2004 winners
Shane Thompson
Faculty of Built Environment & Engineering Award Winner
Shane graduated in 1979 with a Diploma of Architecture. He has been Principal of Bligh Voller Nield since 1987, playing a key role in the growth of this company into one of Australia's major architecture practices. Shane has led the successful completion of numerous major commissions, including Sydney Olympic Village, the Lavarack Barracks redevelopment, Apartments at 333 Anne Street, the Kingsheath Club of Clubs Resort at Kingscliff, Linggi River Resort and Johor Bahru Waterfront City in Malaysia, and the University of the Sunshine Coast Innovation Centre. Over the course of his career, Shane's work has appeared in national and international publications including Architectural Review (London), Steel Profile, the International Architecture Yearbook, Residential Spaces of the World and Architecture Australia. He has received forty-seven awards and commendations from the RAIA (Queensland), the Australian Institute of Steel Construction, Maroochy Excellence in Building and Planning, and the National Sir Zelman Cowan Award for Public Buildings. Shane is also active on the QUT Cultural Precinct Advisory Board and Queensland College of Art Advisory Council.
Sarah-Jane Clarke
QUT Alumni Young Achiever and Faculty of Business Award Winner
A Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) graduate, Sarah-Jane Clarke (nicknamed Sass) co-founded the internationally acclaimed fashion label Sass & Bide with friend Heidi Middleton (nicknamed Bide). From humble beginnings in Notting Hill's Portobello Market and a hole-in-the-wall in Double Bay, they built a multi-million dollar business, with established national and overseas markets. Within five years, the business had racked up huge successes at Mercedes Australian Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, and the New York Fashion Show and was retailing in sixty-eight stores in Australia and a hundred stores overseas including Bloomingdales and Saks in the US, Harvey Nichols & Brown in the UK and Lane Crawford, Hong Kong. Today, their designs are worn by Kylie Minogue, Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, and Victoria Beckham and they've just opened a flagship Australian store in Sydney's chic Oxford Street. This year Sarah-Jane and Heidi were nominated by the British Elle Fashion Awards for Best Young Designers of the Year and they recently won the Australian Cleo Ready to Wear Fashion Award.
Derek Wilding
Creative Industries Faculty Award Winner
Dr Derek Wilding is Director of the Communications Law Centre (CLC), at the University of New South Wales where he is also an academic staff member of the Law Faculty. Since taking up this role in 2000, Derek has regularly entered the national debate on telecommunications, broadcasting and media issues of national importance, gaining important consumer protections for the Australian community. Derek is a member of a number of consumer "watchdog" bodies including the ACCC and the ACA. He was involved in the ABA investigation into the "Cash for Comment" affair involving Radio 2UE and 2GB; the ACA investigation into the telecommunications industry during which he pushed for consumer protection mechanisms in mobile phone contracts; the NSW Government investigations into infomercials, classification and censorship; and media ownership submissions to the Senate which resulted in defeat of the Media Ownership Bill in 2003. Derek also manages a Commonwealth agency telecommunications research consultancy and researches for the SBS. He has a PhD in Media Studies from QUT, in addition to degrees in Arts and Law.
Chris Sarra
Chancellor's Outstanding Alumnus
Faculty of Education Award Winner
Chris Sarra has devoted his career to improving conditions for Indigenous students and helping educators to understand the difficulties and barriers facing Indigenous people in education and employment.
Chris has had an enormous impact on Indigenous education in Queensland. In his various roles as researcher, teacher, guidance counsellor, lecturer and ministerial advisor, he has devised and implemented policies and programs designed to improve participation, retention and success rates among Indigenous students at all levels of education. Chris has worked in primary and high schools, the Department of Employment, Education and Training, Education Queensland, the University of Southern Queensland and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. These experiences provided him with an understanding of the issues surrounding Indigenous education from a number of important perspectives, enabling him to develop his own approach to addressing some entrenched social and attitudinal problems pervading the school system in both Indigenous and non-Indigenous comm-unities. Since 1998, Chris has been Principal of Cherbourg State School where he has achieved a 94% reduction in absenteeism and significant improvements in literacy and numeracy by lifting community expectations of what Indigenous children can achieve. He has helped his students to be proud of their community and Indigenous heritage through reinforcement of the school motto, 'Strong and Smart'. The stunning revival of Cherbourg State School is the subject of a documentary entitled 'Strong and Smart'. Chris has a Diploma of Teaching in Physical Education, a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Education in School Guidance and Counselling from QUT. He is currently completing a PhD on his work at Cherbourg.
In recognition of his achievements, Chris has been named 2004 Queenslander of the Year.
Ian Kent
Faculty of Health Award Winner
Ian Kent gained a Diploma of Applied Science (Optometry) from QIT in 1971. He has been a successful optometrist for many years and influential in the development of optometry practice in Queensland and nationally. Ian has held numerous positions on bodies responsible for industry standards, and since 1994, has chaired the Optometrists Board of Queensland. He was Chair of the Board during a major reorganisation of health practitioner regulation in Queensland and directly involved in managing the Act and Regulations for Optometry. Ian has also been active on the Council of Optometrical Registration Authorities and Chair of its Queensland Board. Here, he has been particularly effective in integrating the activities of registration authorities with those involved in professional accreditation, particularly the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand. Currently, Ian is a Trustee of the Queensland Division of the International Centre for Eyecare Education which raises optometrical education standards in developing countries. He has also served the Faculty of Health on advisory committees since 1985.
