly for all her classes, and communicates brilliantly with the students. She is also a very natural 'teacher' - her ability and willingness to help students understand content is outstanding. She thinks about things in lots of detail herself and is brilliant at getting this detailed understanding across to others

April Jiaxin Li
Management
College of Health & Medicine

April’s approaches to teaching and communication style motivated and inspired students to learn and achieve the objectives of the course. Being statistics, students are generally apprehensive, but April was able to lead students to develop and appreciate their critical thinking and analytical skills through interactive and collaborative learning activities and her use of high level interpersonal skills. April worked  to form coherent strategies to promote student learning and identify critical learning issues within the course.

Dean Popovski
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dean has set an exceptional model for what a medical student embodies. Dean has been an excellent teacher in year 1 practical classes. He explains difficult concepts in an articulate and engaging manner. He is able to link what we learn in the classroom to clinical practice and pathophysiology. Dean goes above and beyond, often staying behind to answer student questions and ensure people leave confident in the key concepts. I am thankful for Dean's teaching.

Louise Tuckwell
Medicine &Psychology, Rural Clinical School
College of Health & Medicine

Louise contributes to the teaching program in Eurobodalla by teaching practical skills during RSTBs, preparing the students for  Formative Skills Assessment and teaching some of the ICCH and FIMS curriculum. She provides hospital bed teaching as well as additional simulation practice for the students.

Shriyutha Vaka
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Shriyutha’s efforts meant that class content become much more approachable, manageable, and understandable. Shriyutha is compassionate and friendly …and always ready to lend a hand and support peers and students.

Pam Whalan
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Pam is an excellent clinical skills instructor. She not only discussed various clinical examinations in terms of the KSGs but also went to great detail to highlight clinically significant findings.  Supportive and informed, enables confident practice of clinical skills.

Indigenous Education
Liam McBride Kelly
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

He prepares original and relevant content, takes extra time on top of paid hours, and comes into the hospital to conduct activities like timed mock OSCEs.  Liam has created multiple ANKI decks to support his peers learning. Many students use this deck as a study tool, which Liam has poured countless hours into to ensure the content reflects the ANU Medicine Teaching in an interactive and easy way. Liam should be recognised for his collegiality and excellence in teaching.

Indigenous Education (SMP Indigenous Health Team)

Suzanne Bain-Donohoe, Stewart Sutherland, Amanda Wingett
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (HLTH3001) course for students to develop their understanding of the health issues confronting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the 21st century, and their basis in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander post-colonization history. This course is an integral component of the Bachelor of Health Science degree and ensures that SMP is advancing the Indigenous knowledges of its staff and students as well as delivering the ANU Graduate Attribute.

Indigenous Education (Team) SMP/ANU and Cross-institutional

Phil Batterham, Diana Cardenas, Junwen Chen (Co-Convenor), Tegan Cruwys, Olivia Evans (Co-Convenor), Rie Kubota, Maika Kumada, Lee Ji Kwan, Shanshan Liu, Karuna Nair, Nima Orazani, Julia Reynolds, Alysia Robertson, Aseel Sahib, Satoko Sasagawa, Louisa Talipski, Iain Walker
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

The Culture and Psychology course is a trailblazing course at the ANU—critically inspecting psychological science and the historical and diverse cultural contexts from which it has emerged, with a specific emphasis on advancing knowledge on Indigenous issues, alongside fostering broader cultural competencies. This learning experience is further strengthened by a dedicated tutor team that bring a range of identities, perspectives, and experiences that enrich the lab environment. Tutors collaborate to foster open dialogue and create an inclusive learning space, promoting student-driven discussions, accessible materials, and sensory tools. The team ensures that all students are supported, informed about content and engaged.

Outstanding Contribution to Education Experience

Anne Aimola Davies
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Anne is an excellent leader of the Psychology Honours program at the ANU and makes a significant contribution to student learning, which includes tailoring honours opportunities for students to their learning needs and supervisors capacity. Additionally, Anne has taken a lead role in the new Bachelor of Philosophy Neuroscience and Psychology program.

Lisa Bron
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dr Bron has consistently gone above and beyond to ensure the skills and knowledge of her students. She always provided clear and actionable feedback. This feedback may at times seem to be harsh but it is always done with the intention of drawing the potential out of her students and forming them into the best practitioners, and people, they can be.

Karin Messerle
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Karin has a clear and engaging style of teaching that supports student learning. She continuously provides unwavering support to students and staff (both academic and professional staff) across phase 1 of the program.  Her attention to detail in teaching and assessment is admired by many. One of her most evident traits is generosity to everyone she encounters. Her leadership of Phase 1 has always been of the highest standard.

Michelle Millynn
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Michelle is a highly valued member of staff, committed to excellence in education and working in a highly collaborative manner to support colleagues. It is challenging to capture Michelle’s contributions to Psychology education in such a brief summary. Michelle’s commitment is extraordinary, deeply valued by her colleagues and has an immeasurable impact on our educational delivery.

Nancy Parsons
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

I truly believe she deserves recognition for the significant wellbeing role she has played for all year 4 students.

