Features
2019 Alumni Award Winners Announced
Macquarie University Alumni Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of alumni, and provide an opportunity to share their inspirational stories with the University and the wider community. Our alumni are a source of pride and motivation, and they embody the University’s association with excellence. The award categories ensure alumni from all areas of the community are recognised for th...
From India to beyond – adrenalin junkie Nishant Patel believes anything is possible
"The desire to succeed should be much greater than the fear of failure. No risk taken means no rewards gained.” So says Nishant Patel, founder of The Grand Vacationist, an experiential travel company that designs tailored vacations and celebrations with elements of luxury, adventure and a point of difference. Mumbai-based Nishant completed his M.A. in International Business at Macquarie U...
Macquarie Memories – In all probability…
Professor Murray Aitkin taught at Macquarie from 1969 to 1976 as a senior lecturer in statistics in Psychology and Economics. He recently attended his grandson’s graduation at Macquarie and was invited to join the academic procession. The emotions of the day stirred his memory and he relates an interesting anecdote about helping a student with a statistical dilemma. I was teaching stati...
From Conception to RE:Conception
The widely acknowledged father of Conception Day was pioneer alumnus Phil Gibbs (Bachelor of Arts, 1977). “We had a bit of an inferiority complex back in 1969 because of our moonscape campus and the lack of a student muck-up day to rival UNSW’s Commemoration Day or Sydney’s Foundation Day,” says Gibbs. According to Gibbs, they looked at different dates to hold a celebratory event...
The gift of reading
Most of us take the ability to read for granted, but it’s something too many school children have difficulty with – and something their parents cannot always afford to change. It’s heartbreaking to see children struggling with something so fundamental to achieving in all areas of life. At the Macquarie University Reading Clinic, experts know what these children need and what works –...
On cue
What does learning to ride a bike have to do with aircraft near misses or saving international students from drowning? Quite a lot for industries and businesses where sound judgement is critical for ensuring safe outcomes, according to Professor Mark Wiggins from the Department of Psychology. “When we make judgements about situations, even complex ones, we rely on cues,” says Wiggins. ...