“Curtin Commons is an online storytelling space for Curtin alumni, staff, students and friends. Featuring a series of thought-provoking articles intended to inspire and enlighten, Commons celebrates the many amazing contributions of our Curtin community and how they are striving to create a brighter future for us all.”
– Carmelle Wilkinson, Editor-in-Chief
As a young boy, Harman Singh Heer would sit quietly in the back of a […]
18/03/2026. By Carmelle Wilkinson. For many people in their early 40s, writing a gift into […]
18/03/2026. By Carmelle Wilkinson. Long before thousands of West Australians relaxed on bean bags and […]
For William Peucker, discovering graphic design wasn’t just about finding a career – it was about coming home.
Dressed in her graduation regalia, Afia Anjum stood beside the stage at Curtin’s 2025 Djiiba Graduations. Just weeks before, she received news no one is ever prepared for.
Amidst the chaos of civil war in Sri Lanka, a young man driven by pure will and an entrepreneurial flair, launched a start-up that later, his daughter would help turn into a flourishing business.
Ed Punchard. From surviving the world’s worst offshore oil rig disaster to uncovering long-lost shipwrecks […]
Matt, Nate and Dan Curran are passionate about celebrating their indigenous roots and sparking meaningful change along the way.
Creative director Ken Leung is the visionary behind Curtin Alumni’s new video. The Curtin alum has an extraordinary career story, which involves working in New York and with major fashion brands like Calvin Klein.
In 2015, Tom Johnston swapped his business suit for a wetsuit – opening his own surf school – Perth Go Surf.
Since then, Tom now has the rewarding task of helping people with autism find enjoyment in catching their own waves, through a new partnership – Ocean Heroes.
After winning Curtin’s Talent for Tomorrow Competition in 2023 – there is a name that has become quite popular at our graduation celebrations – 3NA.
For the past two years, brothers Matt, Dan and Nate have been treating our graduation audiences to a finale most universities would be envious of. Dan (Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery) and Nate (Bachelor of Science, Occupational Therapy) are both proud Curtin Alumnus, and together with their brother Matt, are fusing the unlikely worlds of rap and academia together.
After years of working as a freelance designer around the world, Curtin Commerce graduate Emilie Otto became burnt out and exhausted.
Fast forward to 2024, she is now the owner of House of Hobby, which is a space that helps people find a creative hobby while supporting and empowering local artists and makers to share their skills.
Former Head of English and current Head of Academics and Innovation at Wesley College Adam Kealley understands the power of words.
With a recent PhD in creative writing and cultural studies from Curtin, the avid reader and writer shares his top tips on improving your writing skills.
Curtin Creative Arts graduate and Perth-based Iranian artist Yasamin Khadembashi has always had a deep appreciation for making things by hand.
Growing up surrounded by beautiful Persian carpets around her family’s home, Yasamin became captivated by the intricate patterns and vibrant colours which sparked an early appreciation for the artistry of exceptional craftsmanship.
Growing up with dyslexia, art has always been a place for Yasamin to escape, build confidence and find a sense of belonging.
“Art allowed me to make sense of what it means to belong and allowed me to find home in a land that felt unfamiliar,” she said.
“Making these works was a way of healing and making sense of these complex feelings, I feel like these works were a manifestation of home and what it means to be away from your homeland, family, language, and the smells and the sounds of home.”
As the 2026 Lester Prize finalist, Yasamin was recognised for her reimagined self-portrait ‘Immoral Warrior’ which was inspired by the Persian Pahlavan, the holy warrior and champion of Iranian folklore.
Yasamin’s portrait occupies a space between myth, portraiture and personal narrative while reimagining the traditionally masculine Pahlavan through a contemporary queer, feminist lens.
The Lester Prize 2026 Main Awards Exhibition runs from 10 October to 29 November 2026 at the WA Museum Boola Bardip in Perth.
Photo credit: ‘Immoral Warrior’ photos taken by Isabel Turner.
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A ‘commons’ is a space that is shared by and benefits a community.
Our commons is a cultural and virtual one, reflecting the ideas and experiences shared by a proud and distinct Curtin community living in Western Australia and around the world. We hope that this space will inspire us to stay connected in ways that are beneficial to our lives, families and communities.
