Award For Excellence in Learning & Teaching

Inclusive Digital Design Team

Dr Toby Gifford, Dr Shahab Pourfakhimi, Dr Leah Barclay, Dr Tricia King, Dr Craig Cameron, Dr Karen Sutherland, Anita Jones, Nicola Waterreus, Emily Walling, Bernice Wood, Dr Kayleen Wood.

This team is recognised for the work in designing and delivering a new Commonwealth funded microcredential in Inclusive Digital Design for Business. The extensive collaboration and co-design with peak bodies and people with lived experience has resulted in a very successful outcome. Achieving 56 out of 60 enrolments with 48 of the students achieving a distinction or higher is impressive and indicates the quality of the course and the support provided to students. The team met their goal and then expanded this to a wider group through the taster course. This broad and impactful work meets an important need and inclusive digital design is aligned with the aims of the University.

​​​Award For Excellence in Learning & Teaching - Commendation

Casual Academic Team

Victoria Hinkley, A/Prof Nicole Masters, Dr Andrew Eamens, Skye Cash-Deans, Dr Helen Faddy, Andrew Garty, Sarah Sharp.

Although not selected as the recipient of the award, this team's innovative and inclusive teaching practices for Introductory Bioscience, that has enhanced student learning and engagement is highly commendable. The team efforts drawing on student perception and student experience to develop and deliver a student-centred curriculum that supports diverse learner needs and meets a contemporary need is particularly noteworthy.

​​Award For Excellence in Learning & Teaching (Student Opportunity & Employability)

Lifeblood Partnership Team

Dr Melinda Dean, Dr Helen Faddy, Associate Professor Lin Fung.

This team is recognised for their strategic partnership with the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, which significantly enhances opportunities and employability for UniSC students through project-based positions. The impressive outcome of 21 projects, including four honours, six HDR, and 11 undergraduate research projects is noteworthy. Particularly remarkable is that six students were directly employed by Lifeblood (five part-time, one full-time), and two HDR students received the Alex Young Lions Scholarship. The research, engagement outputs, and the learning and teaching benefits of this collaboration are truly commendable.

Award For Excellence in Engagement 
(Community Engagement and Impact)

Dr Peter Grainger

Senior Lecturer in Education
School of Education & Tertiary Access

Dr Grainger is recognised for his work in coordinating field teaching experiences in Cambodia and Peru for over 100 pre-service teacher education students. Making improvements to teacher education around global experience and the provision of practical opportunities is of clear benefit to our students who are going to be teaching in multi-cultural environments. He is an impressive individual contributor, going above and beyond and achieving very meaningful and impactful outcomes.

Award For Excellence in Engagement - Commendation
(Community Engagement and Impact)

UniSC Secondary School Engagement Team

Georgia Hooper, Peter Lavercombe, Katy Barnes, Chelsea Badger, Jodie Russell, Alex Smareglia, Stacey Lander, Ashlyn Forsaith.

Although not selected as the recipient of the award, this team's dedication to student recruitment and engagement initiatives is highly commendable. Their efforts have led to significant increases in school engagements, early offers, and Headstart participation. Notably, this year saw the delivery of 500 school engagements, marking UniSC’s largest year for school engagement in history. The number of students the team is reaching, the impressive growth in participation, and the strong impact being made is outstanding.

Award For Excellence in Engagement
(Sustainability and Accessibility)

Program Coordinator, University Pathways
Marketing and Communications

Alissa is recognised for the significant impact she is having on access to tertiary study for prospective students from low socioeconomic status, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander, Maori/Pasifika, disability, and regional, rural, and remote backgrounds through the Equip program. The increase in participation, with 165 program participants and 73 enrolling in tertiary study in 2024, and more expected in 2025, can be attributed to her efforts that go beyond her day-to-day role. Her scholarly approach to addressing educational matters and ensuring support for equity students is raising the university’s profile and reputation, gaining impressive recognition beyond our university.

Award For Excellence in Service
(Leadership and Transformational Change)

Tess Robinson, Lauren McDonogh, Lisa Ashley, Annyse Applegate, Michelle Cowan, Deb Kelsey, Mamta Meena.

The award is recognition of the team’s implementation of a whole of university end-to-end Academic Credit Management solution, utilising existing systems to deliver a quality outcome in a compressed timeframe. The first in sector solution was impressive, as was the extensive consultation undertaken across the university that has resulted in an improved student and staff experience. The dedication, teamwork and incredible commitment of the team has resulted in a transformational solution that delivers significant benefits to the University.

​​​Award For Excellence in Service
(Diversity and Inclusion)

Lauren Cavanagh, Louise Pemble, Shae Rendall, Dr Bonnie Quigley, Monique Jones, Rosie Elwyn.

The team is recognised for taking the initiative to establish the committee without any direction to do so and has proactively advanced UniSC’s EDI plan. The committee’s initiatives have had a positive impact on workplace inclusivity and the wellbeing of our staff and students. The committee has understood the benefits of working collaboratively and reaching out for support from experts within the university. The dedication of the individual committee members to foster a respectful and supportive working environment goes beyond their role requirements and is to be commended.

Award For Excellence in Research Impact

Chlamydia Research Team

Prof Peter Timms, Dr Martina Jelocnik, Dr Samuel Phillips, Dr Nina Pollak, Dr Derek Sarovich, Jessie Wong.

The team is recognised for their extensive efforts to improve koala conservation and disease management. With over a decade of research, the longevity and impact of this research is impressive. The team have not only excelled with traditional academic outputs such as journal publications and grant funding but also in engaging with media to reach national and international audiences. The team is doing work that has been recognised externally, is incredibly valuable to the university and has drawn significant attention to UniSC.

​​Award For Excellence in Research Impact
(Early Career Academic)

Dr Laine Chilman

Lecturer in Occupational Therapy
School of Health

Dr Chilman is recognised for her extensive research outputs so early in her career. Her accelerated trajectory, combined with completing a PhD while being a staff member is impressive. Of particular note is the extensive breadth of her collaborations with a range of bodies including industry and government which is outstanding for an early career academic. Her engagement with community and support and mentoring for colleagues and research students is to be commended.