Anthony Whelan
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Anthony is truly the epitome of an excellent rural clinician, with an abundance of empathy, knowledge and a kind and supportive nature. He has inspired every single student that he has supervised in Goulburn this year.

Nese Gezer 
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Nese is engaging and always wanting others to improve teaching skills and learn. 

Outstanding Contribution to Education Experience (MCHD Phase 2 Assessment Team)

Mitchell Colbert, Carolyn Hawkins, Karlee Johnston, Conal Monaghan, Clara Ng, Sumathy Perampalam, Charles Sleiman, Nick Taylor
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

A big shout out to MCHD Phase 2 Assessment Team - academic leads in assessment, and professional staff leads - who have gone above and beyond this year to try to ensure delivery of high quality assessments within the phase 2 of the SMP program. This has occurred on a background of chronic staff shortages and other unexpected events

Michelle Barrett
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Michelle has made a huge contribution to the MChD Program over many years in her education, leadership, and service roles. Her  enthusiasm and commitment to her leadership roles in teaching and broader community service roles make her an excellent role model for our students. Michelle has always gone above and beyond what is expected from her and has done so with enthusiasm and skill. She has always put the welfare of her students first.

Wendy Dimond
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

For her leadership in  curriculum management to ensure that programs and courses are effectively governed and meet university policy and procedure. And for the extensive time that she devotes educating and training professional and academic staff on how to undertake curriculum activities to ensure excellence in education and an optimal student experience.

Sally Hall
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Sally has been an inspirational and dedicated leader at the helm of the Rural Clinical School. She is a breath of fresh air for the students. She has a compassionate and concise capacity to really care for all the rural students in the program. She makes a lot of time for students to approach her with any concerns they face in the workplace, whilst studying and in their personal lives. She has a deep respect for Indigenous learners that makes learning in the rural stream ensuring that it is culturally very safe. 

Isabella Hawke
Medicine &Psychology, Rural Clinical School
College of Health & Medicine

Isabella is dedicated to the welfare and academic success of the students assigned to Goulburn for Year 3. Isabella goes above and beyond the required teaching to include additional review and practice sessions and takes students to do health checks at community events like the Goulburn Show on weekends.

Erika Jaensch
Medicine &Psychology, Rural Clinical School
College of Health & Medicine

Erika has  built very strong relationships in the community with Rotary, the Hospital staff, high schools and the various community health organisations. She has built a successful team around her in GP clinics and the hospital and developed her own support network by developing senior teachers within the team. Her innovation has led to the Rural Week programs including a unique Indigenous program that the students love and a very successful Emergency Services Exercise, that includes emergency staff in Bega and The Canberra Hospital.

Delhis (Marita) Reynolds
Medicine &Psychology, Rural Clinical School
College of Health & Medicine

Marita has almost single handedly been responsible for organising dozens of year 4 rural placements each year, trying her best to give interested students the placement they want, ensuring supervision, accommodation and teaching needs are met. She advocates for the needs of rural students

Outstanding Contribution to Education Experience (Team) (SMP Education Support Unit)

Tom Beresford,Alyssa Best, Nericia Brown, Shelley Chalker, Haiwen Chen, Mitchell Colbert, Nancy Davies, Jordyn Dawes, ,Karlene Dickens, Wendy Dimond, Kylie Douch, Natasha Easson, Deborah Ferguson, Nicole Ferrara, Katharina (Katie) Freund, Annie Gale, Vegnesh Ganesan, Kanwal Geet, Steve Giltjes, Laura Gooyers, Jennifer Gordon, Miranda Heath, Aidan Herstik, Wendy Hobson, Yiyun (Ashley) Jiang, Fang Li, Su Li, Clara McGee (Ng), Hannah McGoldrick, Abaq Mekki, Michelle Millynn, Yunis Moukbil, Jemma Nisbett, Michaela O'Meara, Deborah Quarrell, Delhis (Marita) Reynolds, Virginia Riddle, Suzan Ridia, Francisco Sanchez, Susan Schiller, Mackenzie Smith, Yovina Sontani, James Sunderland, Chloe Tan, Joshua Taylor, Lyndall Thorn, Biljana Trajkovic, Thao Tran, Michelle Vernon, Christina Vett, Elizabeth Von Brandis-Martini, Alastair Walters, Chunjie (CJ) Wang, Ann (Annie) Williams

ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

In recognition of their sustained and sometimes challenging work to effectively amalgamate the Medical School and Research School of Psychology to form the new School of Medicine and Psychology whilst ensuring the continuity of courses and programs and effectively supporting peer, academic and clinical staff as well as students to achieve excellence in education. And for their contributions to continuously improve and enhance educational processes.

Programs that Enhance Learning (MPP Team)

Alyssa Best, Bruce Christensen, Ian Donald, Seamus Donnelly, Elizabeth Huxley, Conal Monaghan
Kristen Murray (Convenor), Dave Pasalich, Julia Reynolds
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

The team of academic, clinical and professional staff has led the design and delivery of outstanding education and have quickly established the program as a flagship offering at the ANU. Strong stakeholder partnerships ensure graduates are workforce ready through input on curriculum design, networking opportunities, and matching of strengths to placements.
The program is specifically designed to address the changing landscape of mental health and broader needs in Australia and in capturing its impact, the most recent Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) review aptly described the MPP as the “shining light” in Psychology at the ANU.

