Some of our longest-serving staff, at April’s celebratory function. (Left to right): Alison Briggs; Professor Nick Mansfield; Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton with Professor Gillian Heller; Ian Argus; Professor Helena Nevalainen; Joanne Mulligan

Last month the University recognised 36 staff who have reached the incredible milestones of 25 or 40 years’ service to Macquarie. We asked a few of these staff to share their memories of 1993 and reflect on the changes they’ve witnessed during their time here.

Professor Judith Dawes  |  Physics and Astronomy

“I remember the scent of jasmine and lemon-scented eucalypts near E7B and the courtyard, when I started as an Australian Research Fellow in the summer of 1992. I was appointed as a lecturer in optoelectronics (and physics) about a year later.

“What has changed? The pace of change has become more rapid, and computers have infiltrated our work and our lives to a much greater extent.”

Philip Sinnadurai  |  Lecturer, Accounting and Corporate Governance          

“I was appointed in 1993 as an associate lecturer, on a one-year contract funded by my department. After working at the University for a-quarter-of-a-century, the main change I have observed is a substantial increase in the degree of accountability.

“It’s sobering that most of my current undergraduate students were born when I was a full-time staff member, enrolled in my doctorate part-time. It seems like centuries ago, since so much has happened since.”

Professor Karu Esselle  |  School of Engineering

“Obviously the campus is so different, but the change that matters to me most is the strong engineering degrees offered by Macquarie now – they didn’t exist in 1993. What is now the School of Engineering was just an Electronics discipline at that time.”

Professor Richie Howitt  |  Geography and Planning

“I was appointed as a lecturer in human geography in 1992. The remarkable thing about Macquarie at that time was the almost complete absence of conventional hierarchy. There were no departments or faculties –  just the interdisciplinary schools with elected heads and high levels of participatory engagement in school affairs. The executive was small (certainly in comparison to today) and very accessible – even to relatively junior staff.”

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Congratulations to all our long-serving staff. We applaud you!

40 years of service

Tony Cody

25 years of service

Ian Argent

Alison Briggs

Dr Mio Bryce

Dr Frank Carrigan

Steve Cassidy

Professor Judith Dawes

Helen Durant

Professor Karu Esselle

Shauna Ferris

Sharyn Gilkes

Professor Gillian Heller

Professor Richie Howitt

Dr Con Korkofingas

Michael Lagos

Craig MacMillan

Professor Nick Mansfield

Brian Millanta

Professor Kathryn Millard

Richard Miller

Joanne Mulligan

Professor Helena Nevalainen

Dr Lee O’Brien

Professor Mehmet Orgun

Professor John Potts

Dr Michael Quilter

Professor Ron Rapee

Dr Greg Robertson

Elizabeth Sheedy

Dr Philip Sinnadurai

Professor Leonie Tickle

Kirsten Versendaal

Jackie Walsh

Sondra Wibberley

Chad Wong

Dr Shirley Wyver