Spotlight

Our success starts with our alumni whose achievements are a direct reflection on our standing as one of the best education and research institutions in the world. Many have gone on to prominence. They have made – and continue to make – their marks and achieve excellence in a variety of fields such as business, medicine, arts, and the government.

Know of someone we should profile? Send us an email with details and we’ll follow up.

Frank Gafa

Frank Gafa »

Hello everyone, I hope you had a fantastic NAIDOC week. I am both a former staff member and an alumnus of ANU, and have been given the privilege of steering the Indigenous Alumni Network through the first stages of its life. I graduated in 2015...
Fiona Tilley

From ANU to Wall Street to luxury jewellery: Meet alumna Fiona Tilley »

From university bookworm to Wall Street to luxury jewellery, Fiona Tilley's life and career have been rich and varied.   The Arts/Law alumna grew up as an Army brat, living in 13 different places in Australia and abroad across her first 11 years....
Athalia Irwansjah

Athalia Irwansjah - One in 100,000 – ANU graduates its 100,000th student »

Athalia Irwansjah graduated with a Master of Arts Asia Pacific Studies and the unexpected accolade of being the 100,000th student to graduate from ANU. Athalia commenced her studies at ANU in 2008 and spent two years in Korea during her...
Karliea Decker

Inspirational women of ANU: Karliea Decker – a burlesque adventuress »

Karliea's journey to ANU and subsequent creative ventures into neo-burlesque and clowning are indicative of a woman who sets her own rules. Karliea says: "I was never ever going to go to University. I was going to drop out in Year 10." Karliea quips...
Robert Williams

Robert Williams »

Rob Williams is passionate about the preservation of Indigenous heritage and traces this back to going with his father, an Aboriginal Elder and Traditional Owner, to investigate Canberra's national parks for cultural materials. He saw the...
Ms Caitlin Figueiredo

Ms Caitlin Figueiredo »

Caitlin Figueiredo is a force to be reckoned with. Among her many accomplishments, she recently became the youngest person chosen as one of the '100 Women of Influence' sponsored by Westpac and the Australian Financial Review. The national award...
Andrew (Creel) Price

Andrew (Creel) Price »

Creel Price is a high-octane adventurer who has been very successful in business as an entrepreneur. He has scaled some of the highest mountains in the world, worked with Richard Branson on the future of philanthropy, and captained Australia in the...
David Johnston

David Johnston »

When David Johnston was a boy, he keenly explored the caves near his home, leading his mother to suggest he might become an archaeologist. Later, he became one of the first Indigenous Australians to gain a degree in archaeology, graduating from ANU...
Benjamin Gill

Benjamin Gill »

Ben Gill is a passionate champion for wellbeing on the University campus and has consistently advocated in areas such as mental health, LGBTIQ rights and non-residential student engagement. He has been an excellent mentor and has been described as...
Justice Richard Refshauge

Justice Richard Refshauge »

Justice Richard Refshauge is a distinguished jurist who has been a leading figure in the local and national legal profession since graduating from ANU in 1975. He has used his legal expertise and experience for the betterment of society and, in...
Elizabeth Bryan AM

Elizabeth Bryan AM »

Transformation has been the hallmark of the career of Elizabeth Bryan, one of Australia's most successful businesswomen. Elizabeth was the first woman to run a large financial institution in Australia when she was appointed to manage the New South...
Kim-Marie Spence

Kim-Marie Spence »

Kim-Marie Spence has been a strong advocate for international students, highlighting the unique problems faced by postgraduate students from overseas. She has helped shape students' University experience, the academic program of HDR students and...
Dr Gaye Sculthorpe

Dr Gaye Sculthorpe »

Dr Gaye Sculthorpe is an experienced museum curator with a long-standing involvement in Indigenous issues. From 2000 until early 2013, she was a Member of the National Native Title Tribunal, mediating native title applications and facilitating...
Xiao He (Helen) Zhang

Xiao He (Helen) Zhang »

Helen Zhang gave up a position with a commercial law firm in China to pursue a career in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Her Law and Asian Studies degrees at ANU have been invaluable for her diplomatic career where...
Dr Dongxiang Zhang

Dr Dongxiang Zhang »

Dr Dongxiang Zhang is the President of Bank of China Jiangxi Branch. He previously worked in varied branches within Bank of China, including 5 years in Frankfurt Branch, Vice-President of Hamburg Branch, Vice-President of China Henan Branch and...
Melissa Kirby

Melissa Kirby »

Melissa Kirby is a lawyer and strategist and the founder of Sharpe & Abel, a Melbourne-based law and strategy firm. Melissa's firm, Sharpe & Abel, has introduced an annual scholarship worth $5,000 for undergraduates in the disciplines of Law...
Anna Zubrzycki

Bringing Mindfulness to a wider audience - Anna Zubrzycki »

Anna is a leading theatre actress based in Poland. She has been a performer, artistic director, production theatre founder and performing arts teacher. She is currently completing a Masters in Mindfulness at Aberdeen University. Anna's mindfulness...
Will Davies

Following your heart: the vision of Will Davies »

Will Davies has built an impressive career as a documentary producer and historian by following his heart. After arriving in Canberra to study a combined Arts Law degree at ANU in the late 1960s, Will soon realised that law was not his passion: "I...
Elissa Sursara

An Advocate for Environmental Stewardship - Elissa Sursara »

"I love wildlife and believe the preservation of the environment is paramount to developing and maintaining a healthy human population". Elissa Sursara is a naturalist and environmentalist who believes that the environment and equality are deeply...
Oliver Garrett-Jones

Oliver Garrett-Jones »

Oliver Garrett-Jones is an Economic Adviser at the Australian Treasury in London.  He has worked on domestic and international economic policy in the Australian Public Service in both the Department of Finance and the Department of the Prime...

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