Programs that Enhance Learning (Team)

Anna Olsen and Christine Phillips
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

For sustained leadership and delivery of the Master of Culture, Health and Medicine program - a unique interdisciplinary program that brings important anthropological perspectives and social science research methodologies to the study of health.

Teaching Excellence

Jo Copland
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Jo Copland was an excellent tutor throughout long term rural year. She was consistently supportive throughout the year with CPCs and physical skills, taking the time to ensure we understood the content both from an academic point as well as real life applications. She was also supportive of our mental and physical health while there, always willing to talk and offer advice.

Seamus Donnelly
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dr. Donnelly demonstrates exceptional skill in teaching two challenging psychology courses: First-year Developmental Psychology and Honours Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology. Despite the inherent difficulties in teaching both introductory and advanced levels, Dr. Donnelly excels in both domains, adapting his approach to meet the diverse needs of his students.

Dr. Donnelly's approach to teaching Honours Research Methods and Statistics is particularly noteworthy. He presents these often-daunting topics in a practical, digestible manner, demystifying statistical concepts and research methodologies for advanced students.

Ho Phi Huynh
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Ho has taught a spectacular humility course this semester that has completely changed my learning experience at ANU.

Paul Pavli
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Paul has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to teaching in Phase 1, and the students in the MChD program are very fortunate and privileged to have been taught by such an expert clinician and educator.

Daniel Skorich
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Daniel does not underestimate students and simultaneously challenges them and supports them. He makes it clear that every student is supported. He runs extra tutorials for struggling students and makes it obvious that he is committed to the quality of the course and the course material, but the learning experience of  students.

Kayla Smurthwaite
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health
College of Health & Medicine

Kayla has truly outstanding communication skills, which she uses not only to convey key messages but also to foster interactions between students and help them develop these skills themselves. She provides an up to date program with ranging expert guests. Her ability to facilitate an excellent learning experience for in person and online students simultaneously is unparalleled.

Mark Stevens
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

In Dr Steven’s course Health Psychology, he brings a psychological science lens to help understand and guide attempts to tackle health challenges. In line with ANU’s new curriculum framework, Dr Stevens has designed assessment to examine students’ ability to communicate transdisciplinary knowledge. Both Mark’s courses are defined by contemporary pedagogical approaches and a teaching style that motivates students to engage.

Mark has had an impact on Psychology education that reaches beyond the courses he teaches and brings critical expertise applying a future facing lens to pedagogy.

Krisztina Valter
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Krisztina’s steadfast belief in her students and their ability to learn, coupled with her knowledge of anatomy and medicine, as well as her endless patience, kindness and eagerness to teach, have undoubtedly been the reasons my peers and I have come to understand anatomy. I truly hope to be half the teacher she is one day, and I hope one day I can shape some student's life the way she has shaped mine.

Nicole Vargas
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Nicole’s innovative teaching methods go beyond traditional lectures and labs, she incorporates interactive, hands-on activities and real-world applications (based on her research) to ensure students not only grasp the material but can apply it effectively in their future studies. Nicole tailors her approach to accommodate diverse learning styles, consistently receiving excellent feedback from students for her clarity, engagement, and approachability.

Phillip Wiley
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dr Wiley made my time on ASU immensely enjoyable and educational. He went above and beyond to teach medical students by always making time for us and involving us in surgery in any way possible.

Rael Codron
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dr Codron encourages medical students to go out and meet the broader community, especially if they are interested in working in Indigenous health. The key take home experience he offers to all students is, "if you want to understand Indigenous health in the hospital, you need to understand Indigenous life beyond the walls of ED, General Medicine and the GP clinic."

…this was the most formative time in my medical training so far. He taught me that working remotely requires a lot of courage, wisdom and determination. There is something really different about the way in which he teaches.

Teaching Excellence  (TCH Vascular Team)

Jillian Burston, Gert Frahm-Jensen, Nunzio Franco, Arlene Gabriela, Amelia Kennedy, Upasana Pathak, Siddarth Rajput, Laxmi Sistla
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

The vascular team at TCH goes above and beyond in showing a concerted effort that medical students feels safe and wholly welcome whilst on a surgical term with them. It is behaviour clearly modelled from both a top down and bottom up approach.  Every single member of the vascular team should be individually applauded and awarded for contributing to the culture they have created.
I cannot give enough commendations for the culture the vascular team has created, and their efforts and ongoing contributions to bettering the community of surgery and medicine, and has made me so hopeful and excited to see more teams like them.

Eli Dunn
ANU School of Medicine and Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Eli is perhaps one of the most wonderful tutors I have had the pleasure of being taught by over my years at university.  Eli routinely engages with the students he supervises and checks on their academic progress and wellbeing. He generously offers his time to provide mentoring and academic support e.g. practicing long cases. Eli was an outstanding clinical tutor.   

CoS list of commendation recipients 2023

Excellence in Supervision

Ben Corry
Research School of Biology
College of Science

Ben is committed to the development of his students as researchers and provides numerous opportunities for them to learn new research and communication skills, present their research widely, and foster professional networks.  Ben helps his students to succeed by encouraging novel research directions and academic independence.

