Each year, through the Vice-Chancellor and President’s Awards for Excellence, exceptional achievements are recognised and rewarded in the key areas of:
- learning and teaching
- research impact
- engagement
- service
In 2025, there were eight recipients of the Vice-Chancellor and President’s Awards for Excellence and one commendation.
Award For Excellence in Learning & Teaching
Dr Rezwanul Haque
Senior Lecturer in Engineering (Manufacturing)
Nominated three times by three different peers, Rez clearly demonstrates exceptional innovation, leadership, and global impact across education, research, and policy. His internationally acclaimed scholarship, highlighted by multiple award-winning and highly cited publications has shaped discourse on assessment and AI in education. His nominations highlight his work has not only elevated UniSC’s reputation but also delivered tangible benefits to students, staff, and the broader academic community.
Award For Excellence in Learning & Teaching (Student Opportunity & Employability)
Commerce Student Career Opportunities Team
Dr Ratna Paudyal, Dr Craig Cameron, Dr Leanda Garvie, Dr Raffaella Belloni.
Awarded for the delivery of a series of career-focused events designed to create meaningful opportunities for commerce students to engage with industry, alumni and the professional community, which has significantly advanced graduate employment, strengthened industry partnerships, and fostered student leadership. Their initiative has earned widespread praise for its professionalism, innovation, and alignment with UniSC’s values, demonstrating integrity through transparent engagement, building community through inclusive collaboration, and ensuring sustainability through scalable design and enduring industry support.
Award For Excellence in Research Impact
Dr Sarah Casey
Senior Lecturer in Creative Industries
Dr Casey has shown outstanding leadership, advocacy, and scholarly impact, elevating the voices and experiences of rural women across Australia. Through her multi-phase Stories of Country Women program, she has delivered co-designed, community-informed initiatives that strengthen climate resilience, digital literacy, and leadership development, achieving outcomes such as new business creation, national policy influence and global recognition.
Award For Excellence in Research Impact
Associate Professor Nadine McKillop
Associate Professor in Criminology & Justice
As founder and Co-Leader of UniSC’s Sexual Violence Research and Prevention Unit, Nadine has built a nationally influential research hub that bridges policy, practice, and academia. Her work has shaped prevention strategies, informed government policy, and delivered over $4 million in external funding, with more than 45 high-impact publications and global recognition through keynote invitations and awards. Nadine’s commitment to collaboration, knowledge translation, and mentoring ensures her research delivers lasting community impact and positions UniSC as a leader in this critical field.
Award For Excellence in Research Impact (Early Career Academic)
Dr Kathina Ali
Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology
Dr Kathina Ali has made exceptional contributions to mental health research, leadership, and innovation. Fewer than five years post-PhD, Kathina has secured significant funding, published extensively in high-impact journals, and led transformative projects addressing eating disorders and wellbeing. Her work has shaped public health policy, informed national campaigns, and delivered scalable mental health programs to over 80 organisations. As a clinical psychologist and educator, Kathina exemplifies UniSC’s values through her integration of research and practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, and commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable populations.
Award For Excellence in Engagement (Community Engagement & Impact)
Robodog Project Team
Ian Sinclair, Peter Lavercombe, Dr David Alonso-Caneiro, Dr Erica Mealy, Thomas Snowdon, Jordan Ryan.
Awarded for their innovative and far-reaching impact across community engagement, education, research, and strategic partnerships. Originating as a STEM outreach initiative in regional Queensland, the project evolved into a multi-disciplinary program that captivated audiences through real-world demonstrations, viral media, and national recognition, including presentations at the Ekka and Federal Parliament. By integrating robotics into agricultural education and fostering collaboration across UniSC departments and external stakeholders, the project exemplifies excellence in engagement through scale, relevance, and sustained institutional impact.
Award For Excellence in Service (Leadership & Transformational Change)
In-house Creative & Advertising Agency Team
Dan Trebble, Chris Huxley, Marcel Galhardo De Castro, Kelsi Pattinson, Trisha Roe, Holly Tompkins, Thom Stuart,Michelle Moore, Robert Hammer, Tom Snowdon, Natalie Delamont, Rebecca Cundy.
Awarded for their bold strategic shift to an in-house agency model, which has significantly enhanced UniSC’s marketing agility, efficiency, and impact. This transformation has delivered measurable results, including increased campaign reach, cost savings, and national recognition while fostering internal expertise, embedding continuous improvement, and positioning UniSC as a leader in data-driven, values-led communication.
Commendation - Excellence in Service (Leadership & Transformational Change)
Curriculum of Success Resource Project Team
Dr Cat Picton, Dr Danay Baker-Andresen, Dr Shahab Pourfakhimi, A/Prof Gail Crimmins, Hiedi Wilkinson, Dr Daniel Meloncelli, Keith Murfin.
Commended for their sector-leading work embedding student success within the curriculum. Reaching over 5,000 students across 89 courses, the project exemplifies a whole-of-university approach that promotes equity, collaboration, and sustainable impact. Through innovative design, rigorous evaluation, and inclusive practice, the team has demonstrated measurable improvements in student outcomes and engagement, positioning UniSC as a national leader in student success by design.
Award For Excellence in Service (Diversity and Inclusion)
Meegan Cooper
Diversity and Inclusion Manager
Megan is recognised for her visionary leadership, strategic impact, and unwavering commitment to cultivating a culture of belonging at UniSC. Through inclusive initiatives, collaborative partnerships, and human-centred design, Megan has embedded equity and accessibility across the university, transforming policy into practice, empowering underrepresented voices, and driving cultural change. Her work exemplifies excellence in inclusive leadership, aligning with UniSC’s values and delivering tangible outcomes in staff engagement, community connection and institutional capability.