Paul Kenny
Faculty of Information Technology Award Winner
Paul Kenny has built an impressive career with IBM in roles which have taken him to Silicon Valley, New York, Boston and locations in the Asia-Pacific region. Currently he is Director of IBM Australia and New Zealand. IBM has recognised his leadership with ranking in the top five IBM teams in the world, a Golden Circle award and two consulting excellence awards. Paul was part of the team that originally defined the concept of "Data Warehousing". He authored seven Redbooks and was recognised as IBM's world specialist on the subject. Paul also established IBM's Australian consulting business and was responsible for some notable early e-commerce solutions including internet banking, electronic shopping, on-line share broking and computer-based training. He established IBM's Centre for E-business Innovation in Pyrmont, Sydney, which has helped position Australia at the leading edge of global e-commerce development. Paul also supports a number of community service projects in Thailand, including the Bangkok Music and Arts Academy of over one thousand students.
Susan Francis
Faculty of Law Award Winner
Having gained a Diploma of Teaching in 1976 followed by a Bachelor of Arts, Susan Francis began her professional life as a teacher and education officer. She then changed tack, gaining a Bachelor of Laws from QIT in 1986 and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice a year later. That year, she took up a position with Thynne and Macartney and within five years had become a senior partner in the firm. There, Susan built up a thriving family law practice. In 1997, Susan gained specialist accreditation in Family Law and is now considered one of Queensland's leading family lawyers. A mentor to other female law practitioners and ardent supporter of women's issues, Susan has provided free legal expertise to the Women's Legal Service for fifteen years and to the Caxton Legal Centre for ten years, assisting the lawyers, their clients and the management of both services. She also edits the Queensland Lawyers Practice Manual and the Queensland Law Handbook.
Simon Critchley
Faculty of Science Award Winner
Simon Critchley is Director of Radiation Health, Queensland, where he has presided over a marked improvement in radiation safety and compliance with legislation. Prior to this, Simon was Secretary to the Radiological Advisory Council where he initiated a review of Radiation Health. As its Director, Simon has implemented new programs and major changes to existing programs in radioactive waste management, developed and implemented all new radiation safety legislation enacted in 1999, new safety standards and regulations, and new policies and procedures for radiation safety management. Simon is also an advisor to the Department of the Prime Minister on national security issues relating to radioactive substances. He assisted the Federal Government to develop an Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Bill and Regulation, and worked towards national uniformity in the regulation and use of radiation sources. Simon has a Bachelor of Applied Science (Applied Chemistry) and a Master of Applied Science (Medical Physics) from QUT.
Sandra Angus
Humanities and Human Services Award Winner
Sandra Angus graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor of Social Science in Human Services and has done much to promote the health of indigenous people. She has worked for the Young Person's Mental Health Service, the South Pacific Commission, and in the Klong Toey slum community of Bangkok. Sandra developed and lectured in the University of Sydney's Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Health Promotion. She also developed and promoted Edith Cowan University's ATSI Healthinfonet website which was nominated for a Stockholm Challenge Award. Sandra has been involved in the organisation of numerous state, national and international conferences and has published several articles in leading journals. She also chairs the national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Forum (ATSIWF). Currently, Sandra is Acting Senior Project Officer with the Queensland Cervical Screening Program where she develops strategies to improve community health, particularly among Indigenous people. She has written several codes of practice for cancer screening services to Indigenous women.
Rodney Cocks, CSM
Excellence in Service to the International Community
Rodney Cocks is UN Security Advisor in the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar, Southern Afghanistan, where he provides security advice to the UN's humanitarian agencies. Formerly a Captain in the Australian Army, Rodney headed the Australian Defence Force support of the Sydney Olympics and deployment of resources to the 2003 Victorian Alpine bushfires. Posted to the UNMISET mission in East Timor, Rodney was awarded a UN PKF Force Commander's Commendation and Australian Conspicuous Service Medal for his aid to victims in the wake of the Bali bombings. Rodney was then posted to Iraq as Deputy of the UN Mine Action Coordination Team, where he worked in Baghdad, Basrah, Kurdistan and the volatile "Sunni Triangle". He has since been nominated for an Australian Bravery Decoration for his actions at the scene of the UN HQ bombing in Baghdad. Rodney holds a Bachelor of Laws from QUT, a Bachelor of Commerce and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment.
Aline Matta
Excellence in Service to the International Community
Aline Matta is a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland and a member of the Supreme Court of New York Bar. After graduating in 1994 with a Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) and a Bachelor of Laws, Aline completed an Internship in New York with the United Nations Secretariat Legal Counsel. Aline then travelled to Asmara, Eritrea to work on the arbitration of a territorial dispute over a group of Red Sea islands. In 2002 Aline worked with Adam Smith International in London and Ramallah providing legal advice to the Palestinian Negotiations Affairs Department in relation to issues arising from the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. Aline subsequently joined the faculty of American University of Technology in Lebanon where she prepared and taught a course in human rights. In 2003, Aline became Justice Advisor for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Basrah, Iraq, where, on behalf of the UK Department for International Development she led an international team of lawyers in the rehabilitation of Southern Iraq's judicial system.