Bruce Doran
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

Working with Bruce has demonstrated to me the true importance of fostering strong relationships as a foundation for a successful, ethical, and satisfying research career. Bruce possesses a unique ability as a supervisor to remind one of what truly matters, and, as his student, I have been deeply grateful for these reminders.

Kenneth Freeman
Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics
College of Science

Prof. Kenneth Freeman epitomizes research and supervision. With an impressive track record, unwavering commitment, and selfless guidance, he continues to shape the future of astronomy with his remarkable mentorship.

Philip Gibbons
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

Professor Gibbons has demonstrated what best practice looks like in the field of ecology and encouraged me to grow my skills as a researcher.  He has contributed to my success as a student and researcher by dedicating substantial time to my work, including participating in fortnightly meetings, providing constructive and insightful feedback on my writing, and helping me establish and collect data for field experiments.

Joseph Guillaume
Institute for Water Futures
College of Science

Joseph displayed a very foot forward approach in supporting the student to proactively make decisions and take actions to avoid potential pitfalls and to navigate uncertainty.  Joseph’s work in building and extending student's understanding and application of research modelling is exemplary.

Jamie Hicks
Research School of Chemistry
College of Science

Dr Hicks finds constant opportunities to be a presence in the lab and office, offering earned wisdom on lab skills and troubleshooting synthetic issues. ... giving me the skills to troubleshoot my own problems and the independence to follow the aspects of my research I find most interesting, and I feel well equipped to enter the scientific world because of his supervision.

Christoph Nitsche
Research School of Chemistry
College of Science

A/Prof. Christoph Nitsche embodies the leadership valued by top institutions like ANU. As an exceptional mentor, he has especially guided his PhD students to a fruitful path allowing them to emerge as future scientists. His prowess in chemistry has been acknowledged with highly acclaimed grants and prizes such as the ARC Future Fellowship and the Australian Research Award 2023 in Medicinal Chemistry.

Dan Preston
Research School of Chemistry
College of Science

Dan Preston has become one of the most outstanding supervisors of graduate and undergraduate research students. He is both dedicated and extremely successful. His work as a supervisor far exceeds expectations.  Dan is one of the most dependable and capable academics at RSC and while he excels in supervision, he is a “good citizen” more generally.

Malcolm Sambridge
Research School of Earth Sciences
College of Science

Malcolm is very good at teaching students and staff under his supervision. He has been patient and organised throughout all the teaching and supervision work. It's a very good environment in his group.

Dejan Stojanovic
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

Dr. Stojanovic’ breadth and depth of theoretical and practical knowledge enables him to constructively support his students in developing, analysing and delivering research. Beyond fostering scientific research skills, Dr. Stojanovic excels in interpersonal awareness, mutual goal-setting, prompt and constructive feedback, demonstrating academic excellence, inclusivity and promoting an uplifting work ethos.  Dr. Stojanovic is a remarkable supervisor, an asset to ANU and a most deserving recipient of this award.

Ryan Thomas
Research School of Physics
College of Science

Working alongside Ryan has been a truly transformative experience. His unwavering dedication to research and supervision is palpable, and it's hard not to be influenced by it. Being around him, you find yourself naturally pushing beyond previously set boundaries, driven to match his level of dedication and commitment.

Michael Vardon
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

Michael's exceptional mentorship has significantly shaped my PhD experience and propelled my academic career. I am deeply grateful for his commitment to my development as a researcher, and it is a privilege to have him as a supervisor.

David Yong
Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics
College of Science

What sets David apart from other supervisors is his genuine dedication to each student's journey. His commitment to supervision goes above and beyond traditional academic mentorship, providing students with rigorous guidance with unmatched compassion and advocacy.  His unwavering support, paired with his swift, constructive feedback, inspires and enables students to deliver their best. Dr. David Yong's blend of professional brilliance and personal warmth makes him an unmatched candidate for this award.

Excellence in Tutoring or Demonstrating

Nicholas Bermingham
Mathematical Sciences Institute
College of Science

Nicholas has a deep understanding and love of the course material that shows through in every tutorial. This deep understanding allows Nicholas to present tutorial work at a variety of different levels and engage constructively with all of the students in the tutorial group. Nicholas’ thorough approach to problem solving and proof techniques will stand his tutorial group in good stead for future learning. 

Yunheng Chen
Research School of Physics
College of Science

YunHeng excels at fostering student development by stimulating curiosity and independence in learning, and encourages students' participation in workshops through engaging learning activities.  YunHeng has a strong passion for teaching and this is consistently demonstrated in the way he facilitates the workshop.

Thomas Fearn
Mathematical Sciences Institute
College of Science

Thomas goes above and beyond to make sure his students have all the tools to succeed. He's very personable and always makes sure that he gives attention and assistance to everyone.
Thomas is the demonstrator I wish I had as a first year student and is a friendly face throughout the student body of the MSI.

Natasha Harvey
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

Tash showed up to classes with enthusiasm and a profound knowledge of statistics. Often there would be an audible sigh of relief when she entered. She put effort into knowing what areas we were struggling with and then explained them in depth. Additionally, she checked in with students individually and always responded to email queries promptly.

