A Curtin University speech clinic is helping brain injury survivor Jordan Bowling regain his voice. Two years ago, Jordan fell 13 meters down a cliff, leaving him paralyzed. The clinic offers hope on his long road to recovery.
Dr. Sandy Chong, a successful businesswoman and philanthropist, emphasizes the transformative power of education for women. She believes education is key to unlocking women’s potential as disruptors and leaders. By empowering women, we can create a more equitable and innovative society.
Changing the world may seem like an impossible feat, but for mechanical engineering graduate Eldin Rostom that dream is one step closer, thanks to breakthrough technology, which could change the lives of those suffering respiratory disorders.
“Despite being extremely unwell throughout her cancer journey, Sally remained cheerful and alwayas expressed gratitude to her doctors and nurses.
Four years ago, Gary Foster (64) was home recovering from a motorcycle accident when he suddenly felt pain across the right side of his chest.
On the phone to a colleague at the time, the Bachelor of Science graduate assumed it was a muscular ache from working on his caravan the day prior and continued the conversation for a bit longer.
When Khai Kamarudin was growing up, there was no doubt in his mind that he wanted to be a nurse – just like his mum.
However, as time went on, he found himself on a completely different path – one which included a short stint as a light fabrication engineer and a police officer on the front line in Singapore.
A warm and familiar face to all those who present at the pharmacy counter, Allan has been dispensing medication for Perth’s most vulnerable and ill children at Perth Children’s Hospital (formerly Princess Margaret Hospital) for 47 years.
Travelling through the education system as an Indigenous student, Isaiah Kamid was always discouraged from pursuing a career in medicine. Told by his teachers to choose a path more realistic and achievable, he ended up studying a trade, which he never enjoyed.
When Joanne Beedie and her husband Scott found out they were pregnant with identical twins seven years ago, they thought they had won the lottery. With the rare occurrence happening in just three to four births in every 1000, this year’s John Curtin Medallist said she felt like the luckiest person in the world.
Losing her stepfather to suicide when she was 20, was a shock Ashlee Harrison did not see coming.
Curtin Commerce graduate and Founder of zero2hero said the tragedy ripped her family apart and left them picking up the pieces.
Clinical educator Kathy Viljoen manages the clinic, supervising speech pathology students to offer both individual and group treatment to people of all ages for the management of stuttering and fluency disorders.
Born in Perth, the 28-year-old Commerce graduate is now a Climate Tech Investor and Impact Strategy Consultant in the Netherlands, collaborating with organisations to help grow their global impact with thoughtful strategies.
Philanthropist, businesswoman and educator Dr Sandy Chong is a global changemaker on a mission.
Armed with a passion for education and dreams of equality, the Curtin Bachelor of Commerce in Management and Marketing and PhD Information Systems graduate, is making meaningful impact as a climate crusader and lead strategist.
Watching someone you love struggle with a serious illness can lead to overwhelming sadness and fear.
Thankfully, people like second year Curtin nursing student Shai’a Bulich are there to protect our loved ones in their time of need.
Curtin mechanical engineering graduate Ted Lee was cruising along Tonkin Highway on his motorbike headed for uni.
Eight weeks out from completing his studies, he could almost see the finish line, when tragedy struck.
From a young age, WA business leader John Barrington AM learnt the importance of giving back.
A Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club member since he was six, John not only developed a competitive spirit in his early years, but a strong desire to help others.
An architecture graduate by trade, Perth entrepreneur Iris Smit is building her cosmetics empire one must-have beauty product at a time.
The Curtin graduate and inventor of The Quick Flick said banking on herself was the best decision she could have ever made, ahead of her business launch in 2017.
Born and raised in rural WA, social media and PR guru Lavinia Wehr has always been a country girl at heart.
From driving tractors on her family’s farm near Esperance from age five, to helping her family with harvest on her summer holidays, the Curtin Commerce grad doesn’t only understand agriculture life, it’s in her DNA.
Curtin medical graduate and recent Rhodes Scholar recipient James Leigh might have been destined to be a doctor.
An old photo dug up by his mum recently, shows a smiling five-year old sitting at a desk in pre-primary with the word ‘doctor’ in front of him, dressed in a white coat and hair net.
If it weren’t for the generosity of a stranger, Curtin’s Vice-Chancellor Harlene Hayne would never have discovered the transformational power of a higher education.
Nor would she have embarked on such a remarkable academic journey which has led her across the Pacific Ocean and over the Nullarbor to Curtin University.
