6 December 2019: The University of Canberra community gathered for the Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards.
The annual awards recognise sustained and outstanding achievement in activities that are aligned to the University of Canberra’s Strategic Plan, Distinctive by Design.
The University continues to deliver its ambitious Strategic Plan weaving together three overarching themes; empowerment of our diverse people; distinctive teaching and research, and; an enriched living-learning environment on our Canberra campus and global locations.
The 2019 awards included Professional Excellence, Innovative Thinking, Reconciliation Team and Individual Awards, Early Career Educator of the Year, Educator of the Year, Early Career Researcher of the Year, and Researcher of the Year. The full list of winners is detailed below.
This was the first time Reconciliation Awards were offered, with the Widening Participation Team recognised for their implementation of initiatives designed in line with the University’s Reconciliation Action Plan, with a focus on the transition and retention of Indigenous students.
This was also the first year the UC Citizen of the Year award was handed out which went to joint winners; the Marketing and Media & Communications teams for a collaborative and revolutionary approach to raising the profile of the University and the UCX team for delivering initiatives to enhance the student experience.
Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Deep Saini, said he is immensely proud of the work the entire UC community put in this year.
“Every member of the University contributed to our goals in one way or another this year,” said Professor Saini.
“This is a reflection of the real-world effect of the university’s contributions.”
2019 Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Award Winners
UC Citizens of the Year – Marketing, Media & Communications and UCX (joint winners)
The inaugural Vice-Chancellor’s choice award for UC Citizen of the Year is awarded to those who have championed the university across all business units, furthering the Strategic Plan in innovative ways.
The Marketing, Media & Communications Teams were recognised for their collaborative approach in launching the UnCover content platform, including UnCover Digital, UnCover Events, UnCover Magazine, UnCover Documentaries and UnCover Podcasts to tell the stories of UC staff, students, alumni and their impact in the Canberra community; as well as increasing the reach of UC’s recruitment through innovative domestic and international marketing campaigns.
UCX was acknowledged for their outstanding contribution to the student experience through doubling the amount of quality live music events on campus, including reviving Stonefest and hosting Peking Duk live, as well as a dynamic program of events, clubs and the revitalisation of the UC Refectory.
Researcher of the Year – Rachel Davey, Professor of Health Research
Professor Rachel Davey’s research focuses on policy-relevant research in areas related to physical activity for health and wellbeing and on the dsesign, delivery and evaluation of complex public health interventions. She has a FWCI well above world average and 82% of her publications are in top journals. She has been awarded more than $4.7 million in research income and has contributed to a further $1.6 million in research income in the last three years. She has active linkages with a number of external organisations including Digital Health CRC, DFAT and Capital Health Network.
Early Career Researcher of the Year – Tracy Logan, Assistant Professor Faculty of Education
Tracy Logan’s research focuses on mathematics education and assessment. She has been part of five ARC grants and her industry involvement has included research projects with the Australian Curriculum Assessment and reporting Authority (ACARA) and the World Bank. Her FWCI is well above world average, with 50% of her publications in top journals and her total research income for the last three years stands at $6 million.
Educator of the Year – Dr Barbara Walsh, Associate Dean, International and WIL Faculty of Arts and Design
Dr Barbara Walsh is recognised for the development and oversight of the work integrated learning curricula in the Faculty of Arts and Design and the generation of industry and community partnerships that benefit student learning. Her innovative approach and focus on the creation of mutually beneficial industry partnerships has delivered many benefits for UC, and most importantly has delivered significant industry exposure for UC students.
Early Career Educator of the Year – Natalie Larkins, Lecturer in Communication
Natalie Larkins is recognised for the outstanding contribution she has made towards the expanded work-integrated learning program in the Faculty of Arts and Design, including the development of multi-disciplinary industry projects and supporting the online learning module, Professional Mindsets.
Reconciliation Team Award – Widening Participation Team
Led by Laurie Poretti, the widening Participation team were nominated for implementation of initiatives designed in line with the Reconciliation Action Plan, with a particular focus on the transition and retention of Indigenous students. Initiatives include: the indigenous student mentor program providing specialised support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students; student and school programs tailored for Indigenous students to encourage their progression into higher education; active recruitment of aspiration agents from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds; and participation in community-led initiatives.
Reconciliation Individual Award – John Owens, Associate Vice-President Campus Estate
John Owens was nominated for his ongoing efforts in encouraging the Campus Estate team to actively address their Indigenous business goals in alignment with the Reconciliation Action Plan. This has included actively considering Indigenous procurement options, resulting in UC sourcing $765,000 from Indigenous companies in 2018/19 – projects such as the Refectory front-of-house upgrade, and a range of facilities management works. Mr Owens encourages all staff to attend the UC Cultural Safety training and actively recruits Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff members.
Research Inspired Teaching – Dr Sarah Ailwood, Assistant Professor Canberra Law School
In semester one 2019, Sarah designed and delivered a research-inspired pedagogic approach in Gender and the Legal System. This empowered students to explore the unit’s broad topic in a way that would be most relevant to them and their professional future, and to promote their development of independent and collaborative skills in research, analysis and communication that would be transferable to the workplace.
Innovative Thinking – DITM Team, Mega Market Day Project
Led by Rebecca Armstrong, the DITM Project team were winners of the Innovation and creativity award for the Mega Market Day proof-of-concept. On Mega Market Day in semester one, the team ran a proof of concept using the high volumes of students on campus to capture data via CCTV and WiFi. This data helped understand movement on campus, student interactions and engagement, with application of AI tools and techniques able to drive insights to improve the student experience.
Professional Excellence – Renee Ryan, Associate Director in Marketing
Renee Ryan was the winner of the leadership award for reinventing the University of Canberra’s marketing team’s strategic approach, structure, process, culture and reputation. A respected leader who encourages innovation, Renee led key projects such as UC’s first international marketing campaign, the UnCover storytelling website and launch and major campaigns for BGL, FAD and SchiTech.