Natasha Harvey's unwavering dedication, teaching expertise, and commitment to student success make her an exceptional candidate for the Commendation for Excellence in Tutoring or Demonstrating.

Sandra Jeyakumar
Mathematical Sciences Institute
College of Science

Sandra leads workshops and has created videos that act as supplementary course content for the Vector Calculus half of the course. In workshops, she has encouraged students to work together in groups to solve problems together, where she would provide helpful guidance on both in-progress and complete questions without giving the answer away.  Sandra has been immensely helpful in both workshops and delivering course content in making MATH2305's concepts easy to understand, apply, and appreciate.

Yuchen Jiang
Mathematical Sciences Institute
College of Science

Jency was an outstanding demonstrator for MATH1116.  She was responsible and paid attention to detail, but the most notable feature was the impression she made on students.

Navneet Krishnan
Research School of Physics
College of Science

Navneet's profound knowledge and ability to explain things clearly and concisely have been invaluable. He goes above and beyond to ensure that every student understands the material, always making himself available for questions and providing timely feedback. Navneet's passion for teaching and his genuine concern for his students' success have created a safe and inclusive learning environment where I am encouraged to ask questions and grow as a learner. Navneet Krishnan's exceptional teaching abilities, combined with his dedication to student success, make him a deserving recipient.

Alexander Lai De Oliveira
Mathematical Sciences Institute
College of Science

It is no exaggeration to say that Alexander is the best demonstrator I have had in all my years of teaching. He was extremely engaged with the material and the students, providing a great deal of additional content far above and beyond what was required.

Excellence in Tutoring or Demonstrating

YC Lin
Research School of Biology
College of Science

YC has shown great initiative in designing, implementing and refining imaginative activities that: display a mastery of the course material; bring the subject matter to life; and inspire a passion for the subject. She also puts effort and resources into providing meaningful feedback for students to assess and improve their learning. YC went well above and beyond the standard and has captured students’ interest in a difficult subject.

Preetham Permude
Research School of Chemistry
College of Science

Preetham deserves a Dean’s commendation since he is an exceptionally attentive and capable teaching fellow. Preetham uses his initiative - he anticipates the more challenging times for students (assessment submission) and provides the necessary additional learning support.

Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning

Jamie Hicks
Research School of Chemistry
College of Science

Dr Hicks is innovative in his own career, and abundantly so in his role as the Honours convenor. Despite having only had a year in the role, he has greatly improved the culture and camaraderie within the cohort by being constantly willing to provide professional and personal support, coordinating all components of the program and being a fantastic role model for all students.

One of the highlights of Jamie’s convening is the extremely high level of support and pastoral care that he provides to students over the critical Honours year and he has introduced many innovative improvements to the RSC Honours program.

Sandra Jeyakumar
Mathematical Sciences Institute
College of Science

Sandra created a series of clear and coherent videos succinctly which were effective in communicating the course concepts and provided a solid foundation for more advanced learning within workshops or independently. These were incredibly helpful in motivating students to engage with course content in an otherwise very self-taught course, as well as being communicated clearly such that students with less English-language skill could still grasp their content.

Alexander Maier
Research School of Biology
College of Science

From the first lecture of the BIOL3142 course delivered by Alex, I knew it was going to be an excellent learning experience - engaging, challenging, thought-provoking and fun. Throughout the course, he consistently went above and beyond, spreading infectious enthusiasm - you couldn't NOT love learning in this course.

Linda Stals
Mathematical Sciences Institute
College of Science

Linda has been instrumental in improving the learning outcome of students in Science, Engineering, Business and Economics, and Computer Sciences. This is because she integrates elements of her research in all her teaching activities, so that students can appreciate how research is conducted and why they are studying certain topics.

Giel van Dooren
Research School of Biology
College of Science

Giel has shown outstanding combination of creativity, enthusiasm and attention to details in the design, convenorship and teaching of Cell Biology. The practical and associated workshops are a stellar example of research-led learning where students are involved in research and master analysis and writing skills in a scientifically rigorous, but highly enjoyable manner.

Adam Piggott
Mathematical Sciences Institute
College of Science

Adam’s enthusiasm for all learning and teaching activities has played an important role in the mentoring of junior staff members and has played a crucial role in all MSI recruitment and outreach efforts, such as Open Day, Maths Day, the “Deadly Science” activities to reach remote indigenous schools, and many others.

Teaching Excellence

Jochen Brocks
Research School of Earth Sciences
College of Science

Jochen cares and knows so much about the world around him, and imparts that into his students.
He cares much more about student learning (i.e. the purpose of going to ANU) than assessing, but does both very well.  He is a very engaged and much-respected lecturer.

Annie Colebatch
Research School of Chemistry
College of Science

Annie’s teaching innovations are that she invents new ways for students to (a) absorb information and (b) communicate and assess what they have learnt. Her highly original approach to teaching leads to significantly improved engagement of students.  Using case studies, she aims to teach students the process of research and development.