Growing up Hockeyroo Captain and Curtin Occupational Therapist (OT) graduate Jane Claxton never dreamt about playing hockey for Australia.
While she knew she wanted to play an elite sport, it’s safe to say hockey chose her.
Did you know that less than 10,000 out of 400 million businesses globally are measuring their carbon emissions?
As companies become increasingly conscious of their global footprint, Co-founder of Singapore based Unravel Carbon Marc Allen (BEng, Chemical Engineering 1998) is arming businesses with the tools to decarbonise themselves and their networks of businesses within their supply chains.
Beyond the vivid colours and beautiful symbols, Aboriginal art can be a powerful vehicle for reconciliation, cultural preservation and change.
With the ability to connect communities and shape the future, founder and designer of luxury fashion label Kirrikin, Dr Amanda Healy said it was heart-warming to see Aboriginal fashion and culture slowly emerge on the international runway.
As India’s extreme gender disparities prevailed around her, a young Jaya Dantas buried herself in her studies and broke through what seemed like impossible barriers the only way she knew how, with education.
arlier that evening the Curtin honorary doctorate recipient and former mining magnate had been sleeping on his yacht at the Fremantle Sailing Club when he woke at about 2am to use the bathroom.
Curtin Law student Annabel Biscotto. Author | Carmelle Wilkinson Since she was four years old, […]
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are warned that photographs/videos on this page contain images of deceased persons, which may cause sadness or distress.
Growing up in Afghanistan, the ominous sound of missiles and rockets flying overhead became the norm for Curtin nursing graduate Ezz Rahmati (BS Nursing, 2022).
Nowadays the 28-year-old, who calls Perth home, is comforted by the hum of traffic and the sound of the occasional passenger jet as he lays in bed at night.
It’s surreal. It’s incredible that the people of Swan trusted me to be their local member, it’s a real honour. To be honest, I didn’t necessarily think that someone like me would be supported, but the people spoke. As a female, a person of colour and an engineer, I’m quite different compared to previous candidates or members. When I heard I was the first female in this position in 101 years I almost didn’t believe it.
From WA country girl to owner of a billion-dollar company, Perth entrepreneur Megan Wynne’s contribution to the employment services, health, disability, and vocational rehabilitation space is nothing short of extraordinary.
Famously known as the founder of modern nursing, her innovations resulted in lower death rates, improved safety and better hygiene practices – without having trained as a nurse herself.
“My experience was wretched, and I could easily have become a product of my history, and turn to suicide, alcohol or drugs, but I chose not to,’’ she said.
WA Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson Author | Carmelle Wilkinson Over the past two years […]
“I previously thought you needed to travel overseas or down south to experience something so breathtaking, but this was in my own backyard, and I couldn’t stop pinching myself.”
Currently in WA, there are children whose mental health problems are too severe for early interventions provided by not-for-profit organisations but not severe enough for acute specialist services. They wait extended periods of time to see a psychologist or psychiatrist due to the limited supply of these mental health professionals.
“Walking with friends, going to the gym and even sitting for long periods of time is a no go,’’ she said.
Cook, author, business owner and dumpling king – Brendan Pang is on one impressive culinary […]
It’s the second most common neurodegenerative condition in Australia after dementia and causes shaking in the hands, arms, legs and jaw, stiffening limbs, slowed movement and impaired balance and coordination.
Peter’s greatest holiday memory is from a trip to South Africa in 2019, with close friend and roommate Joseph Deng, who also happens to be the second fastest runner in Australia.
“Unfortunately, however, there are people that view a person with a disability differently and as I got older, I wanted to use my social media knowledge and degree at Curtin to help breakdown that misconception.”
“We want people to think of Curtin’s Community Pantry as their pantry at home. It’s always stocked, and you’re welcome to pop in and grab anything you need. There is no judgement and no need to ask for permission.”
As one of the first points of contact for people seeking health advice, Rebecca said pharmacists working in the current Covid-19 environment had overcome several challenges, including increased levels of fear and anxiety and growing abuse from customers.
Curtin’s position that equitable access to healthcare should be universal, irrespective of geographical location, has been embraced by the students, who rated Curtin’s medical school the best in Australia for the past three years in the Good Universities Guide, with five-star scores in the latest guide for learner engagement, learning resources, skills development, teaching quality and overall experience.
Thank you for the kind words! I am from Southeast Asia, where income inequality and the disparity between standards of living within the region are substantial, particularly in Malaysia where I was born. I lived in a small house in a collapsing neighbourhood there but have also been privy to the luxuries of life here in Australia. I am lucky to have been gifted a better quality of life and I intend to use this to help those less fortunate than me.