Mark Ellison
Research School of Chemistry
College of Science

Mark has always gone out of the way to aid students. Mark makes lectures engaging, understandable, and fun. He works very hard to create many resources to support students academically, such as "lectorials" and "small group tutorings". He is patient and understanding, and is always more than happy to explain difficult concepts to students until they understand, no matter how many times it takes. Mark lives and breathes the life of an outstanding science educator.

Edwina Fingleton-Smith
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

Edwina has excelled at transformative experiential learning as convener of two markedly different courses.  Her ability to inspire and support students to become independent learners is a key reason enrolment increased from ~60 (2017) to ~90 (2022).  Edwina has also developed innovative assessment. Her newest authentic assessment integrates ChatGPT as an expert panellist helping students tackle a sustainability topic. This fosters a holistic understanding of both the issues and AI’s role in navigating them.

Natasha Harvey
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

Natasha is a helpful, supportive and engaging tutor who is enthusiastic for learning and teaching and is passionate about helping students to achieve their best. She has demonstrated incredible leadership throughout Semester 1 and continuously spends time with students when needed to assist in effectively communicating complex topics.  She motivated many students to a point where there was a clear improvement in their understanding of the content.

Jamie Hicks
Research School of Chemistry
College of Science

Super engaging and interesting to listen to - in terms of teaching and explanation of tough concepts.

Joseph Hope
Research School of Physics
College of Science

Joe was an engaging lecturer and fostered a strong culture of team spirit and enthusiasm within the class. He was kind, gave advice and connected with the students. He used humour and enthusiasm in his teaching to make the course engaging and went above and beyond to create a positive student experience.  Joe was an inspiring course convenor and it was clear that he cares deeply about student learning and experience.

Kiaran Kirk
Research School of Biology
College of Science

Kiaran’s teaching in Biol1004 was extremely clear and made me very interested and excited about biochemistry. This is a subject I would usually find challenging but his lectures are well-structured and his way of explaining things made it all click in my head. I was excited to attend lectures with him teaching. 

Joan Licata
Mathematical Sciences Institute
College of Science

Very interactive and comprehensive teaching that really helped learning despite the massive amount of content covered.

Brett Parker
Mathematical Sciences Institute
College of Science

Brett has made learning about mathematics enjoyable again.  His enthusiasm for the subject has encouraged me to stay in the field, and dig deeper into challenging concepts.

Michael Sherburn
Research School of Chemistry
College of Science

Mick has been an excellent lecturer, with a willingness to help students learn by sharing his passion for organic chemistry. I am challenged by the content but never overwhelmed.  I think Mick deserves this award for the amount of effort he puts into his teaching, and his excellent communication skills.

Valeriia Starichkova
Mathematical Sciences Institute
College of Science

Professor Starichkova proved to be an amazing teacher in every sense. Not only she is very organised, she also cares about the students and is willing to spend time helping them. I am glad she is part of this university.

Janelle Stevenson
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

So patient and kind to the students and also has good expertise. She is an outstanding professor in the field of palaeo-environment studies.

Craig Strong
Fenner School of Environment & Society
College of Science

Craig Strong's service to teaching design and delivery at the Fenner School goes above and beyond what could be reasonably expected of an Associate Director of Education, or indeed any academic. Craig facilitates the delivery of multiple special topic courses led by other academics, allowing colleagues to expand their professional horizons and giving students invaluable and distinctive learning experiences.  Craig should be honoured for the incredible work he does for Fenner and the ANU.

Christian Wolf
Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics
College of Science

Chris Wolf has completely redesigned a course and transformed it from one which students rated poorly to one which now receives excellent student feedback. Each time this course was taught, both student feedback and self-reflection were used to further improve the course, to the point that this will be used as an exemplar for a more modern approach to teaching and learning.

CHM list of commendation recipients 2023

Excellence in Supervision

Angus McLure
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health
College of Health & Medicine

Angus McLure is an exceptional supervisor who is always approachable and supportive.  He has excellent presentation and publication skills and always makes time to support students in practicing and enhancing their presentations and written publications.  Angus has excellent analytical skills and has supported students in understanding complex statistical concepts and troubleshooting statistical code.

Annalise Lance
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Annaliese found time to teach us on top of her already significant workload as well as involved and made us feel part of the team. She cared for and supported our learning and development into junior doctors by providing encouraging and fair feedback, guiding us through procedural and administrative tasks.  Her enthusiasm for the vocation of medicine was infectious.

Anne Bruestle
John Curtin School of Medical Research
College of Health & Medicine

Under Anne's expert guidance, students have consistently achieved timely completions, significant milestones, and successful transitions into academic or research careers. Her supervision has fostered fruitful research collaborations, resulting in multiple prestigious publications that have made a significant impact in our field.

Bradley Jack
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dr Bradley Jack is an outstanding supervisor. Through intellectual rigour, professional development, and academic leadership, he is dedicated to advancing students as researchers and guiding them to success.

Daniel Enosi Tuipulotu
John Curtin School of Medical Research
College of Health & Medicine

Dr. Tuipulotu has a remarkable record of supervision for a junior academic and is exceptional in supporting student development. Dr. Tuipulotu has helped make the ANU a vibrant research environment for students.

Davoud Pourmarzi
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health
College of Health & Medicine

Davoud exemplifies excellence in supervision.  He provided me with a constant trickle of constructive advice that, rather than steering my MAE journey in any particular direction, watered the seeds of thought that allowed me to find the path myself.

James Miller
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

James is both an incredible PrINT supervisor as well as a kind and generous human.  James has the impressive capacity to be efficient on his ward jobs and still make time every day on student placement to teach.

James has set a wonderful example to me during this rotation, and he is the type of junior doctor I will endeavour to be.

Junwen Chen
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dr. Chen advocates for student support and diversity in literature and pastoral care. As the only cross-cultural researcher in the psychology department at ANU, she is the most equipped supervisor to scaffold student interest in cultural perspectives and leading the development of appropriate cultural research for minority populations (e.g., establishing the Culture in Psychology course PSYC2012).

Katherine Thurber
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health
College of Health & Medicine

Dr Thurber is committed to improving education outcomes, increasing the recruitment, retention and success of First Nations postgraduate students. 

She is always approachable/supportive and assists students in developing their research, completing research milestones, publication & research dissemination along with advancing students as researchers.

Kathryn Glass
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health
College of Health & Medicine

Kate uses flexible approaches to supervision that reflect sensitivity to the diverse needs of students. Katie is exceptionally supportive and patient with her students. Her teaching and guidance, whether it be assisting one research student or explaining highly complex topics to an entire class, is of exceptional clarity and quality.  Kate actively encourages students to explore various pathways in their research to foster a broader and deeper understanding of their topic area, whilst also ensuring the development of skills that would be beneficial beyond their research candidature.

She provides us with a positive role-model for work-life balance and a sustainable attitude towards research.

Mark Stevens
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dr. Stevens has been an outstanding supervisor and deserves recognition for the extra work and time he devotes to his students. 

Rajeev Pathak
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Prof Rajeev Pathak has exemplary supervisory skills and encourages his students to meet all the necessary milestones, whilst providing essential resources and support to conduct research. He evaluates research frequently and is readily accessible for guidance, which facilitates the timely completion of research projects.  Prof Pathak actively promotes research involvement and supports aspiring academics.

Si Ming Man
John Curtin School of Medical Research
College of Health & Medicine

Professor Man has been an outstanding mentor. It is a privilege to learn from him and I aspire to be a scientist like him one day.

Excellence in Supervision (Team)

Matthew Kelly and Ginny Sargent
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health
College of Health & Medicine

Dr Matthew Kelly and Dr Ginny Sargent - their cultural sensitivity, guidance, advocacy, and empowerment have been instrumental in ensuring international students adapt and thrive for excellence with a strong work ethic and commitment. 

Their unwavering support, mentorship, guidance, dedication, and commitment are exemplary in supervision.  I am confident that their supervision will continue to inspire and elevate those fortunate enough to work under their guidance.

Excellence in Tutoring or Demonstrating

Eli Dunn
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dr Eli Dunn goes far and beyond to explain every single detail, demonstrates, supervises, observes, contributes to tutoring students equally as if they are the only student in class & repeats and repeats till each student is able to master the clinical skills confidently. More importantly, he pushes & motivates students. He is empathetic, passionate, encouraging & supportive.

Jun Ng
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

The effort and selflessness that Jun displays to teach us as medical students is far beyond anything that would be expected of a training doctor, who is already busy working long hours and completing their own study.  His tutorials have made us feel far more confident for long case and OSCE examinations at the end of this year.

Matt Lewis
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dr Lewis is not only extremely knowledgeable, but also supportive and understanding of every student in his class. He has a genuine interest in seeing students succeed and students report it is a pleasure to learn from his wealth of experience in a safe, non-judgemental space.

May Erlinger
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

May's talent as a demonstrator lies in her science communication; she can make relevant analogies and stories out of complex physiology. May has become a role model to many of her fellow medical students in the years below through her teaching. Teaching is such an essential facet of the medical profession, and it is clear that May will continue this throughout her career.

Indigenous Education

Lorane Gaborit
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Lorane has emerged herself into the Indigenous world and this is evident on how she tutors me. Her passion for medical education and justice in ensuring Aboriginal students understand the content being taught is outstanding.

Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning

Akash Patel
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Akash’s hard work and commitment to providing our students with a practical toolkit on how to perform under pressure is highly commendable.

Alysia Robertson
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Alysia Robertson is an exceptional educator who has made an indelible mark on the course Culture and Psychology (PSYC2012) as a teaching assistant.  Her ability to facilitate discussions on culturally diverse subjects encourages students to explore their own biases and broaden their perspectives. Perhaps most notably, Alysia's support for students is boundless.

Anthony Whelan
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dr. Anthony Whelan goes above and beyond in the clinical environment to include the ANU students in Ward Rounds, engaging them by asking clinical questions, practicing clinical skills and encouraging the learning of students. He has had an outstanding contribution to 3rd year students learning because of his jovial, supportive and committed attitude to his work and the learning of students. 

Caroline Stewart
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dr Stewart is an engaging and enthusiastic teacher who encourages students to be fully involved in the team care for paediatric patients, and to reflect on their experiences and learning. She is both supportive and gently challenging, encouraging students to go that little bit further.  In all her work she is an excellent role model of commitment, and advocacy.