Looking at me, you would have no way of knowing that I have ADHD. In adults, it doesn’t look like what you may think. For starters, a majority of us internalise our hyperactivity. Being faced with negative feedback from a young age, we learn how to mask symptoms so we can fit in with societal expectations. But this feels uncomfortable to do and takes a huge personal toll.
With a degree in occupational therapy (1993) from Curtin, Kellie Parker began working in occupational health and safety at Rio Tinto’s Pilbara operations before transitioning into management roles.
As managing director, I worked hard to continue the business’ progressive tradition, which started in 1959. Collier Homes is a special brand and a household name. My vision was to shape it into one that was more design-oriented, thoughtful and inclusive – “good design, made accessible” became our motto. I believe the refreshed branding and projects we took on spoke to that vision.
Senior Advisor for Diversity and Equity (Disability) at Curtin University, Erica Schurmann is a passionate advocate for improving the access to and quality of services for staff with disabilities.
It’s nearly that time of year again when we embrace the sound of festive tunes, over-indulge in sweets, and make a mad dash to the nearest shopping centre for a frantic last-minute spending frenzy.
“I went to my doctor and said: ‘I feel like my head is not working properly’,” says Eileen. “My doctor did some memory tests and then sent me to a specialist (gerontologist) who organised a brain scan that showed I had Alzheimer’s disease. I don’t know why I have it because my two sisters don’t have it and neither does my 97-year-old mother.”
Entrepreneurs are easy to admire. They’re explorers and creators – they create new products, services, jobs, and perhaps even new industries. But what is an entrepreneur, and how are they created?
“Take your time to pause and reflect before you leap into the unknown. Use this time to consider what truly drives you. And when you do take that leap, make sure you give it your absolute all.”
Robyn Lambird is studying a digital and social media degree at Curtin University. They are also an elite wheelchair sprinter and recently won bronze in their debut women’s 100m sprint at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
We recently spoke to Curtin graduates living and working all over the globe — London, Singapore, Perth, Kuala Lumpur, New York, and Houston — about what it has been like to experience the pandemic where they are, the challenges they’ve faced, and ultimately, how they are managing to get through it.
Valerie Ah Chee was the only Aboriginal woman in her cohort. Now, she has returned to Curtin to foster a sense of belonging for other Aboriginal women by designing the artwork for the University’s Moorditj Yorga (‘strong woman’) Scholarship.
Perth researchers will use population data to help boost WA’s defences in the fight against COVID-19, developing modelling to build a clearer picture of how the virus could spread through high-risk populations.
Businessperson, philanthropist, mentor and educator, Dr Sandy Chong (BCom Management and Marketing, 1996, PhD Information Systems, 2003) has been a champion for change ever since she began her higher education journey and decided she wanted to be a “student for life.”
Mel Tregonning was a graphic design graduate (2004) and talented artist who, before she died by suicide in 2014, published her debut graphic novel Small Things.
A Bunuba woman and community leader, June is the first Aboriginal woman to be appointed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. She spends her time advocating for Indigenous languages, social justice, women’s issues and working to reduce Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
Australian photographer and filmmaker Marcus Wong strongly believes you can’t care about something you’ve never seen, and has made it his mission to share the voices of the voiceless with the world.
Mental illness among university students in Australia is currently a relatively under-researched field, according to the 2017 Orygen report.
‘Moorditj yorga’ means ‘strong woman’ in the Nyungar language. It is an apt description of Jill*, a Ballardong woman, a grandmother, a domestic violence survivor, and now a student on her way to successfully completing a degree.
Passed around by Student Guild members, shared among student protestors walking down the streets of Perth’s CBD, and more recently transformed into an online blog, the small and sometimes carefully, sometimes haphazardly, constructed student newspaper known as Grok has a long history in Perth.
As an Aboriginal woman with connections to Ngarinyin and Gidja Country in Western Australia’s Kimberley region, Melanie Robinson (BS Nursing, 1993) has described having to overcome racist attitudes throughout her career and journey to becoming the respected and knowledgeable health practitioner she is today. But for her, it has all been worth it to do what she loves most — improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in her role as Acting Director of Aboriginal Health at the Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS) in WA.
Not all women experience the same disadvantage or inequality. Vanessa Guthrie AO, a Curtin University Council member, understands this. She believes true equality for women cannot be achieved unless women of all backgrounds and circumstances are given the opportunity for a university education.