Eryn Newman
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dr Eryn Newman has demonstrated her passionate commitment to facilitating the growth of students in their scholarly pursuits and beyond. She has artfully mentored students from the point of commencing their studies and throughout their candidature, sharing her knowledge, providing warmth and non-judgement, and asking meaningful questions to guide students in navigating the challenges they might be experiencing.

Karlee Johnston
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Karlee is a very engaging lecturer, and it is clear that her role as an educator is one that she takes very seriously (and goes above and beyond in!). She deserves recognition for her dedication to teaching medical students to be responsible and safe prescribers.  Karlee is an excellent and passionate educator who constantly brings a high level of enthusiasm into her class in the auditorium. It is infectious to the point where even students tuning in virtually can feel motivated.

Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (Team)

Zsuzsoka Kecskes, Alex Webb, Christine Phillips, May Erlinger, Nesha Gezer, Nicola Schembri, Sarah Fitzgerald
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

To acknowledge the hard work and dedication of this working group in their efforts to create safer spaces and better support for students during their time at ANU Medical School.  In addition, to acknowledge their contributions to indelibly improve the student support structures within the medical school. These efforts have been heard outside of the medical school and is an example of how student support can be improved through the collaborative efforts of students and staff

Christopher Roberts and Krisztina Valter
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Assoc Professor Chris Roberts, together with Associate Professor Krisztina Valter, identified a gap for teaching in the area of orthopaedics that brought together phase I components including anatomy and the practical aspects of management of particular orthopaedic problems.  The teaching is innovative, uses a combination of methods, integrates phase 1 and phase 11 teaching and has been warmly received by medical students and positive feedback from junior doctors regarding the clinical utility that has been gained as a consequence of these sessions.

Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (Team)

Liam McBride Kelly and Oscar Watson
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

The tools provided by Liam and Oscar for Phase 1 students to learn effectively with their construction of free to use flashcards, make learning more effective and keeps in step with the course. It is an innovative approach that combines content from a variety of sources to facilitate a unique collaborative learning environment. The material presented by Liam and Oscar reflects the commitment to excellence of ANU students through the detailed and information linked in the material.

It is clear to me that the work Liam and Oscar have developed for their peers is innovative beyond what is expected of medical students and is a testament to their skills. 

Programs that Enhance Learning (Team)

(MAE Team)
Tony Stewart, Amy Parry, Davoud Pourmarzi, Emma Field, Florian Vogt, Guddu Kaur, Laura Vitler, Matthew Kelly, Olivia Ke, Rezanur Rahaman, Rosalina Sa aga-Banuve, Samantha Colquhoun
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health
College of Health & Medicine

The MAE team of 10 academic and 2 professional staff have demonstrated tremendous ability to adapt the program to changing needs and challenges.
Beyond teaching, the team has been steadily building a strong Community of Practice in supervision to ensure students get strong mentorship and guidance in their field placements.

(TELT Team)
Alexandra Webb, Katherine Esteves, Katie Freund, Leesa Grimm, Thao Tran, Vin Wijedasa, Yili Peng
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

TELT has led a substantial program of work since 2016 to develop an effective digital learning environment and high-quality interactive learning resources and activities to enhance the staff and student teaching and learning experience. The team is strongly committed to inclusive learning experiences for students drawing on evidence-based pedagogies. The formation of the School of Medicine and Psychology in 2023 required the team to adapt to support not just the MCHD program but also 6 additional health and psychology programs. They are a collaborative team of passionate education professionals and academics.

Teaching Excellence

Andrew Mathieson
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dr. Andrew stands out because of his capacity to connect with his pupils. Students feel at ease asking questions and actively participating in his inclusive and stimulating learning atmosphere. His friendliness and energy help to create a supportive and cooperative environment that promotes student engagement and learning.

His relentless dedication to the development and success of his students is incredibly motivating.

Carl O'Kane
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dr O'Kane has a unique, didactic and highly efficacious method of teaching. Despite being very daunted by these sessions, I always felt as though he not only fostered a safe space to make mistakes and learn but more importantly that I always left the session feeling as though I had more skills than I did when I began.

Gautam Bhanot
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Dr Gautam Bhanot has shared a lot of his clinical experience and knowledge, and has inspired medical students to think broadly and deeply. There are great learning opportunities simply from observing his clinical manner and interactions with both patients and staff. He is a brilliant role model for the type of caring, compassionate, collegial doctors we need more of in our workforce.

Krisztina Valter|
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Krisztina was passionate and her extent of knowledge was so evident. Krisztina used her expertise to explain every concept in multiple ways, which was extremely useful, fostering student development by stimulating curiosity and independence in learning.

Nathan Emmerich
ANU School of Medicine & Psychology
College of Health & Medicine

Nathan has fostered the learning and curiosity of all the students in the course, raising just as many questions as he answers and always encouraging independent thinking and critique of the theories he presents to us. Nathan has facilitated rapid skill development in deconstructing, reconstructing, arguing and critiquing arguments and theories; a skill that I know will serve me well for life.